By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

As a long time classical flutist I can personally attest to this statement. After especially extended rehearsal times, my lips have been known to go numb and tingly, my fingers to cramp up and my shoulders and arms to feel like I have been lifting weights from sustaining the same position for hours. Yes folks – art can hurt. I have the utmost respect and sympathy for professional artists who do this on a daily basis for three or four times as many hours as I ever have. For creative professionals, art doesn’t just hurt sometimes – it can be nearly debilitating.

If a physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor or physician were to glance at a patient chart and see injuries such as pinched nerves, unaligned spinal columns, broken toes, muscle strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder bursitis, neck injuries, hearing loss, herniated discs, rotator cuff injuries, back spasms, would they associate such conditions with the delicate grace of being an artist?  Whether they make that connection or not, the fact remains that repetitive use and strain injuries affect painters, dancers, singers, instrumentalists and other artists. These injuries can be blamed on the adage “practice makes perfect,” from holding the body in sustained, often awkward positions or simply from the physical exertion of throwing oneself into a performance with every ounce of themselves. In fact, many artists who are cognizant of the physical effort required to practice their art, train their body with the same intensity as athletes. Let it never be said that being an artist is a “soft” way to make a living.

As a traveling physical therapist or travel occupational therapist on assignment, the next time you see some of the injuries I listed above – you might want to think “artist” not “athlete.”

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

Physical therapists are needed across a range of specialty areas and departments in hospitals. Intensive care units (ICU’s) are one of the places where PT’s and traveling physical therapists on physical therapy travel job assignment are needed the most. Research and studies are now showing the benefit of early physical therapy in the rehabilitation of critically ill patients in the ICU.

A University of Chicago study showed that patients who underwent physical and occupational regimens of exercise and mobilization within 72 hours of being placed on a ventilator, experienced improved levels of independent function by time they were discharged from the hospital. Patients receiving physical therapy interventions also experienced more days off of ventilators. ICU patients frequently experience long term complications after surviving a life threatening illness, such as weakness and neuropsychiatric diseases. Rehabilitation therapy interventions can help prevent these complications. The interventions in the study included passive range of motion exercises in the extremities of unresponsive patients and in alert patients, assisted range of motion exercises while still in bed. The physical and occupational therapy interventions then progressed to sitting up in bed and performing balance activities, activities of daily living, sitting and standing transfers and eventually ambulation.

The study revealed that there are benefits to incorporating physical and occupational therapy in the treatment of ICU patients. Therapy interventions help to reorient patients who have been sedated on a ventilator. Assisting patients to ambulate early in the ICU led to a decrease in muscle atrophy and an increase in independent function. Traveling physical therapists and travel occupational therapy job seekers with an interest in assisting ICU patients should contact a travel recruiter today to check on the availability of assignments in this area.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

I recently had my first golf lesson by my significant other. His major critique was that I should stop swinging the club more like a baseball bat (what can I say, it’s my favorite sport). Other than that, there was no serious damage done and no injuries or pulled muscles that would send me screaming to a doctor or in, increasingly more cases of sports injuries, a physical therapist.

Many physical therapists and traveling physical therapists are likely to see an increase in golf related injuries this time of year, due to that sport’s peak popularity in the summer when the sun is shining and the lush greens start to beckon. When the amateur golfer, especially the “weekend warrior” golfer, is not in proper shape, they are in danger of sustaining a variety of injuries from the swing of the club. One bad swing (not “bad golf game” bad either) can lead to lower back, shoulder, knee and hip injuries. This is because one golf swing greatly multiplies the stress that the body weight places on the spine.

I credit my injury-free day to some good luck and also to my regular fitness routine, which incorporates total body conditioning. This is important in the sport of golf, which uses basically every major muscle group in the body, from quads, gluts and abs to delts, pecs, triceps and biceps. Physical therapists and travel pts can cite evidence of this in the types of specific injuries seen in golfers including: back pain, tennis or golfer’s elbow, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome (from repetitive use), tendinitis, knee pain, wrist impaction, tendon subluxation and hand and wrist fractures. Physical therapists, traveling physical therapists (especially ones on attractive assignments to golf resort areas), and others working in sports and fitness training, recommend a good solid regimen of stretching before play and a fitness regimen in between that includes core work, squats and push-ups. Happy golfing!

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

As the population ages and requires more complex rehabilitation therapy, the services offered by long term care facilities are moving forward with the times. For example, the roles of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and their travel therapy counterparts are expanding in nursing homes and other extended care facilities. Rehab therapists in these facilities no longer only care for the long term needs of permanent residents. Skilled nursing facilities also offer transitional therapies for residents that often reside there for thirty days or less. Many patients recovering from stroke, head trauma or other serious conditions are now recovering in long term care facilities. This creates another dimension of patient care for the physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists who work in these facilities.

