Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Therapy Assistant
A Therapy Assistant is a professional who assists physiotherapists in prepping or performing various components of patient treatment plans. They provide clinical care for assigned patients. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Therapy Assistants.
Get market insights and compare skills for other jobs here.
Main Responsibilities of Therapy Assistant
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Therapy Assistant:
Administer
Administer therapeutic exercises and modalities.
Aid
Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
Answer
Answer phone calls, schedule patients, maintain waitlist, and return voicemails immediately.
Assist with
Assist as necessary for projects, reports, and other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Assist front desk when required.
Assist in clean up (garbage, laundry, senitizing equipment, vacuum etc).
Assist in maintenance of safe, clean work environment.
Assist in the supervision and evaluation of volunteers and students.
Assist Occupational Therapist with assessments of clients for mobility aides.
Assist patients with their exercise program.
Assist residents with walking, sitting and safe transferring.
Assist / supervise the client with his / her individual prescribed exercise programs or ADL training.
Assist the PT / OT in preparation for treatment sessions.
Assist with cleaning and maintenance of treatment area and department.
Assist with cleaning and preparation of the treatment rooms.
Assist with escorting participants to activities and community outings.
Assist with insurance authorizations and benefit checks.
Assist with resident scheduling and post charges daily to resident records.
Assist with walking, transfers and safe mobility, etc..
Attend
Attend meetings to discuss individual child progress.
Attend and actively participates in the clinical team multidisciplinary patient conference.
Attend scheduled trainings and / or meetings as needed.
Attend discipline specific staff meetings.
Attend education sessions.
Carry out
Carry out housekeeping tasks as assigned.
Clean
Clean and maintain equipment.
Collaborate with
Collaborate with all disciplines to provide best patient centered treatment and care.
Collaborate with Supervisors and other therapists.
Collaborate with the supervising Physical Therapist to address scheduling needs.
Collect
Collect and accurately enter patient data in EMR system within 24 hours.
Communicate
Communicate and collaborate as a valuable member of a client-centered healthcare team.
Communicate and coordinate care with client physician, case manager, and / or direct supervisor.
Communicate changes in patient's condition to Charge Nurse or Recreational Therapist.
Communicate resident progress or problems to supervisor and other team members.
Confer
Confer on a regular schedule with other health team personnel to facilitate coordinated care.
Consider
Consider program requirements such as facilities, budget, equipment, and supplies.
Contribute to
Contribute to physiotherapist's effectiveness by identifying resident care issues.
Counsel
Counsel and teach patient and family / caregivers in meeting individual treatment goals.
Describe
Describe a time when you exceeded a customer / patient's expectations.
Develop
Develop and conducts group therapy.
Develop monthly Activity Calendar for assigned RHAs.
Devise
Devise a detailed, client centered, and goal orientated treatment plan for each client.
Direct
Direct billing to extended health insurances.
Document
Document all pertinent information in patient's medical record.
Document in the client record and collect required data as requested.
Document patient rehabilitation progress.
Document patient's progress on weekly progress note in a timely fashion.
Document patient care services by charting in resident and department records.
Document pertinent clinical data following group.
Document treatment provided and ensure appropriate co-signatures when necessary.
Educate
Educate and train parents and caregivers.
Encourage
Encourage residents to reach the goals of their planned treatment programs if appropriate.
Engage in
Engage in evidence-informed, person-centered practices as they relate to recreation therapy.
Ensure
Ensure that the clinic and treatment areas are clean, organized and safe.
Ensure that the resident gym and treatment areas are safe and tidy.
Evaluate
Evaluate and report on patient progress.
Evaluate new clients in his or her home and / or community.
Evaluate students' clinical performance.
Execute
Execute treatment plans as per physiotherapist's instructions (ex. bra assessment, compression, etc.).
Fit
Fit and train patients in use of splints and orthotics.
Follow
Follow established standards for point for service technology, documentation and synchronization.
Follow through on all nurse delegation tasks as assigned.
Follow treatment plan appropriate to physician orders.
Help with
Help with basic administration if needed.
Help with housekeeping tasks.
Identify
Identify equipment and discharge needs.
Implement
Implement occupational therapy activities to meet student needs and encourage progress.
Implement recreation participation programs to meet patient interests.
Implement the components of the treatment plan as directed by the physiotherapists and chiropractors.
Implement therapists' goals.
Input
Input collected data into the client's daily progress note.
Instruct
Instruct patients and families in home programs and basic living skills.
Instruct resident's family or nursing staff in follow-through programs.
Instruct families and caregiver in maintenance programs as directed by the Physical Therapist.
Keep
Keep the supervising therapist informed of patient's status, problem areas, progress, etc..
Lead
Lead, instruct and motivate residents in individual and group leisure pursuits.
Maintain
Maintain an 80% student success rate for all classes taught in the program.
Maintain and protect confidential patient accounts, files, and records.
Maintain a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
Maintain client records and confidentiality of patient and company information.
Maintain compliance with all standards, regulations and rules pertinent to services provided.
Maintain compliance with the Business Code of Ethics.
Maintain equipment and work area in a safe and clean condition.
Maintain equipment inventories.
Maintain excellent attendance and punctuality.
Maintain inventory of physical therapy supplies (check stock, place orders, receive supplies).
Maintain ongoing communication with other team members.
Maintain patient confidentiality, patient rights and privacy.
Maintain records of resident attendance and participation in programs / activities PCC.
Maintain the cleanliness and appearance of workspace and office.
Make
Make notes of clients' conditions, concerns and progress for reporting to Physiotherapists.
