Physical Therapy Technician Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the physical therapy technician job description, including key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It highlights the major requirements you may need to fulfill to be hired for the physical therapy technician role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Physical Therapy Technician Do?

A physical therapy technician is responsible for preparing all the equipment, materials, and supplies for the physical therapy sessions.

You will have to organize all the materials and stock it in a number of places, depending on the setting.

The physical therapy technician job description involves helping patients during their recovery process. In this case, you will usually work in hospitals or clinics.

It also entails helping patients with mobility, as well as performing exercises and massages.

A physical therapy technician can also be involved with research of new approaches and products for therapies.

You could also be responsible for teaching new staff members how to use some of the equipment used in physical therapy sessions.

The physical therapy technician is also involved in the care of patients with psychiatric issues, handling their visitors, and answering phones, among other things.

Assisting with the management of a facility and helping to manage staff are among their duties.

Physical therapy technicians have a duty to sterilize all equipment, as well as dispose of biohazardous waste materials.

They could be responsible for cleaning up the facility and maintaining good sanitary conditions.

As a physical therapy technician, you will have to talk with the patients regularly and keep communication open with them during the therapy sessions.

You will usually be working closely with physicians to ensure that they are satisfied with their progress during their recovery process.

Referring patients in need of advanced treatment to medical professionals is one important task you will perform.

You will also have to work with other staff members to ensure that your goal is met and the patient is satisfied.

Keeping records and updating them whenever necessary, in case new problems arise during the recovery process the duties of a physical therapy technician.

You could be in charge of maintaining inventory, ordering new materials, and maintaining supply rooms.

Physical Therapy Technician Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The physical therapy technician job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

Prepares treatment areas and assists technicians
Sets and adjusts equipment for treatments
Administers medication as prescribed by physician
Aids technician in patient care, especially on physical therapy machines/tables as needed or requested by the technician (e.g. assist with positioning of patient on bed, or act as manual therapist)
Monitors patients’ vital signs during and after therapy (age dependent)
Assists technicians with moving and transferring patients to/from treatment areas
Maintains equipment and rooms in a clean, orderly manner; removes trash, keeps work area clean and orderly
Keeps records of treatments received by assigned patients
Prepares patients for electrotherapy treatments (e.g. by applying pads)
Assists technician with dressing changes as needed or requested (e.g. swabs wounds with water or antiseptic solution)
Delivers clothing laundered from Laundromat to customers on designated route as agreed upon with employers (e.g. doctors’ offices and nursing homes)
May assist with casting room activities (e.g. retweaking casts for new castings)
May assist in transporting patients to and from medical, surgical, obstetrical, or diagnostic clinics and special clinics
Reports directly to supervisor on all patient care activities and cannot be reassigned without supervisor’s permission
Follows safety precautions outlined in the clinic or facility manual; keeps up with areas of current interest to keep current on advances in technology; does not interrupt patient treatment for personal reasons (e.g. smoking) and makes sure that other technicians are aware of this obligation.

Physical Therapy Technician Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as a physical therapy technician or are currently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, then you can make a compelling Professional Experience section by applying the above physical therapy technician job description template.

You can express the duties and responsibilities you have performed or are currently performing as a physical therapy technician in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones in the physical therapy technician job description sample above.

This will show that you have been effective performing the physical therapy technician duties and responsibilities, which can significantly enhance your chances of being hired for the new job, especially if it requires someone with some physical therapy technician work experience.

Physical Therapy Technician Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Responsibilities

Here are important requirements that you may be asked to meet to be hired for the physical therapy technician job:

A physical therapy technician needs to be in good health. The job is on its own physically demanding, with sitting and standing for long periods of time. The person needs to be physically fit to be able to lift and slide patients on tables or onto the floor
Physical therapy technicians need normal hearing and vision so that they can communicate with other staff members in order to perform their duties
The task of a physical therapy technician is different from one state to another; however, a high school diploma is required for most states as a minimum qualification for this job
In addition, the physical therapist technician should have at least one month of experience working with patients with similar conditions
Training is offered by some universities and colleges as part of their programs in physical therapy; some hospitals also offer training for hospital personnel
Most employers are looking for people who are willing to learn and have a proven record of being able to follow rules and regulations
A physical therapist technician needs to be interested and involved in the medical field
Additionally, physical therapy technicians need to have good communication skills because they deal with other health care professionals. They should also have the ability to get along well with their peers – especially those that are younger in age than them – because they will share situations and experiences that would help them solve problems in solving patients’ conditions or problems on treatments.

Physical Therapy Technician Salary

According to Glassdoor, the national average compensation for a physical therapy technician in the United States is $27,958 per year.

Conclusion

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the physical therapy technician career. They can learn all they need to know about the physical therapy technician duties and responsibilities, to decide if that’s the job they want to do.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the physical therapy technician position in their organization, for use in hiring for the role.