Introduction

Early rehabilitation plays an important role in maximising functional recovery for individuals with tetraplegia following a spinal cord injury. Rehabilitation starts in the intensive care unit and continues across multiple hospital and rehabilitation units. Ensuring patients are involved in decision-making during their rehabilitation journey positively impacts their engagement with treatment and training. This course provides a comprehensive overview of various early rehabilitation interventions for individuals with C4 to C7 spinal cord injuries, focusing on mobility and functional skill development, including techniques for rolling, transitioning from supine to sitting and performing safe transfers.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course you will be able to:

• identify at least three components that should be included in a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for individuals with tetraplegia, including goal setting, preventing complications, and patient education
• describe early rehabilitation interventions for individuals with tetraplegia (C4-C7), focusing on mobility and functional skill development

Target audience

This course is aimed at rehabilitation professionals, students and assistants including but not limited to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Rehabilitation Doctors, Rehabilitation Nurses, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Psychologists, Audiologists, Dietetics, Social Workers. Community Health Workers, Nurses or Medical Doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.

Practicalities

• Availability - this course is online and can be completed on your own schedule.
• Hours of Learning - No deadlines are applied to this course and it can be started and completed in your own time according to your personal schedule. We expect the required elements to take around 1.5-2 hours depending on your schedule and learning style. Additionally there are many optional resources provided and if you choose to review these the course could take longer to complete.
• Types of Activities - This course includes instructional and/or practical videos, reading activities, AI supported learning activities, reflection, evaluation forms, a quiz and additional resources.
• Certificates - At the end of the course, when you have completed all of the required elements, you will be able to download a certificate of completion and 1.3 Plus points will be added to your personalised learning dashboard.

Instructor financial and non-financial disclosures

Melanie Harding (Skeen): No financial relationships disclosed by instructor.
Non-financial disclosure: Melanie Harding is the Chairman of SASCA (Southern African Spinal Cord Association)

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination Policy

Physiopedia Plus is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all participants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex, disability, military status, sexual orientation or age in any aspect of our continuing education services. We are dedicated to ensuring that all learners can fully participate in our programmes. Participants who require accommodations or have special needs are encouraged to contact us with details so that we can make all reasonable efforts to meet these requirements.