Acute Conversations

What happens when physical therapy enters the high-risk pregnancy unit? Erin Locati, PT, DPT, joins us to break down how acute care therapists can make a meaningful impact on maternal health—far beyond what most expect. In this episode, Erin shares her unique path from chemical engineering to acute care PT, and how her own pregnancies shaped her clinical mission. We explore the misconceptions around bedrest, how to support OB teams without overstepping, and why physical therapy should be standard in high-risk pregnancy and postpartum care. Whether you’re a hospital-based PT, student, or someone curious about expanding care for pregnant patients—this episode will challenge assumptions and spark ideas. Today’s Guests: Erin Locati PT, DPT erin@risepelvicpt.com LinkedIn Instagram: @erinlocati_pt Guest Quotes: 9:11 “ …So I really felt alone navigating.  Kind of my postpartum recovery and my injuries and return to activity and exercise. And then during my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with a couple serious complications. And again, I just really felt alone and frustrated and not really knowing, well, what does it say for me to do? I don't wanna accidentally hurt my baby by doing too much, and my doctor wasn't super helpful about it. I knew that pelvic physical therapy was a specialty that existed.  Where PTs work with pregnant and postpartum patients, but it was really more of an outpatient specialty as far as I knew. And I was in acute care and I wanted to stay in acute care. Yeah. So I thought about, well, how can I help these populations where I am? I mean, all these patients are here in the hospital. Almost everybody gives birth in a hospital in the US. So maybe there's a way that I can provide skilled care  in the setting I'm already in to pregnant and postpartum patients, and that's really where it started.” 25:52 “ It's looking at their restrictions and deciding, you know, with your skilled assessment, what level of exercise could they probably be doing within the restrictions they have. And again, going up to the max that it restriction allows them. So that they can minimize the losses they're gonna have from being on bedrest.” Rapid Responses:  Do you have any good book recommendations? “… My favorite book, love In the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.” You know you work in acute care when… ” You can treat everything. You go from a cabbage to a knee replacement, to a stroke, to a pregnant patient.” Links: https://enhancedrecoveryafterdelivery.com/ https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DbQbXixy8/ https://pelvicglobal.com/ Connect with our host and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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 Acute care physical therapists have long known that their work is different—fast-paced, data-driven, and grounded in collaboration at the highest level of care. Now, that difference is finally being recognized. In this episode of Acute Conversations, Dr. Jennifer Ryan joins hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young to share an inside look at the ongoing effort to establish Acute Care as a board-certified specialty through ABPTS. Jen traces the movement’s roots from the early 2000s to today’s evidence-rich, residency-supported landscape and explains what the next steps mean for clinicians at the bedside. From lessons learned through years of research and advocacy to the evolving role of interprofessional collaboration, this conversation highlights the depth and expertise of hospital-based PT practice. Whether you’re a new grad or a seasoned clinician, this episode will leave you inspired to see acute care not just as a setting—but as a specialty built on purpose, complexity, and professional pride. Today’s Guests: Jennifer Ryan PT, DPT, MS APTA Acute Care Vice president and Project Coordinator of the Petition for Specialization jennifer-ryan@northwestern.edu Guest Quotes: 10:31 “ when I hear colleagues say like, acute care is a specialty, really?  It tells me that I need to help them understand what we do.” 24:01 “…in this whole specialty assessment, in this really long survey you had to have a understanding of physiology and a pathophysiology of every body system. You have to have a keen awareness of not necessarily. Everything memorized, right? But a keen awareness of your level of awareness of those and your need to seek out more resources, or you need to confirm information you know, and then all the clinical sciences, all the laboratory values, all the imaging, all the pieces like that.” 26:14 “So now we're in the perfecting phase one phase. And so demand is one of the categories and need is one of the categories. Demand is how many PTs will. Want to sit for specialization and the turnaround time and all that…The need piece is like. Why do you need PTs to work function at this level? Is someone else taking care of it?” Rapid Responses:   Now you've lived in Chicago your whole life, but if you weren't in the city, where would you go for fun?   “Well, I live in the burbs. I work in the city. That's been 99% of my experience. I'm never gonna live more than a half a tank of gas from Mount Prospect, Illinois. That's, and where would I go for fun? I totally love being in my garden. I was picked, I picked about 40 things outta my garden, brought 'em to work today. I, yeah, fun. Fun is like where my family is. My dogs are all that kind of thing.” You know you work in acute care when… “ You know you're working at acute care when it's. No big deal to stand in the bathroom with a complete stranger. “ Links: https://specialization.apta.org/for-specialists/volunteer/specialization-academy-of-content-experts https://academy.aptaacutecare.org/ 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 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 2026 Elections

