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.
14 alternate job titles:
Salary Information
Physical Therapist Aides: $34,520 (median) per year.
Starting salary (10th percentile).
Required expreience: Varies by Company
Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
| Task Description | Category |
|---|---|
| Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms. | General |
| Clean medical equipment. | General |
| Engage patients in exercises or activities. | General |
| Encourage patients during therapeutic activities. | General |
| Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety. | General |
| Move patients to or from treatment areas. | General |
| Confer with other professionals to plan patient care. | General |
| Perform clerical work in medical settings. | General |
| Inventory medical supplies or equipment. | General |
| Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use. | General |
| Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids. | General |
| Assist patients with daily activities. | General |
| Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients. | General |
| Fit patients for assistive devices. | General |
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments. | General |
| Schedule patient procedures or appointments. | General |
| Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments. | Maintenance |
| Maintain medical records. | Maintenance |
| Maintain medical equipment or instruments. | Maintenance |
| Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment. | Analysis |
Technology Requirements
| Technology | Description |
|---|---|
| Epic Systems | Medical software |
| MEDITECH software | Medical software |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software |
| Medical procedure coding software | Medical software |
| Patient record maintenance software | Medical software |
| Scheduling software | Calendar and scheduling software |
| Word processing software | Word processing software |
Relevant Certifications
Industry certifications that may be valuable for this career role:
| Certification | Issuing Organization | Practice Test |
|---|---|---|
| Certification in Orthopedic Manual Therapy | International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine - US | Not Available |
| Functional Training Specialty Certification | American Council on Exercise | Not Available |
| Occupational Therapist Registered | National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. | Not Available |
| Orthopaedic Technologist Certified | National Board for Certification of Orthopaedic Technololgists | Not Available |
| Physical Therapy Technician/Aide Certification | American Medical Certification Association | Not Available |