Technical Standard Examples That Might be Required in a Lab Class

The technical standard examples below reflect only a sample of possible performance abilities and characteristics that are necessary to complete the requirements of the PTA program. Once enrolled in the PTA program, students will be required to meet the expectations of each technical standard.

Behavioral Skills

Standard: Display behavior appropriate for a lab classroom.

Example Behaviors:

• Refrain from talking to classmates when teacher is speaking and limit use of technology to only course-appropriate activities.
• Meet all professional behavior expectations for students enrolled in the PTA program.
• Be responsible for safety of self and classmates at all times and listen carefully to safety instructions.
• Accept feedback regarding skill demonstrations to develop hands-on and physical therapy practice management skills.
• Come to lab in clothing appropriate for program dress code.

Standard: Demonstrate accountability.

Example Behaviors:

• Accept the various roles of a PTA student (learner, peer, future PTA…).
• Take charge of your own learning and help to create a positive learning environment for your peers and faculty.
• Reflect on your actions or performance outcomes to continue to learn and grow.

Standard: Demonstrate appropriate stress management behaviors and flexibility during changing or unknown situations.

Example Behaviors:

• Adapt to various teaching methods, learning activities, and teaching styles in the lab.
• Be able to work with a variety of lab partners in each class throughout the program.
• Recognize your own stressors, seek assistance when needed.
• Work to find a balance between school and personal life.
• Display calm behavior in the face of uncertainty or change.

Standard: Demonstrate a commitment to learning.

Example Behaviors:

• Participate in all lab activities, ask questions if material is unclear, prepare for lab before arriving to lab.
• Take initiative to practice skills both during and outside of class time to work towards mastery of skills.

Standard: Demonstrate compassion, caring, and trustworthiness.

Example Behaviors:

• Consider the views, opinions, perspectives, and feelings of others.
• Reflect on the impact of your actions on others.
• Consider the “whole person” in all your interactions.
• Recognize your own biases and do not let them influence your interactions.
• Take time to listen to others.

Standard: Demonstrate concentration and the ability to attend to instructor during lab courses

Example Behaviors:

• Remain focused during lab time and complete all activities to expectations of instructor.
• Demonstrate ability to not be distracted by technology and to not distract others with your use of technology.
• Remain focused on task at hand in a busy lab environment.

Standard: Demonstrate effective use of time and resources.

Example Behaviors:

• Use time in lab fully to maximize hands-on learning time.
• Arrive to class on time and with necessary materials.
• Submit all assignments by the posted due date.
• Plan and prioritize studying strategies to manage course load and lab practical preparation.

Standard: Demonstrate integrity and responsibility

Example Behaviors:

• Abide by college and program academic integrity policies and student conduct policies (ex: no cheating or plagiarism).
• Abide by APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession and the APTA Core Values for the PT and the PTA as these standards apply to the classroom setting.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment.
• Follow through on commitments, completes projects and assignments without prompting.
• Identify, acknowledge, and accept responsibility for actions and report errors.
• Demonstrate the ability to meet attendance standards for the program.

Standard: Demonstrate respect for others and follow the college stance on non-discrimination

Example Behaviors:

• Respect the ideas, experiences, and backgrounds of others.
• Do not bully or show disrespect for others, even if their ideas or experiences are different than your own.
• The program and college prohibit sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, stalking and retaliation and promotes and maintains educational opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Standard: Professionally accept, respond to, and integrate constructive feedback.

Example Behaviors:

• Don’t become defensive when provided with feedback.
• Integrate feedback to improve skills, behaviors, or knowledge.
• Acknowledge and thank those who provide you with feedback.

Communication Skills

Standard: Communicate professionally with faculty and other classmates at all times.

