Acute Conversations

Show Notes: What manual therapy skills could you bring back into your next acute care session? In this episode of Acute Conversations, hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Nicole Neveau welcome Dr. Rebekah Griffith, the ED DPT; Chris White, director of ancillary services at University of Colorado Hospital; and Eric Folmar, an associate clinical professor at Northeastern University. Together, they explore how foundational manual therapy skills fit into hospital-based physical therapy. Rebekah shares examples from acute care and the emergency department, connecting pain and movement restrictions with the functional tasks patients need to perform. Eric brings an educator’s perspective on applying familiar skills across settings, while Chris discusses teamwork, service delivery and communicating the value of skilled intervention to hospital leaders. The conversation returns to clinical reasoning: identifying what is limiting a patient, considering why, choosing an appropriate response and involving colleagues when needed. The guests also discuss refreshing skills, sharing knowledge across a team and helping others understand the range of care physical therapists provide. For acute care PTs, PTAs and students, this episode offers a reason to revisit the skills already in your clinical toolbox—and consider where they belong in your practice. Listen now on Apple or Spotify. Today’s Guests: Dr. Rebekah Griffith, the ED DPT [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekah-griffith-rgthedpt/ X: @theeddpt IG: @theeddpt Chris White PT, OCS, MBA Director of Ancillary Services University of Colorado / APTA Colorado Vice President [email protected] Eric Folmar PT, DPT, OCS Guest Quotes: 4:45 Rebekah “And one thing that I wanted to appeal to people with this conversation was if you’re a manual therapy specialist, you don’t only have to work in an outpatient clinic, right? There’s so many places for you to use that skill set, that critical thinking, that cyclical decision-making. All of that needs to be in every area that we practice in. And I wanted to remind acute care therapists that you don’t leave your skill set at the door when you clock in, and you don’t put your scrubs on and forget all of those other skills.” 13:14 Rebekah “ …Their thoracic spine mobility is so limited they literally cannot sit up straight. They can’t balance. Their center of gravity is not manageable with the range of motion that they have. Doing some thoracic mobility decreases their pain, improves their lung function, gets their posture upright, improves their balance, and allows them to stand up and start moving.” 17:22 Chris “ So we wanna make sure that we’re doing those high level interventions from a top of scope practice standpoint that gets a patient to the right location. … And then those that need to be admitted, again, if you’re doing this stuff in the ED, and then they go up to the floor and the ED did this great manual technique that helped me,” and you’re not doing it on acute care, those things can extend length of stays as well.” Hot Take: Rebekah “ My hot take is that physical therapists, especially in acute care, need to stop asking for permission- … and use their skillset.” Rapid Responses:  Rebecca, do you have a walkout song? “ Unstoppable by Sia.”   You know you’re working in acute care when… Chris “ when you hear code browns being hollered over the loudspeaker.” Eric “  the sounds don’t bother you.” 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care “Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care” Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes: What changes when you are no longer the student with a clinical instructor in the room? In this episode of Acute Conversations, hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young welcome back Fiona Kearns and Mika Mendoza one year after their first appearance as students. Now practicing in acute care, they offer an honest look at the difference between being prepared and feeling prepared. Fiona and Mika discuss taking ownership of full caseloads, managing time and priorities, navigating complex discharge needs, and finding their voices within interdisciplinary teams. They also share the hands-on experiences that shaped their growth, from line management, ICU mobility and safe patient handling equipment to vestibular assessment, emergency care and cardiovascular practice. Throughout the conversation, both clinicians return to the same foundations: protect patient and clinician safety, know the basics, ask questions and keep learning. Their reflections also highlight the value of mentors and colleagues who create room for early-career clinicians to build confidence without pretending to have every answer. This episode offers practical perspective for students, new graduates, clinical instructors and experienced clinicians supporting the next generation of acute care physical therapists. Listen now on Apple or Spotify. Today’s Guests: Mikhaela Mendoza PT, DPT [email protected] Fiona Kearns, PT, DPT [email protected] Guest Quotes: 3:49 Mikhaela “ I just told myself that, I trust in what I know, and if you don’t know, you just ask the questions, that the goal is to never feel like you’re the expert right away. That’s not necessarily the most realistic. It’s to just know when to ask the right questions.” 