There are over 15 million cancer survivors in the United States. As advancements in care and early diagnosis improves this is expected to increase to over 20 million survivors in the next 10 years. The continuum of care for patients with cancer ideally begins at diagnosis. The rehabilitation professional is an integral part of the oncology team that will work with the patient throughout treatment and into survivorship. In this remote continuing education course, participants will learn topics that will prepare them to be part if the interdisciplinary oncology team. Topics will include the basics of cancer: terminology, staging, medical treatment, and the sequelae of these medical treatments. Coursework includes prerecorded content, as well as video demonstrations of lab techniques, followed by live remote meetings via Zoom, which is free to download here.
The course will address issues that are commonly seen in a patient who has been diagnosed with cancer such as cardiotoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, and radiation fibrosis. Some holistic medicine topics, including yoga and mindfulness, will be discussed in order to fully prepare the participant to be able to competently work with cancer survivors.
Basics of the lymphatic system will be covered, as well as when to refer the patient to a lymphatic specialist for further treatment. Certified Lympathic Therpaists may skip this course and move on to the level Oncolgoy Level 2A and Level 2B courses. Red flags and warning symptoms will be discussed so the participant feels comfortable with knowing when to refer the patient back to their medical provider for further assessment.
This course is the first in a series. The two follow-on courses will address in-depth pelvic cancers. This introductory course is aimed to get the participant comfortable with working with oncology patients and as part of an interdisciplinary oncology team.
Audience:
This continuing education seminar is targeted to physical therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapist assistants, registered nurses, nurse midwives, and other rehabilitation professionals. Content is not intended for use outside the scope of the learner's license or regulation. Physical therapy continuing education courses should not be taken by individuals who are not licensed or otherwise regulated, except, as they are involved in a specific plan of care.
Prerequisites:
None, This is a beginning-level course.
Supplies:
This course will include a live lab demonstration which can be followed along during the meeting. If participants are able, a live model will allow participants to practice the lab techniques on a human body. If this is not possible, participants may smiply observe. Please have a roll of Kinesotape available for the lab demos.
