Your Guide To A Career In Physical Therapy
Job requirements of A Physical Therapy Assistant
The duties of a physical therapy assistant are focused on doing different procedures on physical therapy as well as other tasks under the supervision of a physical therapist. In short, physical therapy assistants serve as the “nurses” of physical therapists and who give medical assistance to patients. The services provided by these professionals could be aimed at improving the flexibility, reducing pain as well as avoiding permanent physical disabilities of the patients that happen to be struggling with certain ailments or have been through some injuries. Most of the time, the patients are those people suffering from heart illnesses, arthritis, lower back pain, head injuries, bone injuries as well as cerebral palsy.
A lot of different therapy procedures could be assigned to a physical therapist assistant, including of course exercises, traction, massages, electrical stimulation, paraffin baths, and ultrasound. They can be responsible for recording the reactions of patients to those procedures and should forward to the physical therapist all the results of the tests and treatments. These tasks should be performed by physical therapy assistants always with the supervision of professional therapists.[youtube:8Y4zCgssqsc?version=3;[link:Veterinary technician];https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y4zCgssqsc?version=3&feature=related]
Working Environments and Income
The days and the hours that a physical therapist assistant work vary and greatly depend on the facility they are working in and if they are full time or part time workers only. There are actually lots of therapy clinics which are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, which means there is a possibility that a PT assistant is going to be asked to be on duty for longer hours as well as on Saturdays and Sundays. In the mean time, the average profits of physical therapist assistants were reported to be $37,890 in the year 2004, which happens to be based on data from the government.
Training and Certification
On the whole, physical therapist assistants receive their associate degree from physical therapist assistant programs available from various certified physical therapy assistant institutions. When it comes to licensure, not all states demand that physical therapy assistants be listed and accredited to be permitted to practice. However in states where licensure is required, there are specific instructional standards that have to be met as a way to go for licensure.
An accredited physical therapist assistant program is to be completed for two years or four semesters. Such programs require both practical clinical training and academic study. The academic classes include psychology, biology, chemistry, physiology, algebra and anatomy. There are some programs that also offer certifications in CPR along with other first aid practices before field experience is given. I tis not enough that you just decide to enrol in a training program for physical therapy assistance, more importantly you should know what such course will do for your future career.
A physical therapy assistant’s job is surely a profitable one seeing that there are numerous job options that will be available to any physical therapist assistant. Choose one of the better and state accredited physical therapy assistant schools for the best education.