Physical Therapy Assistant

Summary: The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) assists the Physical Therapist (PT) in providing physical therapy treatments to patients suffering from injuries, disabilities, or physical impairments. The PTA is responsible for implementing care plans, monitoring patient progress, and ensuring a safe and effective rehabilitation environment. This role is vital to helping patients achieve their rehabilitation goals and improve their quality of life.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Administer and implement treatment plans as directed by the supervising Physical Therapist, which may include therapeutic exercises, gait training, and neuromuscular re-education.

• Apply therapeutic modalities such as heat, cold, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation.

• Instruct and assist patients in the safe and proper use of supportive devices like crutches, canes, walkers, and wheelchairs.

• Observe, document, and report patient's treatment responses, progress, and any changes in condition to the supervising Physical Therapist.

• Educate and train patients and their families or caregivers on follow-up home exercise programs and patient care techniques.

• Ensure the treatment area is clean, safe, and stocked with necessary supplies and equipment.

• Assist with clerical duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, and completing forms as needed.

• Adhere to all legal, ethical, and professional guidelines, including patient confidentiality and safety protocols.

• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor and/or Manager

The above listing of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive but rather to serve as a description of the range of duties and general nature of the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Education and Work Experience:

• Graduate from an accredited PTA program.

• In good standing with all regulatory agencies and licensing boards.

• Ability to multitask.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Current physical therapy license for state of operation.

Knowledge and Skills:

1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are mandatory.

2. Must be detail oriented and comfortable working in fast-paced and rapidly changing environment.

3. Teamwork collaboration is essential to the organization, so it is critical that the manager communicates and interacts well with other team members and is able to build positive relationships across all levels within the organization.

4. Must possess excellent organizational skills and be extremely flexible to meet customer demands, in addition to being able to work independently and prioritize multiple tasks in a changing environment with a high degree of accuracy.

5. Ability to follow oral and written instructions.

6. Ability to positively interact with personnel, customers, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel and the general public.

7. Interacts with customers, families, visitors, center and the Company’s subsidiary personnel;

8. Carries out other tasks as requested in situations where hands-on intervention/participation may be required.

9. Provide annual verification of negative TB skin test.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

(1) Physical Demands:

(Answer yes or no)

Reaching (overhead) yes

Handling Fingering yes

Feeling yes

Talking or Hearing yes

Seeing yes

(Answer: 0-33% - Rarely / 34-66% - Occasionally / 67-100% - Frequently)

Standing 67- 100%

Walking 67 - 100%

Sitting 0-33%

(Specify Amount of Weight in Pounds: Sedentary [10 lbs] / Light [20 lbs] / Medium [50 lbs] / Heavy [100 lbs] / Very Heavy [>100 lbs])

Pulling 20

Lifting 20

Carrying 20

Pushing 20

(Answer yes or no)

Climbing (stairs) yes

Balancing yes

Stooping yes

Kneeling no

Crouching yes

Crawling no

Twisting yes

(2) Location of Job Activities (Answer in %) Outside 0% Travel may encompass up to 5% of time Inside 100%

(3) Environmental Conditions:

(Answer yes or no)

Extreme heat with or without temperature changes no

Extreme cold with or without temperature changes no

Wet or humid no Noise and/or vibrations no

Hazards (chemical, mechanical, radiant energy ) no

Explosives, burns, electrical, other no

Atmospheric conditions - Fumes, poor ventilation, mists, dusts, odors, gas no

Unprotected heights no

Moving machinery no

Operating automotive equipment yes

Operating foot controls yes

Uneven ground no

Protective clothing (list) no (gowns, masks, gloves in accordance with policy)

(4) Work Situations

(Answer yes or no)

Measurable or verifiable criteria yes

Dealing with people yes

Repetitive and continuous yes

Performing under stress yes

Set limits, tolerance or standards yes

Problem solving yes

Comparing yes

Taking instructions yes