Rehab therapists working in skilled nursing facilities are also seeing their job descriptions expand. In addition to putting their patients through the paces of conventional therapy programs, all areas of therapy are discovering positive therapeutic outcomes in many new areas of treatment. Some of these areas include alternative medicine (or what was once considered “alternative”) such as pilates, yoga, and tai chi (popular especially in the elderly population). Other treatment areas fall under the category of technology like Nintendo Wii, virtual reality that mimics a patient’s home and computer cognitive training programs.

In addition to adding value to the way they treat patients, therapists and their colleagues at these facilities are also taking advantage of advances in technology to make their own jobs more efficient. Electronic documentation, web based case management software and robotic machines that assist with patient transfers, ensuring the health and safety of staff, are also results of technological advancements. As the advancement of trends in long term care facilities mirrors the demand for new traveling therapists, the need for travel physical therapists, traveling occupational therapists and travel speech therapists is expected to continue rising.

* April 2009, McKnight’s Long Term Care News

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

Health care jobs are booming, with physical therapy jobs and occupational therapy jobs topping many career industry lists. The same goes for traveling therapists who are interested in traveling physical therapy or traveling occupational therapy.  Colleges and vocational schools are filling open slots in these programs quickly, with students aspiring to take advantage of jobs in an industry that not only appears to be recession proof, but is also growing at a rapid pace. Many therapists are also reporting that they have job offers lined up before graduation. This is especially true of traveling physical and traveling occupational therapists.

The health care industry is on track to create 3 million new jobs between 2006 and 2016 – outnumbering any other industry. Physical therapy employment is projected to grow 27 percent in that time period. The highest projected employment growth is 55 percent is in home health care and other services outside of hospitals with a still impressive 13 percent growth predicted in hospitals.  This gives all health care employees many options to choose from in regards to types of clinical settings. Those aspiring to be traveling physical therapists or travel occupational therapists are also in a great position to take advantage of this abundance of therapy jobs, most with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $70,000 per year.

Therapy clients in every area of the country, in every age group, from newborn to aging baby boomers and the elderly are in need of skilled therapists to assist them in managing the daily demands of chronic illnesses and acute disabilities.  All therapists, especially those dealing with the flexibility required in a travel career, need to be in good physical shape. This is especially true of therapists working in hospitals with acutely ill patients who need the most assistance and support. Whether you are looking for that kind of work, or therapy assignments in home health or long term care settings, travel jobs are out there for those with the initiative to apply now.

Sources: U.S. Dept. of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

Traveling physical therapists and travel occupational therapists working in clinical settings across the country surely see it every day – especially during these challenging times.  Accumulated stress, sleep deprivation, a compromised immune system and a set of generally unhealthy body movements and approach to activities of daily living, lead many Americans to seek medical help. In fact, research has shown that up to 90 percent of doctor’s office visits are stress related in some way. Some people are diagnosed with chronic stress related illnesses such as back pain, headaches, sleeping disorders and even hypertension and digestive dysfunction. Others are saddled with “chronic pain” and a plethora of prescription and over the counter medications to manage their lives. Most patients suffering from stress related symptoms and illnesses, however, may be surprised at the potential positive impact of physical or occupational therapy.

Physical therapy can be incredibly effective in providing relief for chronic pain, while restoring functionality and flexibility throughout the body. It is also a healthier alternative to long term regimens of prescription painkillers and even some over the counter medications. This is especially important since the American Geriatrics Society has issued warnings regarding the chronic use of NSAID medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin in the elderly. Physical therapy for pain relief does not come with the life threatening side effects of those drugs, such as ulcers, uncontrollable blood pressure, impaired kidney function, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Occupational therapists play a vital role in assessing potentially harmful patterns in a person’s daily routine and teaching them healthier ways to function, manage stress and live their life.

Stress may be an inevitable part of life, but the illness, injury and pain that it can lead to, are not. Traveling physical therapy jobs and occupational therapy travel jobs are in demand in clinical settings across the country to spread this message and teach people strategies and techniques for living a healthy life.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

All types of rehabilitation therapists, including traveling physical therapists, travel occupational therapists and traveling speech language pathologists, are integral in the care of special needs children. Music therapy is a form of rehab treatments that is often used in conjunction with occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech language pathology. When music therapy is included as a component of existing treatments, the results often speak for themselves.

Communication and social interaction skills are improved, often because of the similarities and speaking and singing, one part of music therapy. This component of therapy also aids the child’s long term memory retention, since an interested, attentive child learns new skills better. Music therapy benefits the special need child’s motor abilities, since rhythm is correlated to movement and coordination. Utilizing recorded music as a part of rehab therapy also promotes relaxation and decreases muscle tension, making treatment easier for therapist and patient.

