WorkAbility Examiner Advanced Course
Scheduled Offerings
- September 16th – September 17th, 2023 in West Chester, OH
Registration Form
Workplace initiatives to prevent injuries and needless work disability are creating new service opportunities for physical therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, and other occupational health professionals. This 2-day seminar develops examiner skills to perform the WorkAbility Systems method of worker fitness screening, functional job analysis, and functional capacity evaluation (FCE). Attendees will receive hands-on training and mentoring to facilitate preferred provider contracting with employers.
Day 1 – Worker Fitness Screening & Functional Job Analysis
Covers worker fitness screening and functional job analysis skills needed to create a strong foundation for injury and work disability prevention. Lab sessions emphasize how to perform a worker fitness screen and functional job analysis from start to finish. Laboratory sessions will emphasize hands-on practice performing the NEW WorkAbility Movement Screen, job-specific tests, and reporting with ExamFIT and WorkerFIT software.
Day 2 – Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) & Progress Reporting
This part further develops examination and reporting skills needed to apply the WorkAbility Systems method of functional capacity evaluation for different FCE exam applications that relate to disability benefit claims, fitness-for-duty determination, or job accommodation requests.
Includes review of your 1st WorkAbility Functional Capacity Evaluation
Presented by: Rick Wickstrom, PT, DPT, CPE, CME
Certification
After completing the WorkAbility Certification Seminar, attendees are certified to begin performing WorkAbility Movement Screens, Worker Fitness Screens, Functional Capacity Evaluations, and Functional Job Analyses. Attendees that choose to become credentialed as a CWE (Certified WorkAbility Examiner) may request an application packet from WorkAbility Systems after gaining more experience with WorkAbility reporting applications. The CWE application process includes a peer review of functional capacity evaluation and functional job analysis reports to demonstrate competency with WorkAbility Examiner skills.
Occupational health consultants who are trained and equipped to perform occupational health services using the WorkAbility Systems method may join our WorkAbility Network (WAN) of service providers to support our statewide or national contracts with employers, case managers and claims representatives.
PhysicalFIT Screen Basic
Certificate Workshop
SCHEDULED OFFERINGS
- Thursday, October 22, 2020 in West Chester, OH
Registration Form
Fitness initiatives to promote physical activity and prevent musculoskeletal injuries of workers are creating new service opportunities for health and fitness professionals. The costs for treatment and disability are estimated to be $874 billion for chronic musculoskeletal disorders in the US. Unfortunately, the usual screening process for job seekers and wellness participants fails to provide objective measures of musculoskeletal health or physical functioning. As a result, workers aren’t guided to physical activities that are most suitable for them.
The WorkAbility PhysicalFIT Screen is a brief, non-diagnostic screen of musculoskeletal health and physical fitness. It includes functional performance tests of active movement, agility, and lift strength that are scored based on observations of the client’s performance during functional tasks. The results from these tests are used to assess the client’s readiness to perform physical work demands that are commonly encountered during employment and daily living. This facilitates transitions to suitable therapy or individualized fitness programs.
This seminar includes a balance of lecture and hands-on lab sessions to learn how to administer a PhysicalFIT Screen from start to finish. Attendees must demonstrate competency by observing a series of videos of worker models who are performing the functional performance tests. Attendees will also learn how to create individualized reports for the WorkAbility Movement Screen and a PhysicalFIT Screen that identify follow-up recommendations to promote suitable physical activity and reduce risks for musculoskeletal disorders and related disability. Attendees should bring a stop watch and wear non-restrictive clothing and gym shoes.
Workshop Schedule
- 12:30 PM – Registration
- 1:00 PM – PhysicalFIT Screens to Promote Work Readiness (Employment, Fitness, Rehab)
- 2:00 PM – Administering PhysicalFIT Tests: Vision, Active Movement, Agility, and Lift Strength
- 3:15 PM – Lab Practice with Video Movement Analysis
- 4:45 PM – Case Applications to Verify Competency on Active Movement, Agility, Lift Strength
- 5:15 PM – PhysicalFIT Reporting & Triage
- 6:00 PM – Complete Course Evaluation and Adjourn
Learning Objectives
- Describe service opportunities related to PhysicalFIT and Movement Screens.
- Apply screening assessment principles and techniques for the Active Movement Screen™.
- Apply screening assessment principles and techniques to objectively assess ambulation agility.
- Apply screening assessment principals for near and far vision.
- Apply screening assessment principles and techniques to assess high and low lift strength for manual materials handling.
- Identify and apply documentation expectations related to a WorkAbility Movement and PhysicalFIT Screen.
- Identify common issues that prompt follow-up based on information gathered during the screen.
Presented by: Rick Wickstrom, PT, DPT, CPE, CME
Continuing Education
This continuing nursing education activity is approved for 5 CNEs by the AAOHN, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This continuing education program is also approved for 5 CEUs for Ohio-licensed Athletic Trainer and Occupational Therapy professionals.
