Physical Therapy Aide

Physical Therapy Aide- Belmont, NC

Daily Tasks and General Guidelines

• The patient is always a priority for cleaning or anything else.
• Engage with patients, it’s important to work on making them feel comfortable, cared about, keeping them on task and moving from one activity to the next. 
• Read the room and situation, try to anticipate the needs of the patients and PTs. Example: needing a towel, needling cart, water, a longer break, etc. 
• Be proactive, ask questions.
• Move around the clinic space; scanning opportunities to be helpful, ensuring client safety and comfort. 
• Be willing and ready to help patients as needed, including actively helping them through exercises and moving them from one activity to the next. This may mean physically assisting the patient through the exercise or physically correcting them. Ask PT if you are unsure of the correct method or form.  Depending on the patient or situation, you may need to ask the patient if it is ok if you touch them.
• Get to know the patients (most come 2-3 x/wk). You should know their names, faces, and even what they are being seen for. Talk to them and retain information for future conversations.  Example, if they say they are going on a trip, next time you can ask them about their trip.  This helps build rapport and make the patient feel like you care, and they are important. 
• Pay attention to how the sessions go so feedback or suggestions can be made for scheduling or anything else. Example, Client A and Client B are very similar and can easily be in the same hour block.  Knowing that some patients are always late or run over an hour - so understanding how this affects the schedule and workload is important.
• Stay out from behind the computer as much as possible.
• Be comfortable with physical touch and being in close proximity to the patients, not only working with them but also for learning.  Learning requires being up close and personal, active listening, and asking questions of both the PTs and patients for better understanding and clarification.
• Ask relevant questions to the patient at warm up and throughout the session to gauge pain, how they are feeling or how they are doing.  Watch body and facial expressions, ask if they are ok.  Remind them to breathe.  Ask specific probing questions.  Like where is the pain exactly? Is it sharp, stabbing, achy, or dull? Is it better or worse in movement or moment? Better or worse than last session. Relay any relevant information to the PT for notes and/or further questions/action.
• Be able to read and understand Raintree activities, check for future appointments, schedule out as needed, understand authorizations and visit count maximums, and cancel, reschedule, and document patient communication.
• Practice good customer service skills when answering the phone, knowing when and how to push a reschedule, and when a cancellation fee applies.

Morning - Clinic Opening

Put down stools from the tables

Ensure patient tables are clean and ready for the first patients

Adjust the blinds - bring them down to help with morning sun

Ensure slant boards are positioned properly and everything else is put up/away properly

Make sure TVs are playing

Pull up days patient schedule and review patients and know what to get the first patients started on when they arrive

Clean the bathroom - wipe down sink, mirror, bars, toilet; ensure there are paper towels, toilet paper, and soap and fill as needed

Mop bathroom and front reception area with Swiffer (ensuring time to dry before/in between patients for safety)

Check mirror by slant bars for fingerprints and clean as needed

Check and start laundry if needed

Greet patients as they arrive (especially when PC is not there), ensure they get checked in properly, and get them started on warm up routine based on their reason for being seen - see below note*

*If a patient arrives BEFORE, you are done with anything else on the list or while you are doing it, STOP.  Patients are always number one priority.  If PT is actively engaged in the patient(s) - for instance she/he is talking to them and getting them started, then you can continue otherwise stay with the patient to ensure they are taken care of.  If more than one patient, move back and forth between the two not only giving instruction but ensuring correct action/form and ensuring safety and that they are staying on task.

Throughout the day as needed

Greet patients as they arrive (especially when PC is not there), ensure they get checked in properly, and get them started on warm up routine based on their reason for being seen

Clean tables and other equipment - anything that touches patient this includes but may not be limited to cardio equipment, stability bars, curl/ext machine, foam rolls, support equipment, etc*

Fold Laundry and put away as needed - check OT cabinet to make sure its stocked also

Work with patients as needed or instructed 

*Patients come first though before cleaning

Evening - Clinic Closing

Ensure all tables and equipment is cleaned and in the correct position

Put up the stools on to the tables

Ensure slant boards are positioned properly and everything else is put up/away properly

Vacuum and/or wipe down dust as needed in clinic and front reception area

Ensure supply room and bathroom lights are off

Take a look around and just make sure everything is in place and ready for the next day

Plug in laptop to ensure it is charged for the next day

Check with PT on anything else that is needed or feedback from the day before leaving