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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.
Related: Occupational Therapy Aides  Occupational Therapy Assistants  Physical Therapist Assistants  Psychiatric Aides  Psychiatric Technicians 
Industries: Health & Counseling 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

    • Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
    • Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
    • Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
    • Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
    • Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed.
    • Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
    • Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
    • Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
    • Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
    • Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
    • 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.
    • Record treatment given and equipment used.
    • Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
    • Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
    • Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
    • Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.

    Skills

    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    Knowledge

    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge 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.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge 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.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge 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.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    Education

    Education
    High school diploma or equivalent
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    Less than 1 month on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    37730/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    18.14/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    880
    Yearly Projected Openings
    140

    Personality

    Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Concern for Others
    • Cooperation
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Adaptability/Flexibility

    Tools

    • Blood pressure cuff kits
    • Canes
    • Clinical hydraulic lifts
    • Crutches
    • Electronic blood pressure units
    • Electrotherapy combination units
    • Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks
    • Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
    • Lower extremity prosthetic devices
    • Notebook computers
    • Orthopedic splint systems
    • Orthotics or foot care products
    • Parallel bars for rehabilitation or therapy
    • Personal computers
    • Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
    • Ultrasonic therapy apparatus or supplies
    • Upper extremity prosthetic devices
    • Vascular or compression apparel or support
    • Walkers or rollators
    • Wheelchairs

    Technology

    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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