National Physical Therapy Examination Review and Study Guide.

O'Sullivan SB, Siegelman RP. Concord, MA 01742, International Education Resources Ltd, 1997, paperback with computer simulation, 315 pp, $80.

Written for graduate physical therapists, this self-published book serves as a review, as a study guide, and as a practice exercise for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). The authors also suggest that the DOS-based computer-simulated examinations that are included will help users determine their own strengths and deficiencies and, consequently, form the basis for further review. The book begins with an introduction to the licensure process. O'Sullivan and Siegelman describe the NPTE's development and content as well as the procedure for taking the NPTE and the grading and scoring process. Following this material, the authors offer suggestions for structuring the NPTE review, for preparation prior to the examination, and for strategies to use during the examination. The authors divide the remainder of the text into two parts. The first part contains 12 chapters that outline all of the content areas included in the NPTE. The last part lists the questions asked in the computer-simulated examinations, provides the correct answer for each question, and discusses the reasoning for the correct answer.

Chapters 1 through 4 cover the major body systems--musculoskeletal, neuroblogical, cardiovascular, and pulmonary. Chapter 5 discusses special topics, including infectious diseases (eg, HIV infection, hepatitis B), the integumentary system (eg, thermal injury), the genitourinary system (eg, obstetrics, renal failure), oncology, and psychology and psychiatry (eg, grief process, death and dying). Chapters 6 and 7 cover pediatric and geriatric physical therapy, respectively. Chapter 8 presents information on physical agents, including extensive coverage of electrical stimulation. Chapter 9 discusses functional devices and training, focusing on ambulation (gait, ambulatory aids, orthoses, prostheses, and wheelchairs), with the exception of upper- and lower-extremity prostheses and orthoses. Chapters 10, 11, and 12 concern administration, education, and research. Unless chapters were written by the same author, the topics covered and the outline vary from chapter to chapter.

Because the study guide focuses on content rather than on process, the authors present the information related to assessment and evaluation techniques as specific to a body system or a patient group. The NPTE concentrates on clinical decision making, assessment, and treatment. The format of this study guide--with the exception of the simulated examination questions, some of which ask the examinee to make a clinical decision--concentrates on knowledge and the application of that knowledge. The authors recognize this situation and include a short section (two paragraphs) in the introductory chapter that suggests ways to approach questions that ask examinees to make a judgment (a clinical decision).

This study guide does provide much pertinent and current information that would help a graduate physical therapist prepare for the NPTE. The computer-simulated examinations could function as a valuable diagnostic tool for the graduate physical therapist's preparation. Unfortunately, the test questions used in the simulations do not represent good test construction and contain many typographical, spelling, or grammatical errors in the stem, the distractors, the correct response, or all three. Many of the questions use the all/except format. The correct response often varies significantly from the distractors. This variance allows the test-wise individual to respond correctly and does not, therefore, provide a good representation of the diagnostic process in the question's content area.

The textual material contains some inaccurate information (eg, Rule of Nines), omits some important aspects of current care (eg, upper- and lower-quarter screening for neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction), and dispenses misinformation about the use and scoring of the NPTE (current information was available to the physical therapy community in mid-1996) that might frustrate the graduate physical therapist (especially the foreign-educated therapist) who has purchased this book. The text is poorly edited and contains many typographical, spelling, and grammatical errors. In addition, the authors do not always cite references within the text appropriately and do not use or recommend current primary resources--nor do they always cite the most recent edition of texts that they list as resources for more in-depth information.

I cannot recommend this book as an essential study guide for graduate physical therapists preparing to take the NPTE. However, the guide could serve, as the authors suggest, as a jumping-off point for further study.

Susan A Bemis, EdD, PT Chatham College Pittsburgh, Pa

Dr Bemis is a Professor at Chatham College who specializes in industrial physical therapy. She teaches a variety of courses, including those on systems dysfunction.