Clinical education is an integral part of the professional physical therapy program. The clinical education course sequence includes 24 weeks of supervised clinical practice. There are 5 clinical education courses – directed clinical, clinical practicum, clinical education I, II, and III. Assignments include both on campus and off campus assignments. Many of the full time clinical assignments may be out of the San Marcos area. The Director of Clinical Education establishes a clinical education plan for each individual student. These assignments serve to reinforce the knowledge and techniques that are part of the didactic (classroom and laboratory) curriculum, and the didactic curriculum prepares the students to practice in the clinical environment.

 
The following information includes the policies for clinical education program.

1. ADA Requirements

Due to the ADA privacy requirement, the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) is legally prohibited from discussing any disability with the clinical site without specific authorization to do so from the student. Thus, it is recommended that the student discuss any relevant information about their disability that may result in any clinical performance, scheduling, or time management difficulties with the Clinical Instructor (CI) during the orientation meeting. If problems arise which cannot be resolved, the DCE should be notified as described in the “clinical problems” section of these policies.

If requested and written permission is given to the DCE, the DCE will discuss the disability and implications for the clinical site prior to the student’s arrival at the assigned facility.

 

2. Attendance

Students are expected to be in attendance at the clinical education site during the regular business hours of the facility or on an alternate schedule as assigned by their Clinical Instructor (CI). It is the student’s responsibility to notify the CI prior to the scheduled starting time for that day if unable to arrive at the facility by the expected time (eg car trouble, illness). It is expected that students will NOT miss assigned days for personal reasons without prior permission (see Personal Days section of these policies)

 

3. Blackboard postings

All clinical education course information and appropriate forms will be posted to the appropriate course site on the Texas State’s Blackboard system.  This system will also be used for faculty to post announcements for students while completing off-campus clinical courses.

 

4. Case Study

A patient case study may be required during at least one of the full-time clinical education experiences. It may be presented to the facility staff as the “in-service” activity and may meet the requirements of the PT MACS skill, if all requirements of that skill are addressed.

 

5. CPR Certification

Each student is required to maintain current CPR certification throughout all clinical education assignments. Failure to have current certification will result in cancellation of an assigned clinical education experience if the site requests that cancellation. Proof of current CPR certification must be included in the CEM.

 

6. Cellular Phones/Picture Phones

            Student may use cellular phones according to the clinical site’s policy. However, pictures MAY NOT be taken or transmitted via cellular picture phones in ANY circumstance due to patient privacy regulations. Students who do not adhere to this policy will be removed from the clinical site immediately if the site requests the removal of that student.

           

7. Clinical Education Courses

One part-time and four full-time clinical education experiences are required for successful completion of the MSPT curriculum and to qualify for graduation.  The courses and their requirements are included in the CEM. Students on academic probation will not be allowed to progress in the long-term clinical education experiences until the probationary status has been resolved and the student is in unconditional academic standing.

PT 5110: Directed Clinical is a part-time clinical experience completed in the Texas State Physical Therapy Clinical during either semester three (spring: rotation A or B), semester four (summer: rotation C) or semester five (fall: rotation D or E).

PT 5150: Clinical Practicum is the first full-time clinical education experience completed off-campus during the May mini-session. Students who are on academic probation will not be allowed to complete this clinical education experience. Due to this delay in completion of the clinical experiences, the graduation date will also be delayed until completion of the clinical education experiences.

PT 5360: Clinical Education I, and the subsequent clinical education courses, may not be completed until the student has successfully completed the research requirement to the level agreed upon by the student and the project/thesis advisor or if a student is on any form of probation. Failure to complete the research as planned will result in cancellation of a previously confirmed clinical assignment, with re-assignment based on availability of clinical sites. Students who are on any form of academic probation during the fall semester will not be allowed to begin this clinical education assignment until that probationary status has been resolved and the student returns to full academic standing. Due to the delay in completion of the clinical experiences due to either of these issues, the graduation date will also be delayed until completion of the clinical education experiences.

