Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapy Assistant

Provides Physical Therapy services by supporting patient evaluation, treatment, development of care plans, and the completion of all required documentation and communication. Works under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist and follows established physical therapy standards, as well as all Bethesda's policies, procedures, and state regulations.

Reports to: Director of Rehabilitation

Internal: SNF Administrator, Home Health and Hospice Director, Director of Nursing, Social Services, Human Resources, Accounts Payable, Billing.

External: Physicians, Medical Director, MDH personnel, CMS surveyors, hospital discharge planners, referral sources, patients and families, and the general community.

Hours of Work: Full-time, Monday through Friday.

Dress Code: Clean, fitted scrubs in solid colors or simple pattern.

Essential Requirements of Work: (Minimum qualifications necessary to function at full productivity.)

1. Education:

1. Associate's degree in physical therapy from an accredited program and licensed in the state of Minnesota

2. Experience:

1. One to three years of prior experience in a rehabilitation setting, such as acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient clinics, SNFS, long-term care, assisted living, memory care, or home health.
2. Familiarity with fall prevention strategies and mobility training for seniors
3. The ability to use therapeutic techniques to help clients build or restore skills.
4. Knowledge of State and Federal regulations.

3. Personal:

1. Highly developed communication skills, both oral and written.
2. Self-motivated with strong attention to detail.
3. Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
4. Ability to adapt to various work settings and changing priorities.
5. Ability to work varying hours, including weekends and holidays.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Under the direction of a licensed physical therapist, optimizes the physical abilities and skills of patients by assisting in the performance of the following activities: assisting in the screening of residents/clients; implementing treatment for assigned patients; delivering treatment to achieve identified objectives according to the established treatment plan; appropriately documenting progress toward identified objectives and communicating patient status and needs to the resident/client, the residents/clients family, the staff and other professionals as appropriate.
2. Assists in the selection of Physical Therapy techniques/media and in the sequence of activities, adapts techniques/media as indicated by resident performance and following consultation with the Physical Therapist. No major modification to the treatment plan is made without prior consultation with the Physical Therapist.
3. Assists in establishing and modifying individual patient schedules in conjunction with the Physical Therapist and other team members.
4. Assists the Physical Therapist in identifying a problem list, long-term goals, short-term goals, and a treatment plan.
5. Monitors residents/clients response to intervention and consults with Physical Therapist if modification is indicated.
6. Adheres to department and patient schedules and modifies as appropriate for treatment regime.
7. Adapts treatment under the supervision of a Physical Therapist to meet the individual needs of the resident/client.
8. All duties will be performed in accordance with current standards, guidelines, state and federal regulations.
9. Performs all other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands of the Job:

1. Standing and walking required for extended periods.
2. Occasional kneeling, stooping, squatting, twisting, and bending.
3. Infrequent lifting up to 50 pounds; occasional assistance with patient mobility as clinically appropriate.
4. Sitting required for documentation, administrative, and computer-based tasks.

Professional and Personal Growth:

1. Report for and leave the work area on a timely basis.
2. Participate in the annual performance evaluation process.
3. Participate in all required in-service programs at Bethesda.
4. Maintain professional conduct and a positive, collaborative attitude toward staff, patients, and visitors.
5. Be willing to learn and adapt to meet the evolving needs of the organization.