Clinical trials

This longitudinal, single-cohort, within-subjects study evaluates whether sequential exposure to Ventriloscope simulation stethoscope training, delivered after traditional auscultation instruction, enhances auscultation knowledge, clinical sound recognition skill, and self-reported confidence in Physical Therapy (PT) and Athletic Training (AT) students, and whether any enhancement is retained two months after training. All participating students receive both training modalities in sequence. Knowledge, skill, and confidence are measured at five timepoints (T1-T5) across approximately five months. A qualitative component examines student perceptions of the two training modalities.

Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation will be provided to the participants using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit, a routine physical therapy intervention by the faculty researcher who is a licensed physical therapist. The electrodes will be clipped to ear over the vagus nerve distribution area. The parameters will be 30 Hz, 250 us, 5 minutes, at tolerance (no pain). Reaction time will test collected pre and post the stimulation using online reaction time testing platform.

This study examines whether physical therapy faculty can reliably and feasibly use the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric adapted for physical therapy (LCJR-PT) to score students' clinical judgment during a recorded simulation experience. Multiple trained faculty raters will independently score the same student videos, and the level of agreement between raters will be measured. Faculty will also report how long scoring takes and their perceptions of the rubric's usefulness.

Brief Summary The goal of this observational study is to develop consensus-based criteria for when vital sign assessment (VSA) should be performed in outpatient physical therapy settings. The primary purpose is to identify clinical signs, symptoms, and other factors that inform decision-making for VSA to improve patient safety and guide treatment progression. Main Questions: 1. Which clinical characteristics indicate that vital signs should be assessed during outpatient physical therapy? 2. Which clinical characteristics indicate that vital signs do not need to be assessed? Study Design: This study uses a three-round electronic Delphi (e-Delphi) process to achieve expert consensus. Comparison: Researchers will compare responses across rounds to determine agreement and stability of criteria for inclusion in a decision algorithm. Participants: Licensed physical therapists with ≥5 years of clinical experience in outpatient settings. Procedures: Participants will: Complete three rounds of online surveys via Qualtrics. Round 1: Suggest signs, symptoms, and factors for assessing or not assessing vitals. Round 2: Rank importance of these factors on a 5-point Likert scale and suggest additional items. Round 3: Review aggregated results and finalize consensus on criteria.

The purpose of this study is to determine if a fall preparedness program can reduce the fear of falling in older adults and subsequently improve their function and reduce falls with injury. Participants will perform baseline measures 4 weeks before intervention and again at the start of intervention. They will perform a 12-week intervention and then complete outcome measures again at the conclusion of the program.