Make presentations to support marketing efforts, at team conferences and in-services.
Manage
Manage email inquiries and correspondence.
Manage office inventory and maintain equipment.
Manage records and correspondence for clinic.
Manage routine office functions including reception, telephone and booking appointments as above.
Meet
Meet with students to encourage them to stay in the program.
Monitor
Monitor and report any change or adverse reaction to treatment or prescribed program plan.
Monitor and report changes in health status to the supervisor.
Monitor any changes to a resident's health status and report to the Physiotherapist or supervisor.
Notify
Notify the appropriate State Protective Service (Child or Adult) as appropriate.
Notify the supervising PT of changes in patient status.
Observe
Observe patients and determine effects of treatments.
Observe and assists with activities of daily living, including eating, toileting, and daily hygiene.
Observe resident's status by interviewing patients.
Observe safety rules, standard precautions and fire regulations.
Optimize
Optimize patients' satisfaction, provider time, and treatment room utilization.
Order
Order prescribed assistive or adaptive equipment.
Participate in
Participate as a member of the interprofessional team(s).
Participate in discharge activities for individual patients.
Participate in multidisciplinary care conferences.
Participate in program planning, quality improvement and evaluation.
Participate in the fine dining program.
Participate in the ongoing education of residents within the scope of the programs.
Participate in the orientation / mentorship of new staff and colleagues as required.
Perform
Perform all other duties assigned by Director of Rehabilitation.
Perform duties of front desk (phone calls, billing, making apts, contacting insurance etc.).
Perform general administrative duties.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Perform other duties as assigned by clinical management team.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Neuro Transitional Residential Manager or Shift Supervisor.
Perform other related duties as required.
Perform reassessment of client progress through functional testing.
Perform reception duties, data entry, answer phone calls, and other administrative functions.
Perform services planned, delegated, and supervised by the Physical Therapist.
Perform therapeutic procedures by administering manual exercises.
Perform various administrative functions.
Perform various administrative tasks.
Plan
Plan and prepare materials necessary for therapy implementation.
Plan individual, group and classroom sessions that target individual goals.
Plan instruction to achieve specific objectives based upon student need and established curriculum.
Plan and present educational programs for department.
Practice
Practice and adhere to infection control standards and policy and procedures.
Prepare
Prepare and cleans treatment rooms by following prescribed procedures and protocols.
Prepare and coach parents in the implementation of individualized home programs.
Prepare and organize materials and treatment rooms for client programs.
Prepare attendance reports weekly for the office management department.
Prepare final grades at the end of each semester to update student records and transcripts.
Prepare lectures, labs and practical demonstrations for students in class and individually.
Prepare posters, employee expense forms, equipment set up requests, and Recreation Therapy calendar.
Promote
Promote and participate in Occupational Health and Safety.
Promote client safety by maintaining a clean and organized work environment.
Protect
Protect patient confidentiality in regard to medical, emotional, and social status.
Provide
Provide assessment in psychosocial / leisure and recreational skills development / deficiency.
Provide assessment to identify patient needs.
Provide comprehensive treatment to patients under supervision of Occupational Therapist.
Provide ongoing treatment for clients based on individualized Plan of Care.
Provide services as indicated by Occupational or Recreation Therapy assessment and resident goals.
Provide services as indicated by Recreation Therapy assessment and resident goals.
Provide timely and astute information to relevant team members.
Provide treatment to patients as directed by the Physical Therapist.
Record
Record daily treatments using Seniors Wellness' proprietary, web-based system.
Record daily treatment charges per corporate procedures.
Research
Research and market opportunities for personal and company growth.
Review
Review patient file before treating patients.
Review student success rates and implement plan to reduce student withdrawals.
Schedule
Schedule and confirm appointments.
Seek out
Seek out and maintains skills and knowledge relevant to rehabilitation in the home care setting.
Set up
Set up and prepare equipment and clean up after patients' treatments.
Set up and prepare equipment and clean up after residents' treatments / group exercises.
Set up, prepare equipment and tidy up after physiotherapists' treatments.
Submit
Submit all documentation according to agency requirements.
Submit weekly visit schedule of assigned patients.
Support
Support and participate in the development and implementation of programs and objectives.
Take
Take an inside look at what you'll do each day.
Take patients' general medical and ophthalmic history.
Teach
Teach and demonstrate exercise programs to physiotherapy clients.
Teach and demonstrate proper use of equipment for clients.
Train
Train clients in the use of various types of communication equipment.
Travel
Travel to various sites may be required.
Trust
Trust determination process.
Utilize
Utilize verbal non-violent crisis intervention techniques as needed.
Work with
Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team designed to maximize client recovery and rehabilitation.
Work collaboratively with all the clinical teams spread across the South Health Campus.
Work cooperatively with clients to set and achieve functional goals.
Work on developing content for social media platform.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Therapy Assistant:
Valid Vulnerable Sector Screening Check
Heat
ICE
Tens
Ultrasound
First Aid
2-Step Mantoux Test
Clearance
Tuberculin
Level-C
CPR
TB Test
PTA
Computer
Occupational Therapy
Valid Driver'S License
Fix Equipment
Therapy Setting
Clinic Setting
Reliable Form Of Transportation
Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant Program
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Therapy Assistant:
Written and oral communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Organizational capacity
Problem-solving attitude
Time-management
Observation
Flexible
Personal
Relationship-building
Work effectively in a physically and mentally demanding environment
Friendly demeanor
Work independently with little direction
Adaptable to changes
Team player
Initiative
Attention to detail
Dependable
Friendly
Leadership
Multi-task
