NPTE case studies
NPTE · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is the licensing examination used by physical therapist (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) candidates who are nearing graduation and preparing to move from student to licensee. It is administered through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT), and passing it is one component of the licensure process rather than the whole of it. The NPTE case studies are 5 cases and about 3,653 words.
1Postoperative Day 5 TKA With Rising Weight and Breathlessness
R is a 72-year-old woman on postoperative day 5 after right total knee arthroplasty. History: HFpEF (EF 55%), stage 3b CKD (eGFR 38), atrial fibrillation on apixaban 5 mg BID, and furosemide 40 mg daily.
762 words, about 4 min2Day +12 After Stem Cell Transplant: Ambulation Request With Pancytopenia
L is a 46-year-old man, day +12 after autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma, admitted with fever and pancytopenia. Morning labs: platelets 18,000/uL, hemoglobin 7.4 g/dL, ANC 250/uL, temperature 38.1 C.
733 words, about 4 min3Ankle Sprain That Is Not an Ankle Sprain, and a Request to Pad the Note
You are the only PT in a physician-owned outpatient clinic. A 52-year-old man is referred by a physician assistant for right ankle sprain, three weeks ago, not improving.
747 words, about 4 min4Buying a Dry Needling Package on the Strength of One Pre-Post Study
The owner of your outpatient clinic wants to buy a dry needling program and asks you to review the evidence. You find one study: 32 adults with chronic ankle instability completed eight sessions of dry needling plus a balance program.
718 words, about 4 min5Rest Pain and a Toe Ulcer in a Referral for Claudication
K is a 64-year-old man with type 2 diabetes (A1c 8.4%) and a 40-pack-year smoking history, on aspirin and atorvastatin. He is referred for claudication with a six-month history of calf pain after 150 meters.
693 words, about 3 min