Perspectives in Practice: Sarah Nechvatal at UWSP

You are invited to attend a special Perspectives in Practice event titled, "Emergency Physical Therapy: Who We See, What We Do, and Why It Matters" by Sarah Nechvatal, DPT. This networking and speaking event for students and local physical therapy leaders will be held on Thursday, April 23 in the College of Professional Studies Building at UW-Stevens Point.

Schedule:

• 5:30 p.m.: Networking with complimentary appetizers in the Joan North Place, first floor of CPS
• 6 p.m.: Welcome and guest lecture by Sarah Nechvatal, DPT

Parking:

• UWSP Lot E and Lot Y have free parking available after 5 p.m. They are located on Isadore Street near the fire department. The CPS Building is #11 on the campus map.

RSVP:

• Registration ends at noon on April 17

Cost:

• Free

Continuing Education Opportunity:

• 1.0 CEU credits
• Indicate your interest on the registration form

Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, the rehab therapist will be able to:

1. Describe the benefits of early access to physical therapy and its impact on patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and emergency department flow.
2. Analyze current barriers to healthcare access in the United States, including narrow networks and limited timely specialty care, and explain how Emergency Department Physical Therapy (ED PT) addresses these gaps.
3. Examine case-based examples of Emergency Department Physical Therapy to illustrate what physical therapists do while working in the ED, including patient complexity, time constraints, safety considerations, and discharge planning.
4. Differentiate among models and types of Emergency PT practice, including patient populations served and clinical roles within the emergency department.
5. Explain how physical therapy practice in the emergency department differs from traditional outpatient and inpatient settings, including differences in clinical decision-making, risk tolerance, and goals of care.
6. Identify and apply essential skills required for ED PT practice, including trauma‑informed care, goals‑of‑care conversations, and management of common ED presentations (musculoskeletal conditions, vestibular disorders, falls, and complex medical cases).
7. Compare Emergency PT staffing and practice models used across the United States and internationally, highlighting operational, financial, and workforce considerations.
8. Evaluate the future role of Emergency PT in improving access to care, including proposed expansions of scope such as participation in medical screening exams, diagnostic imaging, laboratory ordering, and Medic*tion management.

Sarah Nechvatal earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Iowa in December 2006. She began her career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison where she established the hospital’s Emergency Department Physical Therapy consultation service in 2010 and served the community there until 2022. She was also a member of the Emergency Department Physical Therapy team at UnityPoint Health–Meriter Hospital and, since 2011, has worked per diem at the UW Health Hospitals and American Family Children’s Hospital.

For the past three years, Dr. Nechvatal has been a full-time member of the Emergency Physical Therapy team at UW Health’s University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Madison. She now serves as a supervisor of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy across several acute care medical units, as well as for the Emergency Department therapy team at UW Health University Hospital.

In addition to her clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Nechvatal chairs the APTA Wisconsin Early Access PT Committee, where she champions statewide efforts to make timely access to physical therapy a standard of care across all practice settings.

Event Sponsors:

This event is co-sponsored by the UW-Stevens Point Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the Northcentral District of APTA Wisconsin.

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Host or Publisher UW-Stevens Point Doctor of Physical Therapy