Physical Therapist Assistant - PRN

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a member of the direct patient care team who provides patient treatments under the direction of a Licensed Physical Therapist and performs routine physical therapy treatments and procedures from basic to moderate complexity as established by the plan of care. This position performs related patient care support activities and works with team members in monitoring and adjusting activities to ensure optimum patient throughput and patient experience. This position delivers exceptional patient care and adheres to safety standards and guidelines to ensure optimal patient safety, customer service, and optimum patient outcomes.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team-focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Seeks guidance from others and collaborates with all members of the interprofessional care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.

• Applies expected behaviors and actions with team members which contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e., peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Obtains applicable and relevant information prior to patient's treatment sessions. Provides education of plan of care to patients, family members, or caregivers. Consistently evaluates the patient's comprehension, using therapeutic communication, which includes active listening and teaching, to establish a relationship with patients and families, adapting teaching methods accordingly.

• Implements treatment programs as established by the supervising Physical Therapist. Communicates and records patient's response to treatment plan.

• Provides care for the physical needs of patients by executing various physical therapy concepts to maximize performance which includes positioning, physiology, procedure preparation, and technical factors.

• Contributes towards improvement of department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Monitors patient's progress and modifies treatment as allowed by the plan of care, recognizing complications/limitations associated with certain procedures. Collaborates and communicates with supervising therapist and other health care staff modifications to patient's treatment process, progress, and discharge planning.

• Ensures all rehabilitation equipment has had QC performed as required and is in safe working order prior to use. Reports any malfunctions to management and regularly practices preventive maintenance procedures; calls for service if needed.

• Identifies opportunities for corrective action and process improvement providing recommendations, and contributes to meeting departmental and hospital targets for quality and safety.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Schedules patients efficiently to maxim