Physical Therapist Assistant

Job Summary

Provide services to patients/clients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes. Restores function, provides prevention education, promotes health, wellness and fitness, alleviates pain and prevents/minimizes disability.

Clinical Skills

• Delivers quality care
• Pursues educational opportunities
• Shares knowledge with others
• Uses a wide variety of techniques & technologies
• Customizes treatment & communications to individual patient needs (e.g., cultural & cognitive)
• Plans for discharge appropriate to setting & circumstances in a timely manner (e.g., home exercise program, equipment, family teaching)
• Routinely communicates results of treatments and issues with supervising PT/OT
• Follows care plan as developed and consults supervising therapist regarding changes or deviations prior to adjustment if appropriate

Documentation

• Uses objective measurements appropriate to substantiate care
• Completes documentation on the date of service
• Interventions selected match treatment delivered & meet regulatory standards (e.g., 3‑hour rule, 8‑minute rule)
• Documentation substantiates charges selected
• Documentation meets clinical policy & procedure guidelines (frequency, timeliness – weekly/monthly notes & discharge instructions)

Team Effort

• Adheres to productivity standard
• Efficiently & effectively schedules patients
• Demonstrates flexibility to help others (e.g., provide coverage at other sites, adjust work schedule to meet needs, assist others to cover patients)
• Participates in program development & involvement
• Supports staff & student development
• Embraces change and promotes a positive work environment

Compliance

• Complies with federal, state, and local legal and professional requirements
• Adheres to current standards of practice for physical therapy, the code of ethics, and practice guidelines established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Provides appropriate supervision to physical therapy aides and students

Patient Information Protection

• Secures all patient information in a confidential space
• Follows facility confidentiality policy

Qualifications

• Education: Associate's Degree in a Physical Therapist Assistant program (required)
• Work Experience: Previous clinical experience preferred
• Licenses / Certifications: Physical Therapist Assistant license (required); Basic Life Support / CPR certification as a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association (required)