Shelby Jan Nail plans to use her role as a delegate for the Texas Student Physical Therapy Association to promote physical therapy and help benefit future students studying the profession.
The South Plains College student from Zephyr, Texas, has studied at Texas Tech before coming to the Levelland campus to study physical therapy. Nail attended the TPTA annual conference at Corpus Christi on Oct. 26 – Oct. 29.
Student members of the Texas Student Physical Therapy Association elected Nail as a delegate for the program she will represent and make decisions for physical therapy students across the Texas.
The TSPTA was created for physical therapists to advance in improving the movement of health and wellness in Texas. The program has the goals to empower society by recognizing physical therapists as experts in movement and wellness, to empower the association by becoming relevant and dynamic by engaging in membership and meaningful communication, and empowering the physical therapy profession by attaining patient access for equitable payment for physical therapy services, according to the TSPTA website.
As a physical therapy associate (PTA) delegate, Nail sits on the TSPTA executive board with other physical therapy students from across Texas. As a delegate for this program, Nail will have duties to uphold for PTA students across the state by attending the House meeting and becoming involved with the association.
“This position requires my attendance at the House of Delegates meeting in New Orleans next year, said Nail. “I represent PTA students across the state of Texas.”
During her time in New Orleans, she will have to meet with the House for three successive days to make decisions on issues that have far reaching implications for the association and for physical therapy professions. These meetings are executed through parliamentary procedure and address bylaws, the needs of physical therapy publicly along with the members, and reach the goals that the association wishes to meet.
Nail will be able to voice her opinion and work with the TSPTA to improve the profession for other physical therapists and patients with her delegacy. This program allows members to make decisions and amend laws dealing with the physical therapy profession and physical therapy patients. It also is important in making physical therapy relevant and how important it is for recovery.
Nail has plans to learn, advocate, and promote for the physical therapy profession. “I’m excited about the opportunity to learn,” said Nail. “This position is perfect
for advocacy, which is an important value, upheld by the PT profession.”
Nail plans to use her position to make plans that will benefit future physical therapy students and patients.
“PT is vital to patient rehabilitation, but severely underutilized,” Nail explained, “It is my responsibility, not only in this position but as a professional, to promote PT and what is best for future students to best benefit their patients.”
Nail says she hopes to use her position as a delegate to make physical therapy a better experience for people who plan to pursue this profession and for the patients.
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