Physical Therapist Assistant

Description

Lexington Regional Health Center

Title: Physical Therapist Assistant

Supervisor: Director of Rehabilitation Services

Department: Rehabilitation Services

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Principle duties and responsibilities

1. Administers physical therapy procedures and modalities for the purpose of achieving treatment plan objectives.
2. Reviews patient's medical history to determine contraindications and precautions with modalities/interventions.
3. Supervises patient with therapeutic exercise program and progress as patient status allows and per Physical Therapist established plan of care.
4. Transfers patient from various surface areas with assistance levels depending on patient status to complete treatment session and enhance patient independence with transfers.
5. Documents progress notes on paper forms, electronically or by dictation to record subjective, objective, assessment and plans.
6. Completes charges for patient's session and submits in a timely manner.
7. Educates patient and family/caregivers on condition, plan of care and home program to enhance therapist-patient relationship, optimize patient compliance and facilitate optimum results.
8. Transports self to different clinic locations or for Home Health visits to complete treatment plan on patients.
9. Communicates patient status updates to physical therapist, referring provider, case managers or interdisciplinary team to enhance quality and transition of care.
10. Participates in patient care activities that could include blood exposure and risk to bloodborne pathogens (eg: lacerations, handling of blood-contaminated specimens, etc.)
11. Responsible for safe bagging and disposal of biohazardous waste.
12. Responsible for following safe-injection practices.
13. Responsible for ensuring the patient care environment meets appropriate governing body standards.
14. Ensure patients and visitors follow current infection control guidelines.
15. Maintains patient and staff safety through the use of patient safety tools (Teamstepps, Just Culture, etc.).
16. Regular attendance at the assigned work location is required.
17. Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities

1. Ability to use standard office equipment and software proficiently, read and analyze general business directives, policy and procedure statements, and governmental regulations as is typically acquired through the completion of an associate’s degree from an accredited physical therapy assistant school.
2. Must have a current Physical Therapist Assistant license issued by the Nebraska Board of Physical Therapy Assistant Examiners.
3. Eligible after first year of employment to participate in serving as a clinical facilitator for physical therapy assistant clinical internships.
4. Basic Life Support certification via American Heart Association required within six months of hire.
5. Attention to detail up to 75% of the time when providing therapy to patient, monitoring patient’s response to treatment plan, performing modalities of choice and recording outcomes data.
6. Ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds and varying educational levels in order to carry out treatment plans established by physical therapist, taking into consideration cultural differences.
7. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to protected and sensitive information.
8. Ability to solve problems independently and confidently by applying analytical and logical thinking.
9. Ability to complete reports and correspondence at a professional level.
10. Ability to immediately respond to common inquiries and complaints from patients, employees and regulatory agencies.
11. Ability to effectively organize and present information and respond to questions from employees and external groups of varying sizes.
12. Successful completion of required knowledge and training of standard precaution and transmission protocols and when to apply during principle duties and responsibilities.

Working conditions

1. Works in a normal patient care environment, well lighted and ventilated with minimal exposure to excessive noise, dust, temperature, etc.
2. Occasional exposure up to 80% of the time to infection and/or contagious diseases when working with patients.
3. May require performing therapy services in the following locations, not limited to: processing plant/industrial environment, patient’s home, hospital environment, skilled nursing facility/assisted living facility, school environment. May also include aquatic therapy environment at temperatures exceeding 90 degrees and high humidity environment.
4. Patient transferring required during routine care and emergencies, up to 35 pounds, 10-20% of work time. Patient transportation in wheelchair 40 horizontal force pounds up to 300 feet 1% of work time. Moving of inpatient bed to help patient transferring for safe and appropriate care up to 60 horizontal force pounds 1-2 feet 5% of work time. Transportation of laundry, equipment, and patient charts in lock box per patient privacy regulations up to 20 pounds for laundry and equipment and up to 25 pounds for patient chart lock box into vehicle, 1% of work day up to 2x/day. Outpatient care requiring transferring various weights to be used for specific exercise up to 10 pounds, 35% of time. Outpatient care requiring body positioning to apply various manual therapy techniques, ambulating various distances for gait training, patient care, and miscellaneous activities, and requiring reaching in various directions to demonstrate exercise, clerical work, and to provide manual contact cues, up to 60% of work time. Various positions and mechanics are used for proper control and safety for therapist and patient to prevent injury.
5. Exposure to chemicals and other hazards related to patient care. Appropriate safety precautions, such as safety glasses, gloves, etc. must be used to minimize risk of injury.
6. Direct exposure to body substances during patient care activities and on contaminated surfaces such as patient equipment.

Management responsibilities

1. None

Job description statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job title. They are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.