Inpatient Rehab Therapies Co-op Aide (Non-PT), Temporary

Boston Medical Center•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Cooperation Education Program (Co-op) gives students the opportunity to integrate classroom learning with a paid work internship related to their field of study. Under the general supervision of the Rehabilitation Therapies Supervisor or Manager, the co-op student receives work-site orientation and training, learns on the job, and applies learned knowledge and skills to patient treatment and related duties. The student is expected to work positively and professionally, follow hospital policies and safety rules, and contribute to a positive work experience. This is a full-time, temporary position in the Inpatient Physical Therapy department, scheduled for 40 hours per week for six months. The position supports patient care and exercise activities, communicates with patients and clinical staff, assists clinicians and front desk operations, and maintains treatment areas, equipment, and supplies. It also includes administrative duties, attendance at in-services and staff meetings, and adherence to hospital infection-control and safety procedures. The role requires a high school diploma or equivalent and active enrollment in a BMC-approved college-level co-op program. Candidates need effective communication and customer-service skills, the ability to maintain confidentiality, basic computer proficiency, and American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification or the ability to obtain it before hire. Compensation is listed as $18.00–$20.00 per hour; the posting also includes a separate compensation-range statement of $0.01–$0.00 and explains that pay offers consider qualifications, organizational needs, internal equity, and market competitiveness. Benefits mentioned include medical, dental, vision and pharmacy coverage, discretionary annual bonuses and merit increases, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) savings matches, paid time off, career advancement opportunities, and employee and family well-being resources.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Active participation and enrollment in a BMC-approved college-level co-op program.
Effective oral and written communication skills for interacting with patients, families, therapists, and healthcare-team members.
Ability to maintain the confidentiality of personal and health-sensitive information.
Excellent customer-service skills and the ability to communicate courteously, pleasantly, and professionally with patients, the public, staff, outside agencies, and other internal and external contacts.
Basic computer proficiency, including the ability to access, enter, and interpret computerized data or information.
American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification, or ability to obtain certification before hire.

Responsibilities

Learn and assist with patient treatment, including basic therapeutic procedures and exercise, patient positioning, bed mobility, transfers, ambulation, gait training, and application of modalities such as ultrasound and hot or cold packs.
Assist with exercise classes.
If enrolled in a physical therapy program, provide patient treatments when deemed competent through coursework completion and therapist sign-off on BMC competency.
Document patient-care activities as applicable to the student's educational curriculum.
Keep therapists informed about changes in patients' reactions to treatment and assist therapists in determining appropriate completion times based on patients' physical and functional status.
Communicate patient status to nursing and medical staff.
Interact with patients in accordance with hospital customer-service standards and the AIDET model.
Assist clinicians with daily tasks and support front desk operations to optimize the patient experience.
Set up and clean patient areas and equipment, maintain treatment areas, and clean after treatment.
Clean hydrauculators and splint pans as required by policy; maintain linen and supplies and notify the supervisor or manager when additional stock needs to be ordered.
Adjust and maintain assigned equipment and supplies and keep their inventory.
Attend in-services and staff meetings, including in-services on new equipment, procedures, and programs.
Perform assigned administrative duties, including photocopying, faxing, printing, Word and Excel data entry, and errands.
Use hospital values and standards as a basis for decision-making and support the hospital's mission and goals.
Follow established hospital infection-control and safety procedures.