Responsibilities

Physical Therapist Assistants provide support and work under the supervision and direction of a Physical Therapist (PT) to implement a plan of care that will help patients regain their strength, live a healthier, and attain maximum level of function. The duties of Physical Therapist Assistant include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting in performing physical therapy treatments for patients in various settings (e.g. hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and out- patient clinics)
• Following the plan of care set out by the supervising physical therapist
• Working with patients directly during therapy sessions
• Assisting in evaluation and treatment of patients who demonstrate disorders of musculoskeletal, neurologic, balance and those with transfer/gait deficiencies
• Assisting in the preparation of patients to receive treatments in accordance with planned programs
• Provide routine training in activities of daily living with or without the use of assistive devices
• Administering various physical modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, soft tissue massage and provides training for using assistive devices, such as canes, walkers, crutches, or prosthetics
• Treating patients of all ages and who may have injuries or health conditions that limits their ability to move or in performing their ADL (Activity of Daily Living)
• helps people relieve their pain especially during movement, teach patients to re-learn how to walk, improve their balance and mobility, increase their flexibility and endurance
• Guiding new patients and assess their physical state before assisting the Physical Therapist in teaching them new exercises and therapy techniques
• Assisting in the completion of all necessary paperwork, documenting and reporting patient progress
• Acting as a liaison between the Physical Therapist and the patient to discuss their progress and answer questions about their condition
• Maintaining a cooperative relationship among healthcare team members and contributing to team effort

Physical Therapist Assistant Basic Requirements:

• A current, valid Physical Therapy Assistant license and registration issued by the State of New York
• If not currently holding a license; must have an Authorization To Test (ATT) and eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Assistant Exam (NPTAE)
• If a foreign applicant, at least six (6) months of PT clinical work experience

Physical Therapist Assistant Required Skills:

• Knowledge of principles, techniques and equipments used in physical therapy
• Knowledge of possible hazards during treatment and necessary remedial measures
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology
• Skills in manual therapy
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instruction
• Ability build patient rapport to be able to encourage their patients to move and participate with their treatment program
• The right attitude and skills in facing challenging situations
• Patience, compassion and empathy in interacting with patients
• Ability how to be stay calm and positive even when patients get frustrated or upset about their injury or ability to make progress
• Ability to be perceptive and easily notice when a patient is experiencing unusual pain and discomfort or exhibiting symptoms of a possible complication