Physical Therapist Aides
Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.
Key Tasks
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
- Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
- Record treatment given and equipment used.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
- Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
- Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
- Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
- Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
- Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
- Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
- Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
- 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.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
95%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
92%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
89%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
87%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
78%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
78%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
77%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
77%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
72%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
71%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
71%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
70%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
69%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
67%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
66%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
64%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
62%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
60%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
60%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
59%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
58%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
56%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
55%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
52%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
52%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
51%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
50%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
49%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
46%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
39%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
38%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
34%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
33%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
32%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
25%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
24%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
19%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
19%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
18%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
16%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
15%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
15%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
13%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
12%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
11%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
10%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
10%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
5%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
4%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
2%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
0%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Associate's degree
Less than high school diploma
Interests
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Work Styles
Work Values
Resources for Physical Therapist Aides
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