PT/OT Assistant

CommonSpirit Health•Sacramento, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The PT/OT Assistant provides clinical support by implementing patient treatment programs developed by a supervising therapist and contributing feedback toward patient recovery. The role guides patients through exercises and activities, observes patient and caregiver performance, collaborates with the supervising therapist, and contributes to therapy goals and rehabilitation outcomes. Responsibilities include selecting appropriate treatment interventions and specialized techniques, assessing treatment effectiveness, modifying goals and treatment as appropriate, addressing patient safety, and recommending or obtaining equipment when appropriate. The assistant provides treatment for multiple diagnoses and levels of care and educates patients and families using methods appropriate to their understanding and readiness to learn. Patient and caregiver education, performance, and follow-up needs are documented. The role requires timely, accurate documentation of interventions, patient response, progress toward goals, and communication with the delegating therapist about treatment plan modifications. Departmental timecards, productivity and billing logs, and other records must also be completed according to policy. The assistant communicates patient status and treatment plans with the team and physicians, participates in team conferences, verifies payer guidelines or authorization when needed, contacts physicians about patient concerns or changes in status, and collaborates with the primary PT or OT on progress, goal updates, and discharge recommendations.

Requirements

Graduation from an approved Physical Therapy Assistant program or Occupational Therapy Assistant program, or successful completion of an equivalency examination.
For the Physical Therapy Assistant pathway: California licensure or eligibility as a physical therapy assistant.
For the Occupational Therapy Assistant pathway: eligibility for certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc., and a California license or eligibility to practice Occupational Therapy.
Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a physical therapy assistant or occupational therapist.

Responsibilities

Implement individual patient treatment programs developed by the therapist, guiding patients through exercises and activities.
Assess treatment effectiveness and modify treatment or goals as appropriate to progress toward goals.
Select appropriate treatment interventions and use specialized techniques.
Address patient safety and recommend or obtain equipment when appropriate.
Provide treatment for multiple diagnoses and levels of care.
Educate patients and families using appropriate teaching methods and document education, patient/family performance, and follow-up needs.
Complete timely and accurate treatment documentation in accordance with department policy, including interventions, patient response, progress toward goals, and communication about treatment plan modifications.
Complete timecards, productivity logs, billing, and other departmental records in a timely manner.
Communicate treatment plans and patient status with the care team and physicians, and participate in team conferences.
Verify payer guidelines or authorization as needed before scheduling or treating patients or obtaining equipment.
Contact physicians in a timely manner about patient concerns or changes in status.
Collaborate with the primary PT or OT regarding patient progress and recommend goal updates or discharge when appropriate.
Solicit and use feedback from physicians and coworkers to improve teamwork and collaboration.