Example Behaviors:

• Communicate with lab partners regarding lab tasks to optimize safety and lab partner comfort & security.
• Provide helpful and professional feedback to classmates while practicing skills.
• Speak in a calm and professional tone with faculty and classmates.
• Use instructor titles (ex: Dr., Ms., Professor) and send emails with proper format and professionalism as defined in PTA student handbook.
• Display non-verbal communication appropriate for the environment (ex: not displaying visible frustration when your lab partner is struggling with a skill).

Standard: Demonstrate the ability to document patient treatments in simulated medical records.

Example Behaviors:

• Complete patient treatment notes based on simulated situations which meet the quality outlined by the instructor on the documentation rubric.

Standard: Demonstrate effective communication skills with all parties during a simulated treatment session.

Example Behaviors:

• Communicate in a professional tone using layman’s or medical terms (depending on the situation) and clearly and concisely while also displaying care and concern for the other individual.

Standard: Demonstrate interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Example Behaviors:

• Effectively communicate with members of a team or group.
• Clearly communicate with group members while completing a group project.
• Be an effective team member in a group project by completing all assigned tasks.

Standard: Effectively communicate with a diverse population of students and faculty.

Example Behaviors:

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact with all classmates and faculty regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Intellectual & Conceptual Skills

Standard: Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Example Behaviors:

• Complete a patient treatment session based on a provided case study and complete increasingly complex patient scenarios throughout the curriculum.
• Explain the rationale for and demonstrate the ability to adapt treatment approaches based on various patient case studies.

Standard: Demonstrate academic readiness for clinical rotations.

Example Behaviors:

• Successfully pass all lab practicals prior throughout the program.
• Demonstrate ability to perform self-assessment and make behavior changes based on self-assessment.

Standard: Possess the academic to complete a rigorous curriculum in the allotted time frame.

Example Behaviors:

• Complete lab component of all PTA courses by completing all written work and passing all practical exams with an 80% or better and without safety concerns.
• Complete courses with both a standard 16-week format and an accelerated time frame.
• Retain information and skills across semesters to allow for concept development and completing clinical rotations.

Physical Functioning

Standard: Demonstrate the ability to maintain proper body mechanics at all times to ensure safety of self, lab partner, and faculty.

Example Behaviors:

• Keeping a neutral spine position when transferring your lab partner.
• Access elevated surfaces to maintain proper body mechanics.
• Take measurements on a low surface.

Standard: Demonstrate the ability to move into the various positions required to perform the duties of a PTA

Example Behaviors:

• Sitting on the ground to practice treating your lab partner’s ankle while your lab partner remains in standing.
• Squatting to perform a transfer.
• Laying on ground or mat table to demonstrate an exercise to a patient.
• Climbing stairs to properly guard a patient.

Standard: Demonstrate the appropriate motor control and strength to provide treatment techniques while ensuring patient safety

Example Behaviors:

• Providing manual resistance to a patient during therapeutic exercise activities.
• Safely transferring patients of all sizes and abilities to and from various surfaces.
• Safely lift 50 pounds.
• Demonstrate sufficient fine motor control to operate machines and to provide manual therapy treatments.

Standard: Demonstrate the physical ability to respond in emergency or unexpected situations.

Example Behaviors:

• Safely lower a patient to the floor in the event of a severe loss of balance or sudden drop in blood pressure.
• Provide or assist in CPR until an emergency team arrives.

Standard: Demonstrate the physical balance required to perform all variety of patient treatments.

Example Behaviors:

• Maintaining balance to safely guard a patient while walking.
• Maintaining balance while transition between various positions.
• Maintaining balance while reaching in various directions.

Standard: Possess the endurance to complete required hands-on, lab-based learning activities

Example Behaviors:

• Actively participate in 2-3 hour physical lab sessions 4-6 times per week.

Use of Sensory System

Standard: Utilize sensory systems to be effectively engaged in the teaching and learning process present in the lab portions of the program.

Example Behaviors:

• Use sensory systems to take patient vital signs.
• Utilize touch and palpation to assess and treat patients.
• Use visual system to assess patient movement and to ensure patient safety.
• Tolerate various sensory inputs including touch.