Assists in the provision of patient care under the direct supervision of the licensed clinical staff, including OT, PT, SLP, PTA and COTA, and in accordance with PA practice acts for those disciplines. Provides both clinical and clerical support as required by the facility. May include transporting patients as necessary in a safe, comfortable, courteous, timely and professional manner via prescribed transport vehicles. May assist in the training of therapy volunteers.
Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates knowledge of all safety, fire, evacuation, emergency care and disaster policies and procedures, including proper body mechanics and lifting techniques.
• Consistently reports to work for regularly scheduled shift while adhering to designating start and stop times of shifts and breaks.
• Checks in and escorts patient to appropriate treatment areas, informs attending therapist of patient's presence in clinic, and awaits further direction from therapist on the next steps in patient's activities for that session.
• Answers telephone calls to the department in a polite and professional manner. Takes messages, provides information and transfers calls as needed.
• All other duties as requested.
• Consistently informs the attending licensed clinician of patient's verbal and non-verbal response to treatment.
• Competently applies modalities and supports patient care in a manner consistent with the Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy Practice Acts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Notifies health care team members of patients whereabouts, including but not limited to when/where patient is available for treatment or returned to their room, while ensuring that all safety measures are reviewed and applied appropriately (e.g., in bed with call bell & phone within safe reach, safety restraints, wall oxygen, bed rails etc.).
• Prepares and maintains the work area in a neat and orderly fashion as directed by the licensed clinician and in accordance with regulatory standards. Cleans equipment and patient care areas per approved standards.
• Transports patients and equipment via prescribed vehicles between patient units, treatment centers and other designated areas in a safe, timely and professional manner.
• Assists the licensed clinicians with the nontreatment aspects of therapy services, following universal precautions, in a manner that is consistent with our core values, and consistent with the Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy practice acts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Assists with transfer and set up of patients as requested by staff within the occupational, speech and physical therapy and nursing departments.
• Assists in the orientation and mentoring of newly hired aides and therapy volunteers as requested.
• Maintains an adequate supply of linen necessary for daily functioning of the department. Receives and stores linen.
• Completes assigned clerical duties such as daily logs, registration, filing patients charges and scheduling both in and out patients as requested.
• Discusses care of patients with the licensed clinicians prior to initiating patient activities. Also may assist with patient activity on nursing unit. (i.e. ding room on call bells)
• Documents statistics, activities, exercises and outcomes as directed by the licensed clinician.
• Maintains adequate medical supplies. Performs weekly inventory of medical supplies and informs or assists the secretary of supplies that need ordered.