PT 5461: Clinical Education II is the second in the series of three long-term clinical education experiences. Students on any type of academic “probation” will not be allowed to begin this clinical course until the appropriate didactic courses have been completed to remove the student from academic probation to full academic standing. Due to the delay in completion of the clinical experiences, the graduation date will also be delayed until completion of the clinical education experiences.

PT 5462: Clinical Education III is the final long-term clinical education experience. Students on any type of academic “probation” will not be allowed to begin this clinical course until the appropriate didactic courses have been completed to remove the student from academic probation to full academic standing. Due to the delay in completion of the clinical experiences, the graduation date will also be delayed until completion of the clinical education experiences.

 

8. Clinical Education Experience Assignments

Clinical education is considered a privilege and is NOT a right for students enrolled in the MSPT curriculum. Following a clinical education planning meeting with the DCE, each student will be assigned to a clinical facility which will allow that student to achieve both curricular and personal clinical education goals. Due to changes in the clinical environment (eg facility staffing, patient type, changing regulations) cancellation of previously confirmed clinical assignments may occur resulting in a new assignment that must be planned and confirmed. The DCE will inform the student of such an occurrence and a discussion of alternative assignments will be completed prior to a new assignment is planned.

The student will be notified of a clinical assignment as soon as it is confirmed and provided with contact information for the confirmed site. It is, then, the student’s responsibility to contact the site to provide personal contact information, as well as to manage all future interaction with that site. Any housing arrangements that must be confirmed are the responsibility of the student.

 

9. Clinical Education Manual

The Clinical Education Manual (CEM) is the required text for all clinical courses. Updated information for inclusion in the CEM will be provided as appropriate via printed copies or posted to the Blackboard site for the clinical education courses.

 

10. Clinical Contact by DCE

A clinical contact, by either an on-site visit or a telephone call, will be scheduled by the DCE to be held with the student, as well as the CI, following the mid-term of the full-time clinical education experiences. The purpose of the clinical contact is to assess the student’s clinical progress at that facility, as well as the student’s progress toward completing the entry- level skills required for graduation.

The schedule of clinical contacts will be provided to the student prior to each full-time clinical education rotation and should be placed in the CEM for future reference. It is the responsibility of the student to discuss the scheduled contact with the CI during the orientation to the facility. Once the contact date has been reviewed, the student must include that information on the CE FAX Form to be returned to the DCE by the end of the first week of the assignment. If the on-site visit or telephone call must be rescheduled it is the student’s responsibility to provide alternative dates so that the DCE can reschedule an alternate time for that clinical contact. Once information has been received from all students, the DCE will work with the students needing changes in their contact time and the revised schedule posted to the Blackboard course site.

Each student will receive at least one on-site visit at some point within the three full-time clinical education experiences, unless Program resources prevent an on-site visit from occurring.

If an on-site visit is not scheduled for a specific clinical education experience, but the student or CI believe an on-site visit to be necessary to resolve any problems, the student or CI should contact the DCE to schedule an on-site visit.

 

11. Clinical Cost Sheets

Completion of the appropriate Clinical Cost Sheet form is required of each student to successfully complete the clinical education experience. The forms are included in the CEM and are due to the DCE, as part of the required paperwork, within 5 working day of completion of the clinical education experience. Failure to return the form may result in cancellation of the clinical experience at the discretion of the CI and DCE.

 

12. Clinical Education Orientation

A mandatory clinical education orientation will be held for all students during the spring semester of the first year of the program. Additionally, several additional required sessions may be scheduled prior to the full-time clinical education to review the CE requirements. The purpose of the orientation is to become acquainted with the clinical education courses, to understand the correct use of the clinical evaluation instruments, as well as to become familiarized with the clinical education policies and the rules and regulations affecting the student while participating in clinical education experiences. The Physical Therapist Manual of Clinical Skills (PT MACS) will be used to evaluate the performance during all clinical education experiences both on and off campus.

