Instructor: Adrienne Tesarek, OTR/L, CHT
Contact hours: 7.5
Level: Beg./Intermediate
Hybrid Online Course: Online self-study modules followed by Zoom Session with Instructor
The comprehensive, hybrid-online, evidence-based course is designed to bring awareness to the intricate nature of upper extremity and hand injuries in the acute care environment and facilitate a therapist’s understanding of the importance of early interventions on long term outcomes. This course focuses on the importance of early intervention with orthopedic upper extremity injuries and how best to prepare them for positive outcomes by addressing- positioning, orthotics, home programs, edema, and pain management.
The course begins with 2.5-hours of on-demand, video-recorded lectures that will introduce you to the basic treatment concepts to be applied in the acute care setting; and a detailed look at commonly seen upper extremity conditions, including laceration and repair of soft tissue structures, fracture management, nerve compression, and basic hand infections. Gain an understanding of the anatomy, healing timeframes, and management of these injuries to prepare patients for discharge, while focusing on:
• the principles of the inflammatory process on different structures
• key components of an acute care management program
• radial nerve injuries and the resultant motor and sensory complications
• humeral fracture management
• tendon injuries, repairs and basic protocols
• the hand’s response to edema and the patterns of contracture development
The second part of the course is a 4-hour, self-paced, independent-study module allowing you to integrate and apply the concepts learned in the recorded lectures. You will have the opportunity to problem-solve three case studies and fabricate 3 custom upper extremity orthoses. Step-by-step video recordings will guide you through the pattern making and custom fabrication of a resting hand orthosis, a dorsal blocking orthosis, and a wrist cock-up orthosis.
The course concludes with a 60-minute live Zoom Virtual Interactive Classroom session to review the case study assignments, and for feedback on custom orthoses fabricated by the course participants.
Course features:
• video recorded lectures
• video recorded step-by-step demonstrations and specialized techniques for fabrication of orthoses
• independent orthosis fabrication
• case study assignments
• interactive Virtual Classroom Zoom meetings–focusing on case studies, review of fabrication techniques, Q & A
• email access to the instructor throughout the course
Prior to the Virtual Classroom Zoom meeting, you must complete and submit 3 case study assignments and fabricate three orthoses and submit photos of the orthoses.
Please consider the above requirements when you select your Virtual Classroom Zoom meetings.
You must attend the Zoom Interactive classroom and complete all assignments/orthoses in order to receive CE credits.
You are required to provide thermoplastic splinting materials, strapping supplies, a heating pan, and splinting scissors to fabricate orthoses. You will need one 18”x24” sheet of either 3/32” thick or 1/8” thick low-temperature thermoplastic splinting material to fabricate all 3 orthoses. List of recommended supplies.
Please read course requirements carefully BEFORE registering for this course. This hybrid online course is final sale.
Participants are cautioned to apply new information and skills within the scope of state licensure law.
Go to Managing Acute Hand Injuries: Improving Long Term Outcomes with Early Intervention for a full description of this course.