Physical Therapist Assistants

Typical job duties performed with this occupation include:

TASK DUTIES
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Perform postural drainage, percussions, or vibrations or teach deep breathing exercises to treat respiratory conditions.
Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans.
Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.
Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
Perform therapeutic wound care.
Attend or conduct continuing education courses, seminars, or in-service activities.
Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.
Monitor operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment.
Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists.
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
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*Note: Not all occupations will have a full list of Task Duties or associated programs

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Training for this occupational program or those in a similar family of programs can be located at the following postsecondary institutions in the State of Kansas. Please check with a program advisor at the postsecondary institution for more information on the particular focus of each program listed. Programs nearest the local area appear first. Click on the program to find more information.

INSTITUTION NAME	CITY	INSTITUTION TYPE	PROGRAM TITLE	AWARDS	HOURS
Washburn University	Topeka	Public	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate Degree - AS	70
Labette Community College	Parsons	Public	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate Degree - AAS	67
Kansas City Kansas Community College	Kansas City	Public	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate Degree - AAS	76
Hutchinson Community College	Hutchinson	Public	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate Degree - AAS	73
Colby Community College	Colby	Public	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate Degree - AAS	74
Concorde Career Colleges Inc.	Kansas City	Private	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	Associate of Applied Science - AAS

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