Show Notes  In this episode of Acute Conversations, we welcome Dr. Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS — Director of Rehabilitation Services at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital and our newest co-host. Nicole shares her path into acute care, from unfolding paper charts as a new grad to leading a team of more than 100 therapists. She reflects on lessons learned in trauma and neuro ICUs, the importance of mentorship, and why she sees therapists as consultants who guide recovery through evidence, collaboration, and patient stories. Alongside host Dr. Leo Arguelles, Nicole also previews the upcoming 2026 Bridge the Gap Conference in Chicago and what it means for connecting research with practice. Today’s Guests: Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Guest Quotes: 14:35 “  In acute care, it's about the story. Of where that patient is right now and about that risk adjustment of what? As a physical therapist, I need to dose intervention to maximize their recovery without increasing their risk of harm at the point where they are the most critically ill.” 28:28 “ We have to be more precise about how we apply our services and, and be a consulting service...  it also means that as clinicians we're making decisions that frontline are making decisions with their caseload every day. Yeah. It's not a simple, here's your list of six people that you're gonna go see. Don't stop until you see all of 'em. Mm-hmm. It's much more like, what do your people on this list need to maximize their recovery to help with their discharge planning and how are you going to let your day unfold?” Rapid Responses:  What snack best represents you?  “Oh, just all the time. I don't even know that there needs to be one. I am a snacker. I love Chips or cookies or you know what, I, I love coffee, so I drink a lot of coffee, so that might be, I, if I had to pick one snack forever, it would be Coffee with a lot of cream and sugar in it.” You know you work in acute care when…  “ when you have scratched your patient's back for the first time and they just start melting and saying, oh my gosh, no one's done. You know, I've been on my back in this bed. So that's, it's it. The little things, it build thing. You build a relationship.” Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/bridgethegap 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 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 2026 Elections

Show Notes What inspires someone to change the course of their career — and, ultimately, their profession? In this episode of Acute Conversations, we introduce our newest co-host, Dr. Daniel (Danny) Young, PT, DPT, PhD. Danny shares the moment a chance encounter sparked his passion for physical therapy, his early experiences pioneering ICU mobility at Creighton, and his transition into academia at UNLV. Alongside host Dr. Leo Arguelles, Danny reflects on the role of mentorship, the challenge of building confidence in new clinicians, and why generating stronger evidence is essential for advancing acute care practice. From personal stories to research insights, Danny brings both candor and vision to his new role on the podcast team. Today’s Guests: Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social Guest Quotes: 11:28:  “…the lack of confidence is a reflection most often of just some. Some humility that the students have. And so I try to reassure students that it's a good thing that they feel a little bit hesitant and unsure of themselves. That it's a recognition of the things that they don't know. So I, I just first want to acknowledge that not feeling confident is okay. Yeah. And is actually something that's probably reflects some good attributes.” 15:40: “ One of the things that fairly quickly started to really bother me was the debates that I would have with nurses or physicians… I've received such opposition for so many patients about early intervention. That I, I went and did a literature search, you know, because I didn't get any training in school about early intervention. Like I said, it wasn't a common part of practice then. Right. And. So I do a literature search and I find nothing, there was no evidence. Now there was evidence that bedrest was bad, right? Right. So we had evidence that staying in bed was a problem. What we didn't have was evidence that it was safe or helpful to start mobilizing those people earlier. And most of the physicians and nurses at that time just assumed that there's no way around the negative effects of bedrest for these people who are really sick.    There's no evidence to inform these decisions that I have to make every day. And that's gotta change. And. Why am I not the person to try and answer those questions?” 35:26: “ I think we've got to have better evidence and I'm. I'm committed to trying to help to create it.” Rapid Responses:  What's your most favorite way to exercise, Danny? “ I commute by bike. I spend between two and two and a half hours every day riding a bike to and from the campus here.And I love mountain biking as well. So commuting is, is how I get most of my fitness. But I, every time I can get out on the dirt trails, I do that too.” You know you work in acute care when…   You wear different clothes home than you wore when you went in. You have to change during the day. 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 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 2026 Elections