6:59 Fiona “ When you become your own clinician, you have had all of this feedback, and then you can develop your own treating style based on what you’ve learned from being a student and just feel like you can relax into that a little bit more.” Rapid Responses:   What’s the most challenging sort of patient that you get to work with in the hospital that pushes your limits the most? Fiona:  “  In terms of my brain limits, it’s definitely our intubated patients. Our… They just, you have to do… There’s so much monitoring, so much stuff that you’re thinking about beyond just them being intubated. Whatever, especially intubated strokes, I feel like those are the patients that they can be so unpredictable. They can be so impulsive. Sometimes they’re going to pull their lines. You j- just, I feel like I come out of those rooms and I’m sweaty and my head hurts and I have to just stand and stare at the wall for a minute and, like- … pull myself together.”  If you’re on a nursing floor, what’s your go-to snack that you can find in the nurses station? Mikhaela: “ Usually some sort of donut that they always bring ’cause- … I feel like people are always celebrating something. Or the graham crackers in the drawer. Those are always a staple.”   You know you’re working in acute care when…  Mikhaela: “ You’re outside of work and you hear a random beep and your heart drops.” Fiona: “ I was gonna say, I feel like I walk into a room and I think about how I can 📍 rearrange it. And then I’m like, “Why would I need to rearrange this room?” 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care “Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care” Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes Should an acute lower-extremity DVT automatically stop mobility when anticoagulation is subtherapeutic? In this episode, Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Nicole Neveau speak with Aubrey Little, PT, DPT, CCS, and Becky Johnson, PT, DPT, PhD, about the clinical question that grew from a quality-improvement project into a case-control study published in the Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy. Little and Johnson explain why a single laboratory value or protocol checkpoint cannot replace a comprehensive assessment. They discuss weighing the risks of immobility against potential adverse events while considering clot location, medical acuity, hemodynamic status, medications, laboratory trends, discharge pressures and the patient’s overall trajectory. The conversation also explores the documentation needed to make clinical reasoning visible and the value of bidirectional conversations with the interdisciplinary team. The study included 30 patients and 60 physical therapy sessions. Its findings do not establish that mobilization at subtherapeutic anticoagulation is universally safe. The researchers emphasize the limitations of a small retrospective sample and their inability to determine whether pulmonary embolism occurred. Instead, the episode offers a thoughtful look at risk stratification, evidence-informed judgment and how clinicians can question automatic holds without abandoning patient safety. Listen now on Apple or Spotify. Today’s Guests: Aubrey Little PT, DPT [email protected] Becky Johnson PT, DPT, PhD [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-johnson-pt-dpt-phd-619244112/ Guest Quotes: 10:07 Aubrey “ I think that’s the intention of this paper is to really think about the patient more holistically as opposed to basing clinical decision-making off of one data point or one factor.” 13:09 Aubrey “ if somebody is working in an outpatient clinic, maybe they just had a knee replacement or a hip replacement and their suspicion for an acute DVT. Does that mean that we are going to, in the moment, suggest this person is fully immobilized, call the ambulance, call the stretcher- … you cannot walk on this limb until you make it to the hospital.” 19:18 Becky “ And so when we look at the adverse events that did occur, in retrospect we’re questioning, was that an adverse event? I think if you were the clinician treating the patient, you would’ve said no. But it did meet our criteria for that.” Rapid Responses:  Do either one of you guys know what your theme song would be if you got to have a theme song every time you walked into the room at the hospital?  Aubrey:” I would say September by Earth, Wind & Fire just ’cause that song immediately makes me dance.” Becky: “ Maybe the songs like, Look Who’s, Guess Who’s Back Again. Eminem.  You know you’re an acute care or an ICU provider when…  Aubrey: “You ask yourself, “Is one month too short to buy a new pair of shoes for work?” Becky: “ When you’ve got at least 8,000 steps by the time you get done with your shift.” Links: Incidence of Adverse Events When Mobilizing Patients With Acute Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis at Subtherapeutic Anticoagulation Level: A Case–Control Study 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care “Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care” Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

