Physical Therapist Assistant

Job Summary

Provides Physical Therapy services to patients by assisting in the assessment, treatment, program planning and

implementation. Functions under the supervision of a Physical Therapist and adheres to applicable principles

and practices of physical therapy, Central Pyramid policies and procedures and state regulations.

Essential Functions

1. Under the direction of the registered and/or licensed physical therapist, optimizes the physical abilities

and skills of patients by assisting in the performance of the following activities: assisting in the

screening of patients; implementing treatment for assigned patients; delivering treatment to achieve

identified objectives according to the established treatment plan; appropriately documenting progress

toward identified objectives and communicating patient status and needs to the patient, the patient’s

family, the staff and other professionals as appropriate.

2. Assists in the selection of Physical Therapy techniques/media and in the sequence of activities, adapts

techniques/media as indicated by patient performance and following consultation with the Physical

Therapist. No major modification to the treatment plan is made without prior consultation with the

Physical Therapist.

3. Assists in establishing and modifying individual patient schedules in conjunction with the Physical

Therapist and other team members. Supports the Physical Therapist in identifying a problem list, long-

term goals, short-term goals and a treatment plan.

4. Monitors patient’s response to intervention and consults with Physical Therapist if modification is

indicated. Adheres to department and patient schedules and modifies as appropriate for treatment

regime. Adapts treatment under the supervision of a Physical Therapist to meet the individual needs of

the patient.

5. Provides/recommends/fabricates adaptive devices, orthotics or prosthetics. Trains patient, family and

appropriate staff in the use or application of the above.

6. Participates in patient, family and staff education. Confers formally and informally with other team

members in coordinating the total rehabilitation program of the patient.

7. Attends in-service training and facility meetings as required and provides education to the members of

the patient care team and to members of the community.

8. Submits billing, payroll and expense documentation in an accurate and timely manner. Assists in the

collection of statistics as directed.

9. Complies with all Infection Control, Universal Precautions, and OSHA standards for the healthcare

professional. Assists with and participates in Continuous Quality Improvement Program as required.

Adheres to established confidentiality standards as required by Central Pyramid concerning

community and patient information.

10. Consistently demonstrates sound judgment in the evaluation, planning, implementation and follow-up

of the patient therapy programs.

This job description represents an overview of the responsibilities for the above referenced position. It is not

intended to represent a comprehensive list of responsibilities. Colleagues should perform all duties as assigned by

his her supervisor.

Education and Experience

Associate’s degree from an accredited Physical Therapy Assistant program.

Certifications, Licenses, and other Special Requirements

Completion of state exam. Ability to work varying hours, including weekends and holidays. Bilingual and able

to read, write and speak Spanish proficiently preferred.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Must be able to travel in a vehicle numerous hours/miles per day, visiting up to but not limited to 1-10 homes a day, to

deliver personal care to patients. Clinicians are not assigned to any one specific geography and areas of travel may vary

and are subject to change.

• Environmental status of patient homes and dwellings where care is delivered is variable and unpredictable.

• Must be able to climb stairs and gain access to a variety of different dwellings to deliver care, to include in various

inclement weather conditions such as rain, snow and ice.

• Must be able to type on a tablet/laptop computer keyboard for medical record data entry associated with each patient

visit.

Management/Decision Making

Uses limited independent judgment to make decisions based on precedents and established guidelines. Solves

problems using standard procedures and precedents. Knows when to refer issues to supervisor and when to

handle them personally.

Knowledge and Skills

Has a working knowledge of a skill or discipline that requires basic analytic ability. Has an overall

understanding of the work environment and process. Has working knowledge of the organization. Basic

computer software skills in Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to work holidays and weekends as operation

demands. Ability to maintain the highest standards of ethical professional and clinical judgment. Ability to

address staff and patients in a courteous and friendly manner as well as accept constructive criticism. Must

be willing to communicate with patients of various levels of functioning and various types of personalities.

Willingness to communicate perceived physical and emotional needs of patients to other skilled staff to assist

with addressing their care needs.