Physical Therapist Assistant, M-Fr, 40 HPW

Everyone Is a Caregiver

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other.

And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

This position assists physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist.

I. Major Responsibilities:

• Under the direction of a Physical Therapist, instructs, motivates, safeguards, and assists patients as they practice exercises and functional activities.
• Observes patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provides results to the physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
• Confers with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, and coordinating treatment.
• Secures patients into or onto therapy equipment.
• Administers active and passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, and heat, light, sound, and electrical modality treatments.
• Communicates with or instructs caregivers and family members on patient therapeutic activities and treatment plans.
• Measures patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, and vital signs to determine effects of treatments.
• Monitors operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment. Fits patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, and supportive devices, such as crutches.
• Completes all records and documentation thoroughly, accurately, and promptly.
• Follows all departmental policies and procedures.

Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:

• Complies with established departmental policies, procedures and objectives.
• Attends variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
• Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
• Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
• Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.
• Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
• Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.

All responsibilities are essential job functions.

II. Position

Qualifications:

• License/Certification/
  
  Education:
  
  Required:
  
  1. Associates degree from an accredited Physical Therapy Assistant Program (approved by the APTA). 2. Current Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Experience
  
  Required:
  
  1. Ability to monitor and assess performance of patient and plan, make improvements, or take corrective action as indicated.
• Ability to communicate with patients, caregivers, co-workers, supervisors, and other medical staff in person, in written form, via email, or telephone.
• Ability to listen to patients' or caregivers' concerns.
• Ability to read, write, and speak clearly in English.
• Ability to follow policies and procedures.
• Ability to teach patients or caregivers how to perform exercises or tasks.
• Ability to perform duties within standards of professional practice.
• In depth knowledge of standards of practice within the profession.
• Preferred:
  Minimum of six (6) months of physical therapist assistant experience.
• Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
• Department-specific…