What does it take to move acute care physical therapy research from the journal page to the bedside? In this episode, Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young sit down with Dr. Barbara “Barb” Smith, associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Florida, clinician-scientist with more than 25 years of ICU experience, and recipient of the 2026 APTA Acute Care Lecture Award. Barb reflects on how acute care research has evolved from a time when PTs often contributed to studies without leading them to a future in which clinicians, educators and scientists shape the questions that matter most. She explains why research in complex hospital environments remains difficult, from varied patient populations and unit cultures to small single-site studies and the long delay between publication and clinical adoption. The conversation also explores why research should function as a team sport. Barb shares the value of multi-site collaboration, early partnerships with frontline clinicians and hospital leaders, and sustained mentorship for emerging researchers. Drawing on her work in respiratory strength training, she shows how clinically relevant questions can grow into evidence that changes practice. Listeners will leave with a clearer view of how collaboration, communication and curiosity can strengthen acute care research—and ultimately improve patient care. Show Notes Today’s Guests: Barbara Smith PT, PhD [email protected] X: ilikebigbreaths Guest Quotes: 16:24 “ But we still have some challenges, I think in the area of acute care research. Number one it’s hard to do , right?… And all of that noise can muddle up what might be a very, helpful or clear efficacy signal or rehabilitation signal. “Ah, this works.” But if we have all this other noise, we might not see that treatment effect. And so those are some threats sometimes to designing and developing and implementing research in this setting.” 18:54 “ Scientists, we’re not always the best conversationalists. And so disseminating our message, we use a lot of jargon, we use complicated terms…  so there’s a dissemination issue, there’s a consumption issue where where maybe people are getting their information from different resources, and are those resources vetted scientifically?” 27:11 “So this is my pie in the sky dream…I love the fact that this academy is supportive of science and moving our evidence base forward, and have been so supportive of providing some grant funding through the foundation. I would love to pull all that money together and give it in one big project to a bunch of groups of people. And then we do this together.” Rapid Responses:   When you’re out biking, Barb, how often do alligators come into the conversation?  If you’re from Florida, never. If you’re not from Florida, every time.  You know you’re an acute care or an ICU provider when…  When your weekend and holiday schedule is more complicated than your fantasy football spreadsheet. Links: 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care “Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care” Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes Caring Beyond the Critical Care Phase What happens after a patient survives the ICU—but recovery has only begun? In this episode of Acute Conversations, hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Nicole Neveau welcome Dr. Rania Farhat, MD, MSHA, FCCP, an assistant professor of medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and founder and medical director of the SSM/SLUCare Post-ICU Multidisciplinary Clinic. Together, they explore post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS, and why meaningful recovery must extend far beyond ICU discharge. Dr. Farhat shares how her clinic grew from a once-monthly idea into a multidisciplinary program connecting critical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy and transitional care. The conversation examines the lasting physical, cognitive and emotional effects of critical illness, as well as the burden carried by families and caregivers. Listeners will hear how the team uses measures such as six-minute walk distance, grip strength, cognitive screening and quality-of-life assessments to uncover needs patients may not recognize themselves. The group also discusses early mobility, plain-language education, care transitions and the challenge of expanding access when demand far exceeds clinic capacity. This episode invites acute care clinicians to redefine success beyond extubation or ICU discharge and ask a more patient-centered question: What happens next? Recovery is a journey, and the work begins in the ICU but continues across every setting that follows. Listen now on Apple or Spotify. Today’s Guest Rania Farhat, MD, MSHA, FCCP Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine Founder and Medical Director, SSM/SLUCare Post-ICU Multidisciplinary Clinic Medical Director, Pulmonary Embolism Response Team Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Rania Farhat, MD, FCCP X: @raniafarhat88 Guest Quotes Timestamps are approximate. Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity. 8:00 — Dr. Farhat: “This is more of a recovery clinic than just, ‘Oh, ICU.’ This is about recovery. It’s a journey. It’s not one time only.” 10:00 — Dr. Farhat: “The transition and the recovery is a very long process. I make sure to mention that to patients and their families, because expectations matter.” 