Certified Physical Therapist Assistant

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JOB SUMMARY:

The Staff Physical Therapist Assistant will primarily be responsible for direct patient care for patients referred to PM&R. The therapist is expected to maintain the highest level of quality care at all times. The PTA will follow the plan of care and treatment developed by the Physical Therapist after the patient’s initial evaluation. Activities will include those areas covered both under the written treatment plan and by verbal recommendations from the PT within the therapist’s area of expertise. The therapist will assist in the supervision and training of other PTAs and support personnel, as well as PTA students and volunteers. The therapist will be expected to complete daily documentation and charges, and schedule patients daily. The therapist may be assigned to other specialty areas, and it will be expected the therapist is competent in all areas provided by this department. The therapist will adhere to policies, procedures, and standards of practice as defined by and/or stated by the 1) American Physical Therapy Association 2) Texas State Physical Therapy Practice Act, 3) DNV, 4) UMC Standard Policy and Procedure Manual, 5) PM&R Policy and Procedure Manual.


REPORTS TO:


JOB SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The therapist is expected to be able to schedule patients for
evaluation and treatment in an efficient manner. Productivity should
demonstrate proficiency with this skill.
• The therapist is expected to demonstrate proper and effective
utilization, delegation and instruction to new staff PTA, support
personnel, and volunteers.
• The therapist is expected to participate in clinical education by
functioning as a CI for PTA students after 1 year of experience at
UMC.
• The therapist is expected to assist in selection and retention of
qualified candidates to meet the employment needs of the
department.
• The therapist is expected to provide two in-services annually.
• The Staff PTA is expected to:
o Demonstrate competence in carrying out a plan of care
appropriate to the age of the patient after the proper evaluation
and communication by a physical therapist.
o Complete proper documentation at the time of treatment which
includes appropriate subjective and objective information, a
clear statement of the treatment given, any progress made by
the patient, and the patient’s response and tolerance to
treatment.
o Provide subjective and objective information to the supervising
physical therapist for re-evaluations.
o Complete the appropriate aspect of the discharge summary in a
timely manner per department policy.
o Submit daily charges as described in the department policy.
• The Staff PTA will demonstrate the ability to:
o Assess the needs of the patient by assessing and documenting
the learning needs of the patient/caregiver, and supply the
appropriate instructions to the appropriate learner.
o Assess the needs of the patient by assessing the need for
equipment, attaining an order for it, and demonstrating the
proper use of the equipment.
o Assess the needs of the patient by assessing and
recommending needs for other services and participating in the
discharge process.
• The Staff PTA will demonstrate proficiency in therapy procedures
appropriate to the age of the patient and within medical limits of the
patient while taking into consideration any special
precautions/contraindications the patient may have. The PTA
performs and demonstrates procedures while using proper body
mechanics and safety precautions for the techniques/procedures
including but not limited to the following:
o Manual Muscle Testing
o Goniometry
o Sensory Testing
o Therapeutic Exercises
o Transfer Training and Bed Mobility
o Gait Analysis and Training
o Posture Analysis
o Physiological Responses
o Neuromuscular / Balance Training
o Differentiation of Tissue Damage
o Developmental Testing
o Modalities


EDUCATION