Some physical therapist assistants also use massage. When it comes to a day-to-day routine, every PTA experiences something different. This is due in part to the fact there are so many places a physical therapist assistant might work.
They can be found in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, hospitals, fitness centers, and even at the workplace. Many of the exercises a PTA helps patients with simply involve learning to use the body in certain healthy ways.
However, some PTAs use special equipment like ultrasound or electrical stimulation devices. A physical therapist will always direct the overall course of treatment. Many physical therapist assistants love the opportunity to help people feel better and achieve more independence.
PTAs may work with the elderly or with people of any age who suffered an accident and now need help. Seeing them improve over time can be very satisfying! A physical therapist assistant does not have to worry too much about getting bored or doing the same thing repeatedly.
Each patient has unique needs. When it comes to advancing their careers, PTAs are in a uniquely positive position. They have the chance to observe a physical therapist at work virtually every day.
They can learn whether advancing further appeals to them and what traits they would need to cultivate to succeed. Being a physical therapist assistant is emotionally demanding sometimes. Many patients are in pain and facing uncertainty about their health. Some may even be short-tempered. You may never know how a patient fared after physical therapy ends, which can be upsetting when favorite patients move on. The job comes with frequent physical demands, as well. A PTA must be comfortable in physical contact with others, supporting patients as they complete exercises.
These clinics are stocked with all of the exercise, testing and therapy equipment required to help patients heal quickly and safely. PTAs will assist physical therapists in helping patients with particular movements or exercises.
Many physical therapy movements require heavy lifting and adjusting of a patient, so PTAs also aid in assisting physical therapists with elevating and hoisting patients in an effort to limit the risk of injury. You need to be adaptable because, as a PTA, you might be working with a variety different physical therapists and a mixed bag of patients. Physical therapy options are a popular route for healing, and hospitals are eager to staff their physical therapy environments.
Within a hospital setting, a physical therapist assistant will assist patients as they recover from an illness, accident, surgery or trauma. The objective is to help patients in rehabilitation until they are well enough to be discharged safely. In a nursing home setting, most of those admitted are long-term patients. PTAs help provide rehabilitation and other services to residents and typically care for elderly tenants.
As the baby boomer population ages, more nursing homes and extended care facilities will be in need of PTAs to aid in therapy programs and assist patients. She adds that this setting allows PTAs to work with a broader scope of practice because they are much more independent.
While the majority of residents in home healthcare settings are elderly, there are also pediatric patients with developmental disabilities or other issues, as well as other types of patients who are recovering from an injury or illness.
This kind of setting also includes group homes, residential facilities or certain types of hospice locations. This is the setting in which PTAs experience the most independence, according to Olson. The great thing about this type of setting is that it changes every day. PTAs in this environment often may work with children with special needs, including autism, developmental delay and neurologic injury, among other conditions, according to Boguslawa Badon, a licensed physical therapist and owner of Farmington Valley Physical Therapy.
The focus is on wellness when PTAs work in a sports facility or fitness center. There are a variety of sports-related injuries that PTAs can help athletes overcome. Physical therapy support is also often provided to help prevent such injuries and illnesses from occurring in the first place. Promoting a healthy lifestyle is a key goal for PTAs in fitness centers, as opposed to treating a problem after the fact. Whether you work in a sports training facility, a privately owned fitness center or a franchise fitness center, if you love athletics and working out, this might be a great fit for your future as a PTA.
Physical therapist assistants can elect to pursue contract work in hospitals, clinics, fitness facilities and schools around the country by taking a travel PTA job. Travel PTA jobs are perfect for new grads who want diverse experiences and variety in their work.
Most contract travel PTA jobs last anywhere from six weeks to six months if needed. Often these quick transitions are made easier by housing stipends and incidental pay for other costs, usually including a tax-free per diem to pay for the expenses associated with living out of town while maintaining a residence back home while on assignment.
Garrigues says working as a travel PTA provides opportunities to work in a huge variety of specialties including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, outpatient care and orthopedics. PTAs are naturally curious people so it makes sense that some might thrive working for organizations that conduct research. When new treatments or medical devices related to physical therapy are being developed, they need to undergo clinical trials and studies to prove their effectiveness and safety.
PTAs can assist in this research by helping to collect data, analyze results and recruit study subjects, according to Castin. Primary duties: A wellness manager creates wellness programs for an organization, which can include a corporate company or community endeavor. They train senior staff members on the best ways to motivate their team to participate in health and wellness initiatives, negotiate insurance discounts for individuals who meet certain wellness criteria and write company policy to include a focus on health and wellness for all employees.
Wellness managers also partner with companies and individuals who provide health and wellness services to offer discounts and perks to staff members. Primary duties: A recruiter is responsible for matching talented and qualified candidates with companies who are hiring for certain positions. Recruiters who specialize in placing individuals in healthcare roles meet with employers to understand their needs, review resumes from candidates, conduct initial interviews and answer questions from candidates about the new hire process, orientation, onboarding and training.
Read more: Learn About Being a Recruiter. Primary duties: A director of rehabilitation manages a team of therapists, including physical, occupational and speech therapists, to make sure the client is receiving the level of care they expect.
They ensure their team performs proper evaluation and treatment, train staff members, conduct annual reviews, manage a budget and coordinate license renewals. A director of rehabilitation also creates policies, programs and procedures for their department. Primary duties: A medical writer is responsible for conducting research and writing medical documents to educate other members of the healthcare community or the general public.
They may write journals, papers, website content, magazine articles and more across a wide variety of topics, although a physical therapist may write specifically about advancements in the field of physical therapy or related disciplines.
Here are some other careers a physical therapist may pursue if they want to work in a non-clinical setting:. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume.
Sign in.
0コメント