The initial orientation is completed for all students during the spring semester of the first year whether or not the student is enrolled in PT 5110 during that semester. Any additional orientation sessions will be scheduled in advance to allow the student to appropriately plan for attendance at the mandatory sessions. Failure to attend the mandatory sessions will result in cancellation of any assigned clinical education experiences and rescheduling of the clinical education experiences following the next scheduled orientation session. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this requirement.

Several sessions will be held during the fall semester of the second year of the program to complete the orientation prior to beginning the full-time clinical education experiences. Those sessions are also mandatory and will be scheduled as part of PT 5360. Failure to attend the mandatory sessions will result in cancellation of any assigned clinical education experiences and rescheduling of the clinical education experiences following the next scheduled orientation session. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this requirement.

 

13. Clinical Evaluation Form

            The evaluation form, The PT MACS, must be purchased by each student prior to the mandatory clinical education orientation session during which the instruction for use of this evaluation tool will be provided. Each student is expected to complete all required skills in The PT MACS prior to graduation. Based on the type of clinical education assignment, the appropriate situational skills must also be successfully completed by the student.

A formative evaluation should be completed at the approximate mid-term of the clinical education experience and prior to the on-site or telephone conference with the DCE. The student is expected to complete a self-evaluation of The PT MACS skill performance prior to the CI’s evaluation of the student’s performance. That self-assessment will be used by the CI as a basis for discussion of the student’s clinical progress.

The student is required to complete the Student Evaluation of the Clinical Education Experience (SECEE) form and discuss it with the CI at the conclusion of each clinical experience. The form must be signed by the CI for the SECEE to be considered complete.

 

14. Clinical Education Fax Sheets

A CE Fax Sheet is required to be submitted by the end of the appropriate weeks of the Clinical Practicum, as well as each longer full-time clinical education experience. The due date will be included on each form. The purpose of these forms is to provide the DCE with input as to the name of the CI, the type of supervision being received, to confirm the contact scheduled for the DCE to review the progress of the student during full-time clinical education experiences, and to allow the student to set and track the goals established for the clinical education experiences.

 

15. Clinical Problems

If a clinical problem arises (eg supervision, academic preparation, and professional behaviors) the student should discuss the problem with the CI immediately.  If the situation is not improved the student should next notify the CCCE of the facility for assistance in resolving the problem. If that does not resolve the problem notify the DCE immediately. Due to the nature of some problems faced by students it may be appropriate to contact the DCE immediately to discuss alternative strategies for resolving the problem or to arrange an onsite visit or telephone intervention.

 

16. Criminal Background Check

            A “clear” background check is required prior to beginning off-campus clinical education experiences. A form for applying to the Texas State approved agency will be made available to students in the CEM for completion of that background check. Any cost associated with the background check is the responsibility of the student.

            The student will receive a copy of the coversheet showing the clearance status of the background check to be placed in their CEM. If a site requires additional confirmation of the status of the background check, the DCE will provide information to the site to contact the Texas State approved agency directly for additional information that site may need for compliance with their site’s policies.

            If a student is unable to receive a “clear” background check the clinical assignments may have to be altered based on the areas that have failed to be clear, as well as the clinical site’s policy on accepting individuals without fully cleared background checks. This status will be reviewed on the basis of the individual and the specific clinical site assignment.

 

17.  Dress Code

On-site: Texas State PT polo shirt (burgundy or navy); khaki or black pants (no shorts or jeans); closed-toed shoes (no sandals), picture name tag. 

Off-site: as above or a picture nametag, white lab coat and appropriate attire (no shorts, jeans, or sandals). This dress code may be superseded by the facility dress code requirements.

 

18. Drug Testing

            As a requirement for participation in patient care, several clinical sites require mandatory drug testing for the student to participate in clinical education at that facility.  When such a policy exists the student must comply and pass the drug testing to remain assigned to that clinical site to complete the assigned clinical education experience.  If the student fails the drug test that clinical education experience will be cancelled and the student will be required to complete that experience at a later date and in a different clinical site, at the discretion of and based on the DCE’s ability to place the student in an alternative clinical experience.

