Speak-Out: letters to the editor

Student proposes mandatory courses

There seems to be something lacking between the working relationship of a physical therapist and a recreation therapist, especially in a hospital or rehabilitation setting. To help narrow this gap, I propose that the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) eliminate the option to take general anatomy, physiology, kinesology and therapeutic exercise courses. Instead, these courses should be required for certification.

These courses provide a good, basic background about the function of the human body and an understanding of some basic medical terminology. As a member of an interdisciplinary team, it would be to the recreation therapist's advantage to have this background. Recreation therapists could then devise better quality programs for a client, communicate more effectively with their peers and enhance their own occupation among physical therapists.

I recently surveyed 30 students from a therapeutic recreation class at Eastern Illinois University to help determine if there is some validity for my assumption. They were asked these questions:

• If a medical chart indicated that a patient had a fractured humerus, would you know on which part of the body the fracture was located?

• If you were asked to develop a leisure program which would also strengthen a client's quadraceps, could you? Please explain an activity that would be appropriate.

Only five of the 30 students could answer both questions affirmatively.

I believe that my proposal would benefit both recreation therapists and their clients.

Kathryn Miller
Senior Physical Therapy Student
Northwestern Medical School

Illinois Parks and Recreation 4 May/June 1986