Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant

Eden Health•Bend, OR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant provides in-home physical therapy services to patients on an assigned caseload. The assistant implements physician-ordered treatment plans according to each patient’s plan of care, reviews the caseload regularly with the supervising physical therapist, evaluates the significance of assessment findings, and communicates relevant changes in clinical status and ongoing needs to the healthcare team, office staff, and physician in accordance with agency policy. The role includes educating patients, families, caregivers, and staff about appropriate physical therapy modalities; delivering modalities suited to each patient’s clinical status, needs, and age; and providing care in a manner that promotes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical errors. The assistant participates in case conferences, identifies and addresses safety risks in patients’ home environments, and connects patients and families with appropriate community and agency resources to support care, transfers, and discharge. The assistant also completes accurate, thorough, and timely visit notes in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Candidates must meet applicable state requirements for physical therapist assistant licensure, registration, or certification, or meet the stated education and examination pathways. Prior home health experience is preferred. A valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, proof of automobile insurance, current CPR certification, and successful criminal background and national sex offender clearances are required.

Requirements

Meet applicable state licensure, registration, or certification requirements for a physical therapist assistant, unless licensure does not apply.
Meet an applicable education pathway: graduate from a physical therapist assistant curriculum approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association; or, if educated outside the United States or trained in the U.S. military, graduate from a program determined substantially equivalent to U.S. entry-level education by an approved credentials evaluation organization.
Pass a national examination for physical therapist assistants when required by the stated qualification pathway.
Meet the applicable historical qualification pathway, where relevant: satisfy licensure or other state regulation requirements; or, in states where these do not apply, meet the stated graduation requirements for an APTA-approved two-year college-level program by the specified cutoff dates; or meet the stated qualification and proficiency-examination pathway for those qualified by December 31, 1977.
Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Provide proof of automobile insurance; motor vehicle record (MVR) will be checked.
Provide proof of current CPR certification.
Pass a criminal background check and national sex offender clearance.

Nice To Haves

Prior home health experience.

Responsibilities

Implement physician-ordered treatment plans according to each patient’s plan of care.
Review the caseload regularly with the supervising physical therapist, as established by best practice and/or state guidelines.
Evaluate the significance of assessment findings and communicate pertinent information about patients’ clinical status and ongoing needs in a timely manner.
Communicate changes in patients’ clinical status to healthcare team members, necessary office staff, and physicians according to agency policy.
Educate patients, families, caregivers, and other staff about appropriate physical therapy modalities.
Deliver physical therapy modalities appropriate to patients’ clinical status, needs, and age, in accordance with the standard of care.
Provide therapy in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical or healthcare errors.
Participate in case conferences addressing multidisciplinary responsibilities, patient progress, continued care plans, and new problems.
Identify risks of injury or threats to life and health in patients’ environments and implement interventions to reduce those risks.
Maintain current knowledge of community resources.
Identify and access internal and external resources to address patient and family needs and support outcomes during home care, transfer, and discharge.
Complete accurate and thorough visit notes for every patient in the EHR in a timely manner.