What Do Physical Therapist Aide Do?
Position Description 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
- Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed.
- Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
- Measure patient’s range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
- Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
- Record treatment given and equipment used.
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Physical Therapist Aide Required 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 Technician
- Physical Therapist Technician (Physical Therapy Tech)
- Therapy Aide
- Rehabilitation Aide
- Outpatient Therapy Aide
What Kind of Physical Therapist Aide Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 52,000 jobs in the United States for Physical Therapist Aide. 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. There will be an estimated 8,500 positions for Physical Therapist Aide per 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.
How Much Does a Physical Therapist Aide Make?
The average yearly salary of a Physical Therapist Aide ranges 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
What education or degrees do I need to become a Physical Therapist Aide?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Physical Therapist Aides Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Physical Therapist Aides employed by various industries.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Physical Therapist Aide may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Physical Therapist Aide sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
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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