 

19. Email contact during clinical education experiences

The email address used to contact students during clinical education experiences will be the email student’s Texas State email address associated with the Texas State Blackboard course site. That email address will be used for all official correspondence from the DCE or faculty to assure all students receive the same information in a timely manner. An alternative personal email address may be used for personal contact if the student needs to contact the DCE for input about a question or when a clinical issue may arise.

 

20. Facility policies & procedures

The student is expected to adhere to all policies and procedures of the clinical facility. Failure to comply with facility policies and procedures will result in removal of the student from that clinical facility.

Several Texas State policies will supersede the clinical facility policies including (but not limited to): CPR, Criminal Background Check, immunization and incident reporting (see appropriate sections in these policy statements).

 

21. Failed clinical education experience

            Failure of a clinical education experience for any reason (professional behavior, safety, lack of skill completion) will result in suspension of the student from the MSPT program (see academic policies in MSPT Student Handbook).  The student has the right to appeal the failing grade according to the College of Health Profession’s grade appeal policy.

 

22. Health Insurance

It is recommended that each student obtain health insurance prior to beginning the full-time clinical education experiences.  For students not covered through a family health insurance plan, coverage can be purchased through either Texas State or the APTA Student Insurance Division. Proof of insurance coverage should be included in the appropriate section of the CEM. Several clinical sites require health insurance as a requirement for completing a clinical education experience at that site.

 

23. Illness

If the student is ill and unable to attend the clinical education experience the CI must be notified prior to the expected time of arrival of the student for that day. If the student is absent for more than 3 consecutive days the CI should notify the DCE.

Absence due to illness of more than 2 days per clinical education experience will be made up at the discretion of the CI. If the CI is unsure of the student’s need to make up the missed time, the CI and DCE will discuss the options for the student.

Absences of more than 5 consecutive days will require written physician permission to return to the clinical facility and may require additional clinical education hours to be made up at that clinical facility or during a subsequent clinical assignment.

 

24. Immunization Information

The College of Health Professions requires each student to complete a Health Report prior to assignment for a clinical education experience. It is required that each student complete the Hepatitis B vaccination series prior to the first off-campus clinical education experience. A copy of the Health Report must be included in the CEM for easy access by the clinical site.

 

25. Incident Report

It is the policy of the College of Health Professions that any clinical incident that could result in legal action against the student be reported to the DCE immediately. The required information should be included on the form included in the “Compliance Section” of the CEM. The following procedure is to be followed if a student is involved in any incident in which there is potential for a professional liability legal action to be filed.

            1) The student must immediately notify the CI of the incident.

2) The student must immediate notify the DCE of the event and provide the DCE with a written copy of the incident report from the student and CI.

3) Upon receipt of any official document notifying the student of a compensable event, the student must furnish a copy of the document to the DCE

4) The DCE will furnish the written documentation to the Dean’s Office, which will notify the Texas State University attorney and the professional liability carrier of the possible legal action.

 

26. In-service Presentation

Each student is required to complete a minimum of one in-service presentation during the full-time clinical education experiences to complete the required The PT MACS in-service skill. The topic of the in-service presentation may be of the student’s choosing or at the discretion of the clinical site. Additional in-services may be necessary to successfully complete the required skill or may be a requirement of the clinical facility. Although The PT MACS skill has been completed, it is the prerogative of the clinical facility to require an in-service presentation by a student as a requirement for that student being assigned to that specific clinical site.

 

27. Leave of Absence from a Clinical Education Experience

If a student is unable to complete a part-time clinical education experience due to illness, injury, or a personal situation the student will receive a grade of “Incomplete” for that clinical education course. Attendance at a full-time clinical education experiences will not be allowed until an “Incomplete” in a part-time clinical education experience has been successfully completed and the student has received credit for that part-time experience.

If a student is unable to complete a full-time clinical education experience due to illness, injury, or a personal situation the student will receive a grade of “Incomplete” for that clinical education course. When possible the leave of absence (LOA) request must be discussed with the DCE and formalized as a written request, including a plan for future completion of that experience, prior to granting of the LOA.

