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Physical Therapist Aides Occupation Detailed Description

Physical Therapist Aides career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Physical Therapist Aides

The main tasks and work activities of Physical Therapist Aides are to clean medical equipment, clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms, monitor patient progress or responses to treatments, encourage patients during therapeutic activities. In general, for the Physical Therapist Aides, active Listening, social Perceptiveness, coordination, monitoring and other 7 skills are required.
Physical Therapist Aides Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Physical Therapist Aides jobs. 42.34% of Physical Therapist Aides have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 5.30% of Physical Therapist Aides have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
7.69%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
42.34%
Post-Secondary Certificate
5.30%
Some College Courses
14.67%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
21.51%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
8.49%

Tasks and Work Activities of Physical Therapist Aides

  • Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
  • Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
  • Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
  • Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
  • Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
  • Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
  • Record treatment given and equipment used.
  • Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
  • Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
  • Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
  • Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
  • Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
  • Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
  • Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
  • Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
  • Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed.
  • Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
  • Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
  • Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Handling and Moving ObjectsUsing hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Clean medical equipment.
  • Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.
  • Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
  • Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
  • Engage patients in exercises or activities.
  • Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety.
  • Move patients to or from treatment areas.
  • Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
  • Maintain medical records.
  • Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
  • Perform clerical work in medical settings.
  • Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
  • Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
  • Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids.
  • Assist patients with daily activities.
  • Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
  • Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
  • Fit patients for assistive devices.
  • Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
  • Schedule patient procedures or appointments.

Skills and Abilities for Physical Therapist Aides

  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Vascular or compression apparel or supporte.g. Anti-embolism elastic stockings
  • Blood pressure cuff kitse.g. Blood pressure cuffs
  • Canes or cane accessoriese.g. Canes
  • Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packse.g. Cold packs
  • Crutches or crutch accessoriese.g. Crutches
  • Electrotherapy combination unitse.g. Electrical stimulation equipment
  • Electronic blood pressure unitse.g. Electronic blood pressure units
  • Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Gait belts
  • Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packse.g. Hot packs
  • Clinical hydraulic lifts or accessoriese.g. Hydraulic lifts
  • Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tankse.g. Hydrotherapy immersion baths
  • Lower extremity prosthetic devicese.g. Lower extremity prosthetic devices
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Orthopedic splint systemse.g. Orthopedic splint sets
  • Orthotics or foot care productse.g. Orthotic devices
  • Parallel bars for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Parallel bars
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Ultrasonic therapy apparatus or suppliese.g. Therapeutic ultrasound equipment
  • Upper extremity prosthetic devicese.g. Upper extremity prosthetic devices
  • Walkers or rollatorse.g. Walkers
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Therapy and CounselingKnowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.