The first undergraduate degree program in the U.S. came into being in 1944 at Michigan State University. A degree in music therapy typically requires a therapist to become proficient in guitar, piano, voice, music theory and history, reading music along with a conventional health care and rehab therapy foundation. Music therapy has been known to benefit special need children with autism, brain injuries, Down syndrome, and children with significant developmental delays.

Physical therapist careers and occupational therapist careers working in music therapy are responsible for assessing each individual patients and designing a treatment plan that uses the best methods, whether listening to music, singing, playing or all three, that meet each patient’s objectives.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

Floating in the pool, going for a horse ride or walking a dog may not exactly sound like the most formal methods of physical therapy and occupational therapy.  However, when proven therapy techniques and the skill of a rehab therapist are combined with these activities, they become aquatic physical therapy, equestrian therapy (or therapeutic riding) and pet therapy. Attention therapists, traveling physical therapists and travel occupational therapists looking for a fresh way to apply your skills and expertise: One or more of these practice areas may be for you.

Aquatic Physical Therapy
The basic premise is physical therapy with conventional physical therapy goals, carried out in an aquatic environment. A water environment such as a swimming pool offers properties such as natural buoyancy and resistance that would require special equipment to achieve on dry land. Physical therapy in water benefits a variety of conditions including musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular and more in all ages of patients.

Pet Therapy
Specially trained animals are used many different ways in therapeutic patient interventions. Overall, it has been proven the petting an animal releases endorphins, the calming, miracle chemical produced by the human body. From a therapy standpoint, this helps physical therapists with rehabilitating patients who would rather not go for their daily walk around the nurse’s station. Therapists have found that stubborn patients have a much harder time saying no to a dog than to them. Nothing against the therapists I’m sure.

Equestrian Therapy
Occupational therapists and physical therapists are a key component of equestrian therapy, also called “therapeutic riding.”  This form of therapy, carried out at special rehabilitation centers with specifically selected and trained horses, has been proven very therapeutic in patients with brain or spinal cord injuries as well as developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy. The motions of riding a horse imitate the same physical movements involved in walking and therefore can retrain the muscles of the trunk and upper body to move this way.

Music therapy has also been known to help special needs children improve their memory attention and motor abilities.

Therapists with a taste for learning something new and an urge to break free from hospital settings, even if just on a part time basis, may find a whole new set of learning experiences in these cutting edge forms of treatment by beginning a career as a traveling physical therapist.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

In most U.S. schools, budgets are strained and educators are looking for creative solutions to juggle all the responsibilities on their already crowded plates. Therefore, identifying potential developmental disorders and learning disabilities in children may unfortunately fall through the cracks. This is where physical therapists and occupational therapists and especially speech language pathologists working even part time in schools, can play a critical role in spotting disabilities and positively affecting a child’s future.

Common early childhood developmental disorders include cerebral palsy, hearing loss, mental retardation, vision impairment and the autism spectrum disorders. Funding for autism care is a hot button issue among educators, parents, primary care providers and rehab therapists now. Travel speech therapists and traveling speech language pathologists may soon see the benefits, in the form of increased assignments, from autism treatment funding legislation.  Eight states – Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas – have currently passed some form of the bill. Twenty-four additional states have introduced similar bills.

Therapists and traveling rehabilitation therapists working in schools have the experience and knowledge to see things in children that teachers and parents may not immediately pick up on.  Early detection may lessen the severity or slow the progress of developmental disabilities or learning disorders so it is well worth the therapist’s time to conduct thorough assessments and screenings. Traveling therapists in all three disciplines – speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy – are greatly needed in all areas of the country.  Fill out the quick application on our “Apply Now” page to find a traveling therapy agency that best suits your needs and goals.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

When I was first diagnosed with scoliosis as a young teenager, chiropractic “exercises” were initially prescribed for me, in lieu of a brace or other more traditional care. This was largely because my mother was a long time chiropractic patient and fan of this alternative medicine practice. I remember the exercises basically as variations of bending at the waist. I have nothing against chiropractic medicine, but the exercises did not work and a few years later I ended up undergoing Harrington Rod surgery to correct my much more severe curvature. The exercise regimen I received after the surgery by my physical therapist, however, was incredibly effective in strengthening the muscles around my new hardware and improving my flexibility.

The “surgery vs. brace vs. other” treatment solutions for scoliosis have been debated for several decades. Physical therapists and traveling physical therapists may also find themselves involved in that debate. A physical therapy method called the “Schroth Method,” developed in Germany during the 1960’s, is a sequence of targeted exercises and posture intended to slow or halt the curvature of the spine caused by scoliosis. The physical therapist works with the patient while they are sitting, lying down and hanging from a bar. The idea is apparently to reprogram the body’s natural symmetry and ultimately reduce pain, improve posture and prevent the need for surgery.

You may guess correctly that I personally have my doubts about the effectiveness of procedures like this. However, as physical therapists and traveling physical therapists I would like to hear from you and get your take on such “alternative” scoliosis treatments.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.