17:00 — Dr. Farhat: “I’m trying to connect the dots in your brain. I want them to understand what actually happened to them.” 24:00 — Dr. Farhat: “The perceived physical tolerance for patients is completely different from what they actually can and cannot do.” 35:00 — Dr. Farhat: “Anything that actually impacts patients’ lives and this long journey of recovery, I’m there for it.” Rapid Responses Favorite type of weather: Summer Shoes for the acute care floors: Running shoes—Brooks or New Balance Least favorite high school class: History Another possible profession: Engineering, to fit in with her family of engineers Favorite board game: Chess Movie she can recite: A Walk to Remember Favorite word in another language: “Alhamdulillah” in Arabic Favorite meal after a long day: Lebanese food You know you’re an acute care or ICU provider when: “I comment on every scene in a medical show.” Episode Links Critical and Acute Illness Recovery Organization CAIRO Post-ICU Clinic Collaborative Directory International Walk for PICS Connect With Our Hosts Leo Arguelles Pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS Email: [email protected] X: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD Email: [email protected] X: @DLYoungDPTPhD Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social Listen and Subscribe Spotify | Apple Podcasts Or listen wherever you get your podcasts. #AcuteCare #PostICUSyndrome #ICURecovery #PhysicalTherapy Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care Website Awards Journal Access Aspire and Achieve Mentorship Program X: @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook: APTA Acute Care Instagram: @AcademyAcutePT YouTube: APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes When does teamwork strengthen patient care—and when can it unintentionally limit it? In this episode of Acute Conversations, hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young welcome Haley Bento, PT, DPT, CCS; Harley Kvenvold, occupational therapist; Dr. Kathryn Brito, PT, DPT, CCS; and Brian Hull, PT, DPT, MBA, BCHE, to revisit PT and OT co-treatment in acute care. Building on a previous listener-favorite episode and their newly published clinical perspective, the panel examines why routine co-treatment remains common and how clinicians can move toward more intentional, patient-specific decision-making. The conversation explores how co-treatment can affect therapy intensity, access to care and professional identity—particularly when occupational therapy is reduced to an extra set of hands rather than recognized for its distinct expertise. The guests also address the real-world factors that shape practice, including clinician confidence, limited support staff, productivity pressures, discharge demands and hospital culture. Listeners will hear practical strategies for distinguishing a true need for two skilled disciplines from a need for brief physical assistance, strengthening ICU competency and mentorship, documenting clinical reasoning, and reassessing the need for co-treatment during every session. The goal is not to eliminate co-treatment or shame clinicians who use it. It is to create a meaningful shift toward thoughtful collaboration that protects each profession’s unique value and better serves patients. Today’s Guests: Haley Bento PT, DPT, CCS [email protected] IG: @utahcardioptresidency; @utahacuteptresidency Brian Hull PT, DPT, MBA, BCHE [email protected] www.linkedin.com/in/BrianHulldptmba Harley Kvenvold, OT [email protected] www.linkedin.com/in/harley-kvenvold-4309211a9 Kathryn Brito PT, DPT, CCS IG: @kathrynbrito [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-brito-pt-dpt-ccs-69135993/ Guest Quotes: 5:53 Katie “ Putting out this article was important to start those conversations, and I think so far we’ve been pretty successful with that because there really was nothing in the literature talking about co-treatment between OT and PT in the acute care setting.” 15:22 Harley “ I think the main issue is the kind of diluting what an occupational therapist can do for a patient, particularly in an acute setting.” 17:53 Haley “ There are plenty of times where I need help. That does not mean I need an occupational therapist. They’re not my helper, right? So really trying to differentiate I need help versus I need an occupational therapist- and their specific skills in this scenario.” 22:28 Brian “ The one thing that, that we do is we ask people to try to limit co-treats or co-evals to about eight per month, so a couple per week…and really think through when is it actually beneficial for the patient to have only one treatment for that day that combines the expertise, that does not risk it of being, of homogenizing The expertise of PT and OT that can somehow preserve it both.” 43:27 Katie “ The point of this perspective piece and this episode is to start a conversation and allow people to reflect and really critically think through why they’re doing things in order to benefit the patient or optimize what we’re doing for the patient. I don’t want people to listen to this episode and walk away from this thinking, “Oh, I’m not a good acute care therapist because I do X, Y, and Z.” That’s not the point… don’t come down on yourself, but take away from this paper and this episode an opportunity to reflect on your practice and try to make small s- to even take small steps of asking and having those conversations with your colleagues.” Rapid Responses:   Haley, what’s the best thing about living in Salt Lake City?  