Physical Therapy Assistant, Inpatient, Per Diem - Grand View Health

Under overall direction of a licensed Physical Therapist, the Physical Therapy Assistant examines and evaluates patients and administers Physical Therapy interventions in collaboration with the referring physician. The Physical Therapy Assistant demonstrates competency in skills necessary to care for and manage primarily adult and geriatric age patients in an acute care, outpatient, or acute inpatient rehabilitation unit setting. The Physical Therapist Assistant treats patients through exercise, massage, gait and balance training, and other therapeutic interventions. 

Essential Functions:

• Administers Physical Therapy interventions competently (see Competency) specific to the treatment setting according to recognized standards of appropriate care for the primarily adult and geriatric patients and observing all indications and contraindications of treatment.
• Demonstrates the ability to assist the Physical Therapists in the examination and evaluation of new patients and in appropriate follow-through of the treatment plan on a continual, supervised basis to provide quality patient care to adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
• Demonstrates knowledge and use of the patient pain assessment and management system by monitoring his/her patients’ pain level and implementing appropriate pain interventions.
• Demonstrates awareness of treatment precautions and the need to closely monitor patient tolerance of treatments by ongoing patient observation to insure safety and desirable provision of care.
• Assists the Physical Therapist in addressing the discharge planning needs and service early in the treatment program.
• Demonstrates high awareness of Infection Control and Universal Precaution principles in treatment application to protect the patient and self from infection.
• Shows initiative in his/her work and willingness to identify personal clinical education needs and methods to enhance professional growth to improve patient care and treatment outcome. Patient education is interdisciplinary whenever appropriate.
• Identifies and incorporates appropriate educational/teaching needs of the patient/caregiver into his/her treatment process to facilitate the learning components of the patient care plan.
• Demonstrates the ability to work efficiently and provide quality care to a volume of an average of 10-12 patients/day according to patient diagnosis and treatment plan intensity. Inpatient Rehab Unit staff: 4-5 patients/day.

Schedule:   Per Diem, as needed, day shift during the week and on weekends.  Two weekend days per month, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, weekdays as needed during the hours 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. 

Education and Experience:
Associate's Degree Accredited Institution in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) required

Licenses and Certifications:
Physical Therapist Assistant – Licensed, Upon hire, required