Show Notes Ethel Frese, PT, DPT, MHS, CCS, FAPTA is one of the most respected voices in acute and cardiopulmonary physical therapy. In this episode, she shares the pearls that will energize your practice and growth—from building stronger patient connections to fostering collaboration with the healthcare team. Whether you’re new to acute care or a seasoned clinician, her insights will challenge, inspire, and remind you why this work matters. Today’s Guests: Ethel Frese, PT, DPT, MHS, CCS, FAPTA Professor Emeritus Saint Louis University, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Certified Clinical Specialist ethel.frese@health.slu.edu Guest Quotes: 17:46 “ the therapist who took my place in Chattanooga… she's always told students and people that I've worked with that one of the best gifts to me as a teacher is to have someone you've taught do better than the teacher.  And I have a lot of really good gifts that way. Lots of people I've seen have gone way beyond their teacher and, and that's huge to me.” 28:54 “ I think that's a value of teaching.  You have to go back and think, now, why do I do it that way?” Rapid Responses:  Name one therapist that has been influential in your career. “Oh, that's an easy one. Her name is Mary Chrisman.  She was the therapist that I went to at the hospital when the other therapist would not answer my questions. And she's a friend even to today… You know you work in acute care when…   “When you can manage. I'm gonna say acute illness, but you know, ill patients who need specialist, very specialized care.    And that you can manage the, the really sick patients and the not so sick. Yeah. And you know, you're good at vital signs and ECG and ventilators and all the machinery that you see in acute care. Yeah. So, I guess that's my answer.” 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 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 2026 Elections

Show Notes What does it mean to practice “informative care” in the hospital setting—and how can rehab providers help patients undergoing cancer treatment stay strong throughout their hospitalization? In this episode, we speak with Galen Schram, PT, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in oncologic physical therapy and faculty member of the Acute Care PT Residency Program at NYU Langone Health. Galen shares his journey into acute care, his passion for serving hematology/oncology patients, and how he leverages interdisciplinary collaboration to support patients across phases of survivorship—including during hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We also touch on his background in narrative medicine, and how storytelling can enhance connection and meaning in clinical work. 🔗 Learn more about the July 30th APTA Acute Care webinar Galen is co-leading with OT colleague Emma Kiernan, hosted by the Practice Committee: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/general/custom.asp?page=WebinarSeries Today’s Guests: Galen Schram PT, DPT Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Oncologic Physical Therapy Galen.Schram@nyulangone.org Guest Quotes: 12:58 “ But it's still worthwhile for us to, to go in and do an assessment, provide some much needed education. I have all staff that work on the oncology population screen. Every single patient for CIPN ( Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy) . This is often like something that can go under diagnosed. And, and just provide education about what maybe to expect….When a patient's admitted to the hospital education is one of our most important interventions, for sure.” 20:30 “ …One example is I attend interdisciplinary rounds every Tuesday. So I hear from the nurse practitioners medically how the patients are doing. Based on my own chart reviews and hearing the nurse practitioners and the bedside nurses describe how the patients have been lately, I make a decision about which of my patients are candidates to go to my gym class. So every Tuesday we host a gym class for patients who are medically appropriate and have the approval from their medical providers. So based on. My input from the nurse practitioners, that's how I help decide which patients will make the best can candidates for that gym class, who will have the most success, who's getting close enough to discharge that I really wanna optimize their strength for a home discharge.” 26:19 “  I always say like, I'm a human before, I'm a physical therapist. And I think my writing is one way that I'm able to reflect both of those things.” Rapid Responses: If you had a theme song before you walk into a patient's room, what song would that be?  “The opening theme song to the show, the Mindy Project, which was a great show. I just love that song. So that would be it. It's very upbeat and whimsical.” You know you work in acute care when… “ You are unfazed by. Am I allowed to curse by? By shit.” Links: July 30th Webinar: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?id=1977918 https://blreview.org/off-the-page/off-the-page-tattoos/ https://www.theintima.org/blog/on-trauma-and-hope-by-galen-schram 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts (Or wherever you get your podcasts) #AcuteCare #PhysicalTherapy 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