Ooh, the best thing about living in Salt Lake is the mountain access. People in other parts of the country like to say that they’re close to the mountains, but I can literally run or bike from my house and be on some world-class trails. So that’s the best part is the trail access.  Harley, name a movie that you could quote endlessly.  The Princess Diaries.  You know you’re an acute care therapist when… Katie-   “Fridays are your least favorite day of the week- … ’cause it’s discharge day.” Brian- “ I’d say when you’re familiar with cortisol, and plenty of it, nonstop.” Links: https://journals.lww.com/jacpt/fulltext/2026/04000/a_clinical_perspective_on_the_value_of_reducing.1.aspx 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care “Optimizing Recovery, Elevating Care” Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes Bridge the Gap 2026 brought the acute care community together in Chicago for three days of practical learning, fresh ideas and the kind of conversations that continue long after the final session. In this special episode, host Dr. Leo Arguelles moves through the conference floor with co-host Dr. Nicole Neveau, speaking with presenters, attendees and organizers about what they are taking back to practice. The conversations span creative solutions to some of acute care’s most persistent challenges. Adam Bridwell describes a three-to-one clinical education model designed to expand placement capacity while supporting clinicians. Grant Bitzer explains how a learning health system can help turn a bedside question into quality improvement, research and sustainable change. Other guests explore post-intensive care syndrome, clearer discharge communication, simulation-based teaching, functional neurologic disorder and the growing role of physical therapists in emergency departments. Just as important, the episode captures the energy behind the work: interprofessional collaboration, mentorship and a community eager to share what is working. With 157 attendees, 24 posters and a record number of educational submissions, Bridge the Gap continues to grow while protecting the connection and exchange that make it distinctive. Today’s Guests: Multiple attendees at 2026 Bridge the Gap Conference Guest Quotes: 18:31 Ashley “ What we came up with originally, and Dawn will probably laugh, it’s a massive- massive document. It was a textbook. And we were like- … “Yeah, we gotta shave this down and make it like a guide people can actually use in clinic practice.” Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/BridgeTheGap2026Conference 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #ClinicalEducation #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes  Pediatric vital signs are more than numbers on a monitor — they are part of a larger clinical picture that includes development, physiology, behavior, medical complexity and careful observation. In this episode of Acute Conversations, host Dr. Leo Arguelles is joined by Ashley Parish, PT, DPT, PhD, CRT, CCS, and Dawn Drumm, PT, DHSc, two contributors to the new Pediatric Vital Signs Guide. Together, they discuss how the resource came to life, why collaboration across APTA Acute Care, the Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy, and pediatric clinicians was essential, and how the guide can support therapists across settings. Ashley and Dawn share the challenges of building a practical document from variable pediatric references, the importance of using the guide alongside clinical reasoning, and why pediatric knowledge matters even for therapists who primarily treat adults. From infants in the NICU to adults living with congenital conditions, this episode highlights the need to think across the lifespan. Today’s Guests: Dawn Drumm PT, DHSc [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-drumm-b141b455/ IG: drummdawn Ashley Parish PT, DPT, PhD, CRT, CCS [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-parish-pt-dpt-phd-crt-ccs-b98b60273/ IG: ashleyparish_pt Guest Quotes: 18:31 Ashley “ What we came up with originally, and Dawn will probably laugh, it’s a massive- massive document. It was a textbook. And we were like- … “Yeah, we gotta shave this down and make it like a guide people can actually use in clinic practice.” 21:05 Dawn “First look at the document, it’s a great overview of just the lifespan within a pediatric lens. And so honing in on those first few areas of content, it just gives you kind of basics. Heart rate through the lifespan, your, respiratory rate… I think that beginning section is really important to highlight so that way you’re getting your foundational guidance that way.” 28:51 Ashley “ If you specifically wanna go into acute care peds, sometimes it’s difficult to find a job because there aren’t as many pediatric hospitals as there are adult hospitals, so just hang in there if it’s really hard for you to get on at first. Get experience in acute care. That always looks really good if you go from an adult hospital to a pediatric hospital. But those jobs do open up, so just be patient if you can’t find one right out of school ’cause no one likes to leave pediatric acute care. It’s the best setting.” Rapid Responses:  What’s your favorite color scrubs to wear while you’re at work? Ashley “ Oh, since I’m a peds therapist, it’s always fun, bright colors. I would say Barney purple is my favorite set. Barney purple.” Dawn “ Okay. So sadly, we don’t actually have to wear scrubs at work. Oh, wow … and we don’t have a color. But I feel like physical therapy was always blue. We always were like- … blue at county, Going with my basic blue.”  