Based on Texas State academic policy the student has a maximum of one year to complete an “Incomplete” grade. Due to the changing clinical environment an alternate clinical education experience will be scheduled at the discretion of the DCE and the alternate clinical site and, thus, may not be able to be scheduled at the convenience of the student.

 

28. Paperwork Requirement

The required paperwork for each clinical education experience is identified on each course syllabus and will include the due date for the paperwork to be submitted. The clinical course will be considered “incomplete” until all paperwork is returned and includes the required signatures.

 

29.  Personal Days

Any personal days requested for either personal/family emergencies or personal business are considered to be “unexcused” and must be made up prior to completion of the clinical education experience at the discretion of the supervising CI. If the CI has any questions a discussion between the CI and the DCE may be necessary for the final decision about making up this time.

 

30. Probationary Status

A student on academic probation will not be allowed to begin any of the off-campus clinical education experiences until that academic status has been resolved. If a student is on academic probation at the time of a clinical education experience that experience will be reassigned for a time after which the student has resolved the probationary status and, thus, graduation will be delayed until after completion of the clinical education assignments.

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31. Professional Behavior

Students are expected to practice in a legal, ethical and professional manner. Failure to do so will result in failure of the clinical education experience.  Documentation of professional behavior will be completed by the CI and DCE using either the “Generic Abilities Form” or the appropriate skills in the PT MACS.

Inappropriate behavior may result in removal of a student from an assigned clinical facility at the discretion of the CI and the DCE. Continuation of enrollment eligibility in the MSPT program will be determined based on the academic policies of the MSPT Program.

 

32. Professional Liability Insurance

Each student is required to purchase professional liability insurance to remain enrolled in the Program. The payment for the policy must be made by money order to Texas State by the date established by the Dean’s Office.  A copy of the student’s receipt for proof of individual payment for the policy must be included in the CEM.

A copy of the coversheet describing the Texas State policy must be filed in the CEM. An updated copy of the policy will be provided to the student as soon as it becomes available from the Dean’s Office each year of enrollment in the Program.

 

33. Registration for Clinical Courses

            Registration for all off-campus clinical education courses must be completed during the regular registration period and registration fees paid by the deadline established by the Texas State registrar. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the appropriate registration and payment of tuition and fees so that the University does not cancel enrollment in courses for which registration has been completed. Failure to be successfully registered prior to the first day of the specific clinical assignments will result in cancellation of that assignment. Cancellations of an assigned clinical education experience will result in reassignment of the student based on DCE discretion and clinical site availability and will possibly results in the student’s delayed graduation. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this requirement.

 

34. Repeat of a Failed Clinical Course

If the CI and DCE determine the student is failing an assigned clinical education experience, an alternative plan for successful completion of that clinical education experience will be developed through discussion between the CI and DCE, as well as between the DCE and student. If it is determined that successful completion of the clinical education experience cannot be attained at that clinical facility, an alternate placement will be developed.  Because of the changing clinical environment the alternate placement will be at the discretion of the DCE and the clinical facility and, thus, may not be at the convenience of the student. Repeat of a failed clinical course will result in delayed graduation.

 

35. Requirements for Successful Completion of a Clinical Course

The course requirements for completion of each clinical education experience are included in the appropriate course syllabus as provided in the CEM.

 

36. Worker’s Compensation Insurance

As a student in an academic course you are not considered an employee of Texas State and are exempt from Worker’s Compensation coverage. Because you are also not considered to be an employee of the facility when temporarily assigned to a specific clinical site, there is no facility-sponsored coverage for an injury occurring due to the work being completed.  It is, therefore, recommended that all students carry health insurance or disability insurance to cover any cost associated with a work related injury or illness while completing assigned clinical activities during enrollment in clinical education courses.

 

37. Additional Policies

The Department, the College, and Texas State all reserve the right to amend or develop new policies that may affect the clinical education component of the MSPT curriculum. When a new policy has been implemented the student will be informed in writing so that the revised policy may be included in the CEM.

Approved: 9/99; revised 12/00, 12/02, 12/03, 10/04, 10/05