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Physical Therapist Aides

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$34520	6600	2.8%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$34520

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

6600

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

2.8%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.
Clean medical equipment.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Engage patients in exercises or activities.
Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety.
Move patients to or from treatment areas.
Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
Maintain medical records.
Perform clerical work in medical settings.
Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids.
Assist patients with daily activities.
Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
Fit patients for assistive devices.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
Record treatment given and equipment used.
Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed.
Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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