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A day in the life of a physical therapist assistant, or PTA, offers variety, one-on-one interaction with patients from all walks of life, and the satisfaction of having spent a day filled with purpose. A physical therapist assistant’s duties vary from moment to moment, and each day is different from the next. Working under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, they are responsible for carrying out each patient’s individualized plan of care. Though their patients rotate in and out, physical therapist assistants enjoy the opportunity of getting to see each one as an individual with a totally new set of circumstances. Many people choose PTA jobs because they are attracted to an ever-changing schedule and embrace the opportunity to work with people of all ages and types with a wide variety of challenges and strengths.

A normal morning for a physical therapist assistant usually begins with a pre-planned schedule that keeps the day moving as intended. Clients may range from a teenager learning to walk on crutches to a wheelchair patient adjusting to moving in and out of his chair. Therapeutic heat or massage to increase circulation in sore or injured muscles is common in a PTA job, as is helping someone with a recent hip replacement to strengthen her muscles and begin to walk again. Other examples of possible issues a PTA would deal with include broken bones, torn rotator cuffs, back pain, dislocated joints, strains and sprains, heart disease, and cerebral palsy. Since each patient requires individualized treatment plans, this leads to the possibility of extremely diverse work. Exercises and therapy tools that encourage balance and increase strength, range of motion, coordination, endurance and motor function are important. One of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of PTA jobs is getting to know the patients, encouraging them through the hard times, and celebrating their successes.

A typical 8-hour day usually includes 8-10 patients with a possible hospital visit or staff meeting. A vital responsibility of the physical therapist assistant is keeping track of the exercises performed, levels of pain endured, improvements, setbacks, and evaluation of patient goals in order to determine progress made and new directions to follow. Good PTA’s will take the time to really get to know their patients in order to better prepare them to face the challenges they might encounter outside of the clinic.

PTA’s who make hospital visits evaluate surgery patients and those recovering from an illness, aiding in their transition from hospital to home. The PTA’s job is to encourage patients and offer realistic expectations for the future, providing hope and manageable goals. The physical therapist assistant will determine adaptations that will need to be made to allow patients to function daily in a safe and efficient manner, making their lives more secure and comfortable.

With such a busy schedule, the day passes quickly. The physical therapist assistant is able to conclude her day with the knowledge that she has helped many people and accomplished countless beneficial tasks. For those in physical therapy jobs, having spent hours encouraging and advising those with physical needs often leads to the feeling of a day well spent.

The physical therapist assistant salary averages about $46,000 per year with an average hourly wage of $23.36, according to the US Bureau of Labor. The upper 10% in this field are closer to the $64,000 range. Physical therapy jobs are in a positive growth state and offer great benefits.

Physical therapy job search engines, such as PTJobs.com, are informative tools that can be used to check out PTA jobs, providing locations, job descriptions and realistic examples of the physical therapist assistant salary.

PTJobs.com is a job search engine that specializes in physical therapist and physical therapist assistant jobs. PTJobs.com is physical therapist owned and operated and has been in business since 2003. Our owners have had success in finding work in this field, and therefore have the expertise necessary to place you into a suitable physical therapist job. All of our services are free for job seekers – There are no hidden charges or fees.

By choosing PTJobs.com over another general job search engine, you can minimize the stress and the unnecessary time wasted sorting through irrelevant information and job listings.

References
http://www.timesbulletin.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=146575&TM=826.433
http://www.cf.edu/departments/instruction/health/pta/life.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes312021.htm