Show Notes What happens when acute care PTs create space to support, challenge, and elevate each other? In this episode, hosts Nicole Neveau and Leo Arguelles speak with Tricia Healy, PT, DPT and Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT about the Aspire & Achieve mentorship program—its origins, its impact, and the intentional matchmaking that has helped over 65 mentor-mentee pairs grow together. They explore lessons learned from the first two cohorts, what makes mentorship meaningful, and how the program is evolving to support students, new grads, and seasoned clinicians alike. 🔍 Topics include: The story behind the program’s creation How mentor-mentee matches are made Feedback from the first two cohorts Success stories and future goals The difference between mentorship, coaching, and clinical education How to get involved (and who should apply) 🔗 Learn more or apply to be a mentor/mentee in the next cohort via APTA Acute Care.  🎙️ Today’s Guests Tricia Healy, PT, DPT Chair, Aspire and Achieve Committee Practice Committee Member, Critical Edge Email Coordinator Coordinator, Aspire and Achieve Mentor Program 📧 triciahealy@townisp.com Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT Chair, Membership Committee 📧 kim.levenhagen@health.slu.edu Guest Quotes: 6:11 Tricia “ survey data has been pretty consistent and people with or have been highly satisfied with the program…big part of it is the mentee's commitment. The mentee really has to have goals to drive the relationship, and we stress that it's mentee led, so the mentee leads the meetings, has the goals.  So when that happens, when there's. Good communication and a really motivated mentee and a mentor who's willing to guide. It's been really a really successful relationship for the pair.” 10:22 Kim “ I think that's something that we need to continue to hone in on to find out what is the best way to match people. But there is a lot of intentionality, Tricia and I, it's like a dating game almost. Like we've got our Excel spreadsheets out, we're matching people… and so what happens is, and we put a lot of thought into it, it's not just random.” Rapid Responses:   If you did not work in healthcare, what would your career be? Kim: “Bartender”  Before you walk into a patient's room, what would be your theme song? Tricia “Don’t Stop Believing” You know you work in acute care when… Kim: “ When you correct a physician's office about how they take vital signs” Tricia: “ I have to go with you, keep a separate pair of shoes at work, that that doesn't come home with you. That would be my danzko clogs” Links: Email- mentorprogram@aptaacutecare.org https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram https://www.apta.org/fit-for-practice/practice-health/the-power-of-mentoring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOX2OPyH4x0 🎧 Connect with Our Hosts Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) 📧 largue2@uic.edu 🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS 📧 ngunder1@gmail.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Nicole Neveau Danny Young, PT, DPT, PhD 📧 daniel.young@unlv.edu 🐦 X: @DLYoungDPTPhD 🌐 Bluesky: @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 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 2026 Elections

Show Notes 2025 What do you really learn in acute care—and what does it feel like to use what you’ve learned in the classroom? In this episode, we speak with Mika Mendoza, a recent UIC DPT graduate, who reflects on the clinical rotation that changed her perspective on physical therapy. From managing a complex discharge for a newly blind patient to navigating transplant floors and collaborating with interprofessional teams, Mika shares powerful insights on growth, uncertainty, and finding purpose in acute care. This episode also marks the debut of our new co-host, Dr. Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, who brings her experience as a CI and clinical leader into the conversation. Together, she and Leo explore mentorship, first-hand learning, and why exposure to acute care should be standard in DPT education. Whether you’re a student, educator, or practicing clinician—this conversation will resonate. Today’s Guests: Mika Mendoza, SPT mmendo47@uic.edu https://www.linkedin.com/in/mika-mendoza-dpt2025/ Guest Quotes: 8:21 “ Interdisciplinary collaboration is, is key to acute care. It's not just walking and it's not just standing.” 19:33 “ …not all things were as straightforward as we had learned it in didactic.” 28:45 “ I feel like having students go into an acute care clinical rotation I think it's just so important because you will never know. If you don't try it, right? …Uou miss a hundred percent of the shots that you don't take. And I think it's the same with acute care, especially because there are so many things that get debunked when you're in an acute care clinical rotation.” Rapid Responses: What kind of shoes do you wear in acute care? “Not White Ones” You know you work in acute care when… “ When you try to swipe your badge to get into your house” Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/2026Elections Connect with our host and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Nicole Neveau ngunder1@gmail.com LinkedIn Danny Young daniel.young@unlv.edu X - @DLYoungDPTPhD Bluesky - @dlyoungdptphd.bsky.social 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: 🎙 Episode Description: What’s it really like stepping into acute care as a DPT student? In this episode, we hear honest, eye-opening reflections from Fiona Kearns and Hannah Brandt, two near-graduates from UIC who just wrapped up a transformational clinical rotation. They share what surprised them, challenged them, and ultimately shaped their career paths. PLUS—meet our new co-host, Dr. Danny Young! He brings his academic and clinical lens to the conversation, unpacking burnout, mentorship, and the deeper meaning behind acute care practice. 👂 Listen in for:• First impressions from a high-acuity hospital rotation• Navigating burnout (as students and clinicians)• Why acute care needs more visibility—and more students• Danny’s debut on the mic 🎤 Today’s Guests: Hannah Brandt, SPT hannah24brandt@gmail.com Fiona Kerns, SPT fkkearns2000@gmail.com Guest Quotes: On early exposure to Acute Care through Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICE): Hannah 9:44 “ So definitely I think it's very good we get early exposure to it.  Especially 'cause I, for me, at least when I was applying to PT schools, was during covid. So a lot of shadowing hours in hospitals was not available just because of Covid experiences. So like while I would've liked to have experience before coming into PT school in that setting, I didn't get any. So while I was like eager and excited to see it, it does come with a lot of nerves.” Fiona 11:46 “ …And then my second ice visit experience. My patient had three seizures while we were in the room with him, and obviously like that can happen in the acute care setting.  It's not out of the question, but that was just kind of like a big like welcome to acute care for sure. Like this is, this is what it's like to be here. So definitely like high paced, A lot of like adrenaline from those experiences, but definitely learned a lot and I really enjoyed them so.” Danny 28:42 “ One of my favorite quotes comes from Viktor Frankl's book man's Search for Meaning.  And he says he who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. And I think one of the problems that we have is. That we aren't finding enough meaning in what we're doing.  We think what we need is ease and happiness in our jobs. And instead I think what we need is to recognize how meaningful what we're doing is. And if we focus on the meaning in what's happening, I think it will combat a lot of the burnout that we see.” Rapid Responses:  Name a PT that's been influential in your PT career so far. Fiona:  “Sarah and Julia are cis from this past clinical, for sure.” Hannah: “ Dr. Jones, our neuro professor in our program.” You know you work in acute care when… Hannah: “ I would say when you're reorienting your patient, but you don't even know what day it is.” Fiona: “ I say your friends stop letting you talk about your day during dinner, right? Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/2026Elections Connect with our host and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Danny Young daniel.young@unlv.edu 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 Today’s Guests: Jamie Dyson PT, DPT jamiedyson224@gmail.com Constanza Aranda PT, DPT, MSPH carandadpt@gmail.com Guest Quotes: 3:34 Connie “ And that was when I said, wow, like, it would be so cool one day to be able to present in a such a big stage like CSM. And Jamie being the mentor that he is, he said, noted a little mental note and he said, I think we have just written our first goal as mentor mentee.” 7:07 Jamie “ It's easier to be a mentor when your mentee takes an active role. Yeah. In, in the relationship. Too many mentees try to take a passive route.” 21:35 Jamie “  If you try to be too prescriptive as a mentor, I think that kind of turns the mentees off.  If I had told Connie exactly what she needs to do every single day, she probably would've said, all right, enough of this guy, I'm outta here.” Rapid Responses:  Before you walk into a patient's room, what would be your theme song as you walk into that patient's room? -Connie “Eye of the Tiger” You know you work in acute care when… -Connie “You have a change of scrubs in the car” Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram Connect with our host and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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

Guests: Kelly Xie, SPT Northwestern University - DPT 2nd year student zepei.xie@northwestern.edu https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-xie1/ IG: @kellyyxie Magon Liu, SPT 3rd year DPT student from Samuel Merritt University magon.liu@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/magoffnoton/ Links: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/Students https://groups.io/g/aptaacutecarestudents Guest Quotes:  You know that you are getting ready for an acute care physical therapy rotation when Kelly: “ when I learned all these foundations of PT and CVP skills in class.”  You know that you are on acute care clinical when: Magon: “ When your best friend is the gait belt and nursing.” Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Interested in being a future guest? Apply to become our new co-host Join our team: Assistant Producer APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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  Guests: Alfredo Guadalupe, SPT 1st year DPT student from the University of Connecticut, and student leader of the east region for APTA Acute Care alfredo.guadalupe@uconn.edu Jama Bradfield, SPTA PTA Program: Ivy Tech- Muncie jbradfield4@ivytech.edu IG: @jamashea Links: Guest Quotes:  You know that you're in Acute care lab in PT school when: Fred “You can feel Dr. Smith staring at you when you're doing transfers across the room.”  You know that you're getting ready for an acute care rotation when: Jama: “You have to pack multiple pairs of clothes for one day.   That would be my first one. And then also you can speak in half lives and lab values.” Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Email the show if you would like join our team: aptaacpodcast@gmail.com Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Interested in being a future guest? Apply to become our new co-host Join our team: Assistant Producer APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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 Guests: James P. Crick, Jr., PT, DPT, PhD Co-Chair, CSM Education Programming, APTA Acute Care Links: CSM 2025 APTA Acute Care Brochure APTA CSM Program Portal APTA CSM Events App Guest Quotes: "CSM isn’t just about education—it’s about collaboration and connection. This is where careers change, research starts, and lifelong mentorships form." – James Crick "If you’re coming to CSM, don’t just be a fly on the wall. Jump in, meet people, and find where you can contribute. That’s how I got started, and it changed everything." – James Crick Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Email the show if you would like join our team: aptaacpodcast@gmail.com Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Interested in being a future guest? Apply to become our new co-host Join our team: Assistant Producer APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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: Guests: Mary Fischer, PT, DPT, Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist mary.fischer@nyulangone.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-fischer-pt-dpt-gcs-571994b/ Kristine Josef PT, DPT, Board Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist Kristine.Josef@nyulangone.org Links: https://journals.lww.com/asaiojournal/fulltext/2022/05000/safety_and_feasibility_of_an_early_mobilization.15.aspx https://aptageriatrics.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/GeriNotes-23-6.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/hcp/clinical-resources/inpatient-care.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdm7C-fu7o0 https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/hcp/clinical-resources/index.html#cdc_listing_res2-clinical-tools Guest Quotes: Kristine 10:58: What take aways? do you have for clinicians on an everyday basis who maybe would be like, no, sign off on this patient? “If you're gonna see this patient once, you might as well make it worth it. Right? So, You know, you see this patient and they're, they're already walking a lap in the hallway. But what is their fall risk? Right? 150 ft walking isn't gonna tell you much. They can walk on a straight on an even surface in the hospital.  That's very benign.” Mary 23:10  Did this change your practice at all working with your patient population? “Definitely for me. I mean,  doing outcome measures routinely,  whichever ones are appropriate. Now, you know, I  learned a little bit about the strength testing  using a chair stand and we chose the five times to stand, which we talked about in our discussion that maybe wasn't the best one. It's got a very high you know, floor effect. If you can't do one you get a zero. So now we more routinely use the 30m second chair stand.  And so we, so if I would say just for me, it's like, yeah, pushing outcome measures.” Mary 24:03 “Should we be walking our patients more quickly? “ Rapid Responses: What's your favorite outcome measure to use in practice? Mary: “I jump right to the classic chair stand, whether it's 30 or five times” Kristine: “probably the 10 meter. It's easy quick And we have to cross the streets in New York City.” You know you work in acute care when: Mary: “Well you know, you have the extra socks and sneakers in the locker.  Code brown, code yellows…” Kristine: “I pick scrubs with a cargo pocket on my thigh, so that I can hook the Foley catheter onto it. That's nice. And it's clutch. That's so clutch.  You gotta keep it below the waist.” Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Email the show if you would like join our team: aptaacpodcast@gmail.com Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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  Guests: Rebeca Segraves PT, DPT Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health Physical Therapy rebeca@enhancedrecoverywellness.com https://enhancedrecoveryafterdelivery.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rebeca-segraves2030/ https://twitter.com/RebecaSegraves https://www.instagram.com/rebecasegraves_/ https://www.instagram.com/pelvichealthnetwork/ Jenna Segraves PT, DPT Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy jenna.segraves@gmail.com IG: plant_based_pt Erin Locati PT, DPT erin@risepelvicpt.com IG: erin locati_pt Ann Croghan PT, DPT, CLC, CAPP-OB Certified acroghan12@gmail.com Links: https://journals.lww.com/jwphpt/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2023&issue=01000&article=00004&type=Fulltext OB PT & OT Facebook Group Guest Quotes: Jenna 5:32 On postpartum hemorrhagic event: “What I want everyone to really think about or sort of like get, wrap our minds around is that it happens a lot…And so why would we give our services to individuals that have had other hemorrhagic events?  