Collection Development Policies: Physical Therapy

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Rehabilitation Sciences

Subject:  Physical Therapy

Program Description

Physical Therapy is a health profession whose primary purpose is the promotion of optimal physical function.  Physical Therapists apply scientific principles to prevent and treat acute and chronic movement disorders.

The Physical Therapy Program offers a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy.  Acceptance into the Masters Degree Program does not require completion of an undergraduate degree, but the competitive nature of the admissions process make is imperative that interested undergraduates follow a traditional undergraduate major (Biology, Chemistry, Kinesiology, etc.) as they complete the program prerequisites.  Candidates with a Bachelors degree will be given preference.

Successful completion of the academic and clinical components of the Masters Degree makes the graduate eligible to take the Texas (and other State) licensure examination in Physical Therapy.  Successful completion of that examination allows the graduate to practice Physical Therapy.

In 2004 the college approved a doctoral degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. The Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences is designed to respond to the growing national shortage of doctoral-trained professionals in health-related fields and to address significant health research needs related to communities in the U.S.-Mexico border region.  This degree encompasses classes taught by faculty from the various disciplines within the College of Health Sciences.  Disciplines include Nursing, Physical Therapy, Health Promotion, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Kinesiology, as well as Public Health.  Graduates from this program will have research skills, core knowledge in health sciences, and knowledge in their areas of specialization.

Students are introduced to the following topics:  Human Anatomy for Physical Therapists, Pathophysiology, Movement science, Patient Care, Therapeutic Procedures, Legal,Ethical, and Professional Aspects of practice, Cardiorespiratory Disorders, Medical Kinesiology, Advanced Therapeutic Exercise and Muscle testing, Neuroscience for Physical Therapists, Neurorehabilitation, Orthopedics, Research Methods, Thermal Agents and Electrotherapeutics, Adult Patient Management, Management, Pediatric Management, and Behavioral Science.

Description of Existing Collection
NCIP Code: 2

Materials are located using the Library of Congress call numbers:

QP 301, QP 303, RC 262, RC 376, RC 684, RC 925-935, RD 97.5, RD 559, RD 595, RD 701-811, RD 792-811,  RM 695-893, RM 930-931, RM 950,

The “Selected List of Books and Journals in Allied Health Sciences” by the late Alfred N. Brandon and Dorothy R. Hill, Journal of the Medical Library Association.  Vol. 91, No. 1, January 2003, pp 18-33, was used to check the holdings of the library.

The library was found to have 69% of the books recommended by the Brandon Hill “Selected List of Print Books and Journals in Allied Health Sciences” in the following area: 35 of 61 titles for Physical Therapy.

The library provides access to databases that contain journals pertaining to Physical Therapy.    These databases include Science Direct, Sport DISCUS,  Academic Search Premier, Physical Education Index, Health Reference Center Academic, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL).

Current Collecting Intensity
NCIP Code: 2

Current and retrospective material is sought to satisfy the needs of the students and faculty in occupational therapy. Research material for the faculty and graduate students is also searched and obtained. Most of the selections are in the English language.

Desired Collection Level
NCIP Code: 3

With the introduction of the doctoral program in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, more research-based material is needed.

The Library will need to subscribe to additional journals, purchase more extensively from recommended lists, and update texts and reference materials now owned in order to collect at the 3 level.

Locally, the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center Delia Montes-Gallo Library of the Health Sciences in El Paso supplements the University of Texas at El Paso collection with medical texts and journals not being purchased by the university. Other libraries available to the faculty and students are the El Paso Community College libraries, the El Paso Public Library, the medical library of the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez in Juarez, Chihuahua, and the libraries at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

 The Interlibrary Loan Department of the library provides materials not available in the area.

The library is a charter member of the Del Norte Biosciences Library Consortium which meets regularly to dialog.

Last updated:  4/18/2006