What Do Physical Therapist Aide Do?
Physical Therapist Aide Example Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.
Life As a Physical Therapist Aide: What Do They Do?
- Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
- Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
- Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
- Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients’ responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
- Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
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Physical Therapist Aide Needed Skills
When polled, Physical Therapist Aides say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Types of Physical Therapist Aide Jobs
- Physical Therapy Attendant
- Clinical Rehabilitation Aide
- Outpatient Therapy Aide
- Rehabilitation Aide
- Therapy Aide
Job Demand for Physical Therapist Aides
There were about 52,000 jobs for Physical Therapist Aide in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 29.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 15,200 new jobs for Physical Therapist Aide by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,500 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Physical Therapist Aide are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Physical Therapist Aide
The typical yearly salary for Physical Therapist Aides is somewhere between $20,040 and $39,230.
Physical Therapist Aides who work in Alaska, Minnesota, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Physical Therapist Aides in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $26,190 |
| Alaska | $46,230 |
| Arizona | $28,360 |
| Arkansas | $25,650 |
| California | $31,090 |
| Colorado | $32,240 |
| Connecticut | $30,980 |
| Delaware | $26,050 |
| District of Columbia | $30,520 |
| Florida | $27,160 |
| Georgia | $27,270 |
| Hawaii | $30,050 |
| Idaho | $39,120 |
| Illinois | $31,100 |
| Indiana | $29,450 |
| Iowa | $27,580 |
| Kansas | $27,490 |
| Kentucky | $26,320 |
| Louisiana | $27,620 |
| Maine | $30,690 |
| Maryland | $25,980 |
| Massachusetts | $33,740 |
| Michigan | $27,810 |
| Minnesota | $37,230 |
| Mississippi | $22,870 |
| Missouri | $28,940 |
| Montana | $28,320 |
| Nebraska | $28,000 |
| Nevada | $26,000 |
| New Hampshire | $32,820 |
| New Jersey | $27,480 |
| New Mexico | $28,210 |
| New York | $30,230 |
| North Carolina | $27,780 |
| North Dakota | $33,350 |
| Ohio | $28,210 |
| Oklahoma | $21,610 |
| Oregon | $30,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,450 |
| Rhode Island | $33,960 |
| South Carolina | $30,440 |
| South Dakota | $28,810 |
| Tennessee | $25,740 |
| Texas | $26,810 |
| Utah | $22,860 |
| Vermont | $33,900 |
| Virginia | $28,110 |
| Washington | $29,870 |
| West Virginia | $25,620 |
| Wisconsin | $30,460 |
| Wyoming | $26,080 |
What Tools do Physical Therapist Aides Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Physical Therapist Aides:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Epic Systems
- Patient record maintenance software
How to Become a Physical Therapist Aide
Individuals working as a Physical Therapist Aide have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Physical Therapist Aide?
Physical Therapist Aides Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Physical Therapist Aide may also be interested in:
Those who work as a Physical Therapist Aide sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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