But not to this population when, after they've had a hemorrhagic event, too.” Rebeca 9:09 “80 percent of these cases being preventable, you have to now go back to my hospital, which actually tracked infant drop rate and maternal fall rate. Those are preventable as well. Those are preventable conditions or injuries that have happened as a result of maybe that blood volume being too low of maybe that person having a raging infection that no one was able to actually evaluate properly because they weren't being  Provided an evaluation of their task analysis and the environment that they were expected to return to only rehab therapist can really do that part.” Rebeca 26:17 “I think that was kind of the biggest thing that we focused on in the paper. was enabling therapists with a tool that could really either address their own implicit biases, but then having them use outcome measures that they would use in any other case with any other patient population so that they were actually basing their decisions on evidence and not their own gut feeling.” Erin 33:20 “So I was like, well, how could I do acute care stuff from where I am now for pregnancy and postpartum? And I'm like, well, everybody's here in the hospital having babies. Why can't I go see them there? And that's really when I started to work on. Trying to get in to those units to see those patients, though. I would say  I use pelvic therapy knowledge in acute care for all my populations, like I'm forever talking to people about their peeing and pooping habits in the hospital because they get all jacked up in acute care…” Rapid Responses: Erin, what type of shoes do you wear on a cue care in the hospital? “I wear flux waterproof sneakers. They're amazing.” Ann, name an influential PT. That is, that is changed your life. “Penny Smicken.” Rebeca, what's your favorite holiday? “Thanksgiving for sure. Hands down” Jenna, what's your favorite scrub color to wear in the hospital? “Teal” You know you work in acute care when: Rebeca “There's donuts on every unit.” Jenna “Where's the call bell?” Erin “You have shoot sneakers that you can spray with a garden hose.” Ann “ You’re always taking vitals.” Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Email the show if you would like join our team: aptaacpodcast@gmail.com Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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 Guests: Emelia McCuen PT, DPT, GCS, CCS emccuen@bgsu.edu linkedin.com/in/emelia-mccuen-45b216255 Brian Hull PT, DPT, MBA Brian.Hull@BSWHealth.org Twitter: @BrianHullDPT LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brianhulldptmba Guest Quotes: Emelia 2:34 “Other entities within the hospital system didn't feel comfortable with mobilizing patients who didn't have mobility deficits.” Brian 5:44 “So why is it that  when they're in the hospital, they're lying in flat on their back for 23 and a half hours a day  when you're at home, even if you're sick, at the very least you get up to the couch to watch Netflix for 10 hours, right?” Emelia 20:15 “if you look at our study, the mobility tech spent maybe 14 or 15 minutes with each patient. And that was from the time they walked in the door to the time they walked out. So the actual mobility part of it may have only been 10 minutes. I think we took the time to break down a lot of those perceptions of  I'm not qualified to do this. This is going to take too much time. I'm not sure what level the patient is supposed to be mobilizing at. And broke it down. And when they saw that the units started using it over and over again.” Emelia 36:26 “For those who are trying to get this started and you, and you're not sure and you're doing your needs assessment, the biggest thing you could do to help your nursing colleagues, to help the therapy department, to help the hospital is that there has to be some type of standard assessment of how we look at patient mobility. If that is not there, that is a good starting point because you have to speak the same language.” Rapid Responses: What's the last book you read? Emelia “Cardiopulmonary Practice by Ellen Hillsgass Brian “The Leonardo da Vinci biography by Walter Isaacson You know you work in acute care when: Emelia “You don't breathe in through your nose.” Brian “When the unexpected happens every single hour of the day, nothing that you thought was going to happen, happened. And you still roll with it.” Links: An Alternative Approach to Prescribing Sternal Precautions After Median Sternotomy, “Keep Your Move in the Tube” https://doi/abs/10.1080/08998280.2016.11929379 Applying Telehealth Technologies and Strategies to Provide Acute Care Consultation and Treatment of Patients With Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 https://doi.10.1097/JAT.0000000000000143 The Process of Implementing a Mobility Technician in the General Medicine and Surgical Population to Increase Patient Mobility and Improve Hospital Quality Measures: A Pilot Study, https://doi.10.1097/JAT.0000000000000110 Frailty in Acute Care: Not Just Your Grandparents' Medical Condition, https://doi.10.1097/JAT.0000000000000152 Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Email the show if you would like join our team: aptaacpodcast@gmail.com Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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  Guests: Thomas “Gus” Almonroeder, PT, DPT, PhD almonroeder.thomas@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-gus-almonroeder-b947691b0/ Tricia Widenhoefer PT widenhoefert@trine.edu www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-widenhoefer-084b41144 Guest Quotes: Gus: “We created kind of a collection of clinical vignettes…reflected patients that were in an acute care setting. We distributed kind of to our local network of therapists… ask them to review the cases… then ask the therapist to make a recommendation: Home with therapy, outpatient therapy, long term acute care, sub acute care, all the kind options that you may consider as an acute care therapist. And then we looked at the consistency among those different options. And our idea was to kind of look at how consistent is decision making among acute care therapists with making these recommendations, because we knew that’s…one of the key functions