You know you’re an acute care therapist when… Ashley “You have a distain for purewicks.” Dawn “ You’ve have changed more diapers than you would probably like. Yes. So getting down- In both adult and pediatrics, right? Both. Oh, yes … you can’t get away without poop talk.” Links: Pediatric Vital Sign Interpretation in Acute Care Guide 2025 https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/24/7681/xml https://www.sralab.org/research/labs/max-nader-rto/projects/intervention-promote-motor-development-infants 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #ClinicalEducation #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Episode Description: What happens when burnout becomes a turning point instead of an exit? In this episode of Acute Conversations, Abby Catamas joins co-host Nicole Neveau and host Leo Arguelles for a candid and energizing conversation about identity, advocacy, and growth as a physical therapist assistant in acute care. Abby shares the pivotal moment when she nearly stepped away from the profession—and how stepping into leadership as PTA Member at Large helped her rediscover purpose. Together, they unpack what it means to practice at the top of your license, the evolving role of PTAs in high-acuity environments like the ICU, and why representation and voice matter now more than ever. This episode also dives into the Advanced Proficiency Pathway for PTAs, highlighting opportunities for clinical growth, recognition, and long-term career development. From navigating interprofessional dynamics to building trust within PT/PTA partnerships, Abby offers a grounded perspective shaped by real bedside experience. If you’ve ever questioned your “why,” this conversation is a reminder that it can evolve—and that growth often starts with using your voice. Today’s Guests: Abby Catamas, PTA APTA Acute Care PTA Member At Large [email protected] IG: @rose17abby Guest Quotes: 6:55 “ I think my best advice is just. You don’t have to give up your initial why, but maybe try to find a different why. It’s part of growth. It’s part of developing in your career too.” 25:46 “ Archana and I presented on APTA conference actually about like improving PT-PTA collaboration for like bi-directional mentorship and Partnership for improved patient outcomes. It all comes down to communication too. If I never communicate with my PT about what’s going on or questions I may have, how is my supervising PT on that floor? Going to feel comfortable that I’m doing an adequate chart review or that I know what I’m doing with my patient if I never update them with how a patient’s doing.” 30:32 “ She’s even though we supervise the PTAs, we are not like, you’re not above or below anybody. We’re supposed to work together. And that is the truest that is the truest statement I’ve heard as far as our profession is concerned, especially in acute care.” Rapid Responses:  Give us another podcast that you would recommend for our listeners to listen to. “Morning Cup of Murder: It’s this day in history of what happened in the past of like different unsolved mysteries.”  You know you’re an acute care therapist when…  “Your closet is primarily scrubs.” Links: https://academy.aptaacutecare.org/products/2025-09-29-more-than-just-a-pta 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #ClinicalEducation #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings

Show Notes  What does acute care physical therapy look like when you step outside your hospital and into a national conversation? In this special solo-hosted episode, Dr. Leo Arguelles takes listeners on the floor at APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), capturing real-time conversations with clinicians, leaders, and innovators across the profession. Through a series of candid, unscripted exchanges, this episode highlights the energy, ideas, and evolving perspectives shaping acute care today. From discussions on professional identity and clinical growth to reflections on where acute care fits within the broader rehabilitation landscape, a common thread emerges: connection drives progress. These conversations reveal how clinicians are thinking differently about their roles, advocating for their patients, and pushing practice forward in meaningful ways. Rather than focusing on a single topic, this episode offers a mosaic of insights—each voice adding depth to the bigger picture of acute care practice in 2026. Whether you attended CSM or not, this episode brings the experience to you—capturing the momentum, curiosity, and shared purpose that define our profession. Today’s Guests: Numerous CSM 2026 Attendees 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 [email protected] 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 [email protected] 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 [email protected] 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy #ClinicalEducation #HealthcareLeadership Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings