PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT / AIDE

Physical therapist assistants and aides assist the physical therapist in providing services that help improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries and cerebral palsy.

Physical therapist assistants perform a wide variety of tasks. Treatment procedures delegated to physical therapist assistants may involve exercises, massages, electrical stimulation, paraffin baths, hot/cold packs, traction and ultrasound. Assistants record the patient's progress during treatment and report the outcome of each treatment to the physical therapist.

Physical therapist aides help make therapy sessions productive, under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. They are usually responsible for keeping the treatment area clean and organized, and preparing for each patient's therapy. When patients need assistance to or from the treatment area, aides may push them in a wheelchair or provide them with a shoulder to lean on. Aides may inform the therapist or assistant if patients are experiencing difficulty with the treatment. Because they are not licensed, aides perform a smaller range of tasks than physical therapist assistants.

The duties of assistants and aides include some clerical tasks, such as ordering depleted supplies, maintaining patient records, answering the phones, and filling out insurance forms and other paperwork. Records kept by the assistant or aide keep the therapist informed about patients' progress and any problems that may develop during treatment. The extent to which an aide, or even an assistant performs clerical tasks depends on the size and location of the facility.

The hours and days that physical therapist assistants and aides work vary depending on the facility, and whether they are full- or part-time employees. Many outpatient physical therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend hours to help coincide with patients' personal schedules.

Physical therapist assistants and aides need to have a moderate degree of strength due to the physical exertion required in assisting patients with their treatment. For example, constant kneeling, stooping and standing for long periods of time are all part of the job. In some cases, assistants and aides may need to help lift patients. Physical therapist assistants and aides should have strong interpersonal skills. They should also be patient, compassionate and posses a desire to help patients.

Physical therapist assistants typically have earned an associate's degree from an accredited physical therapist assistant program. As of January 1997, 44 States and Puerto Rico regulated assistants. Other requirements include certification in CPR and First Aid, and a minimum number of hours of clinical experience.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association , there were 225 accredited physical therapist assistant programs in the United States as of July, 1997. Accredited physical therapist assistant programs are designed to last two years, or four semesters, and culminate in an associate's degree. Admission into physical therapist assistant programs is competitive and it is not unusual for colleges to have long waiting lists of prospective candidates. The programs are divided into academic study and "hands on'' clinical experience. Academic coursework includes algebra, anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry and psychology. Before students begin their clinical field experience, many programs require that they complete a semester of anatomy and physiology and have certifications in CPR and First Aid. Both educators and prospective employers view clinical experience as an integral part of ensuring that students understand the responsibilities of a physical therapist assistant.

Employers typically require physical therapist aides to have a high school diploma. Most employers provide clinical on-the-job training.

Additional education and experience is the key to advancement for physical therapist assistants and aides. Some may advance to supervisory positions. Many of these professionals earn bachelor's degrees and become physical therapists or nurses.

According to the limited information available, starting salaries for physical therapist assistants average about $24,000 a year in 1996. Starting salaries of assistants working in hospitals tended to be lower than those in private practice. The American Physical Therapy Association reports that experienced assistants working in private practice earned an average of about $30,000 in 1996.

In 1996, median annual earnings of full-time salaried health aides, including physical therapist aides, were $16,000. The middle 50 percent earned between $13,000 and $21,000. The top 10 percent earned at least $28,000, and the bottom 10 percent earned less than $10,000.

Physical therapist assistants and aides held 84,000 jobs in 1996. They work alongside physical therapists in a variety of settings. Two-thirds of all assistants and aides work in hospitals or offices of physical therapists. Others work in outpatient rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, offices and clinics of physicians, and in patients' homes. In sports physical therapy, they may work part of the time on the sidelines of sporting events.

Physical therapist assistants and aides are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations through the year 2006. Demand for physical therapist assistants and aides will continue to rise with growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function. The rapidly growing elderly population is particularly vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services. Also, the baby-boom generation is entering the prime age for heart attacks and strokes, increasing the demand for cardiac and physical rehabilitation. Older patients often need more assistance in their treatment, making the roles of assistants and aides vital.

Licensed physical therapist assistants can enhance the cost-effective provision of physical therapy services. After a patient is evaluated and a treatment plan is designed by the physical therapist, the physical therapist assistant can provide many aspects of treatment, as prescribed by the therapist.