of being an acute care therapist is making those recommendations… So that was kind of the crux of our study.” Rapid Responses: You know you work in acute care when: Tricia “you go home "wearing" part of your patients” Gus “you've reached 10,000 steps before noon” Links: https://journals.lww.com/jacpt/abstract/2024/07000/consistency_of_physical_therapist_discharge.3.aspx Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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 Guest: Bobby Belarmino PT, DPT, PhD, CCS Chair of the Online Education Committee of the Academy of Acute Care PT belarmino@uthscsa.edu https://directory.uthscsa.edu/academics/profile/belarmino LinkedIn Guest Quotes: 9:42 “…There seems to be a variability on how we think about transferring that care to the nursing. And that was just a light bulb to all of us. Why can't we study it and create some recommendations on how we can determine when it's the right time to transition the patient with balloon pump to nursing.” 18:36 “And we didn't find any significant adverse events once they transition successfully transition to nurses…but they more appreciation, more collaborative effort that we have created even more communications between nurses and the proper handoff of ambulation from the PT to the nurses. It's become more objective.” 20:19 “One thing that I really am proud of is increasing the offers. Of that because I really think that The more we can offer to our members the better it is.” Rapid Responses: Name an influential  P. T. in your career: “What made me become a physical therapist was the physical therapist of my grandmother back in the Philippines. Oh, yes, yes. I didn't know about PT back then. Remember, this is many years ago in the Philippines, physical therapy profession, and not well known. And then my mother had a grand had a stroke, and I was just finished high school. I don't know what to do with my life.  My aunt said, go help me carry grandmother to the PT. I said, PT, what is that? You're going to like it.  I don't know if we're going to like it, but seeing my grandmother bedridden because of the stroke. And after a few months, able to sit and walk. That was fascinating to me. That was the moment. Yes, that was the moment I realized I'd like to be like that.  There's so many people I have been blessed in this career. That's why I love this profession.” You know you work in acute care when: “When you don’t mind dealing with bodily fluids.” Links: Using Outcome Measures to Transition Ambulation From Physical Therapy to Nursing for Patients With Mechanical Circulatory Support A Pilot Study APTA Acute Care Education Resources Open Acute Care Volunteer Positions Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access 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 2023 Long Covid Webinar Series

Show Notes Guest: Darby Smith PT, DPT darby.smith@memorilahermann.org Guest Quotes: 5:03 On Outcome Measures in Acute Care: “I think the key takeaway is that there are these documented barriers of the time and the productivity concerns and just the, the kind of acute nature of patient populations and like the diversity of it. And I would say the biggest barrier for most people that I found in their research is the resources. They don't, they want to use it, but they don't know how to get started.” 7:29 “I'm a big believer that there is not one fits all outcome measure for every single patient that every single therapist is going to see...what impairment am I trying to capture and what outcome as knows that can capture that impairment best.” 21:46 “But when you really look at the research, There may be an outcome measure on there that maybe we personally thought should have been on there, but the research isn't there or it's not there in acute care. And so that's where we encourage clinicians. If you have a strong preference on the outcome measure, go do the research.” Rapid Responses: Name a therapist that has been influential to your PT career. “Christa Gilley” You know you work in acute care when: “You hear “you know I just had surgery right?” Three times a day” Links: Perception and Utilization of Standardized Outcome Measures in Acute Care Physical Therapy An Analysis of Practice Core Outcome Measure Set Document (for Public Review and Comments) Provide Feedback on the COM CPG Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast Bridge the Gap APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings 2023 Long Covid Webinar Series

Show Notes  Guests: Kathy Lee Bishop PT, DPT, FNAP, Board-Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist Guest Quotes: "Learning never stops; self-reflection drives growth, and being humble to learn is here to stay!" "Acute care therapists must push themselves to learn about different medications and technologies, ensuring we grow with the evolving field." Guest Links: Becoming an anti-racist interprofessional healthcare organization: Our journey Acute Care Physical Therapy, Second Edition Links: 2025 APTA Acute Care Nominations & Elections June 26th, Acute Care Town Hall: House of Delegates Nominate Yourself Nominate a Fellow APTA Acute Care Member Connect with our hosts and the podcast! Leo Arguelles (LEE-O R-GWELL-IS) largue2@uic.edu Twitter @LeoArguellesPT Ashley Poole Twitter @AshleyPooleDPT Interested in being a future guest? APTA Acute Care: Website Awards Journal Access Twitter @AcuteCareAPTA Facebook APTA Acute Care Instagram @AcademyAcutePT YouTube  APTA Acute Care Podcast Bridge the Gap APTA Acute Care Resources APTA Adult Vital Signs APTA Lab Values Document Webinar Recordings 2023 Long Covid Webinar Series