Physical Therapy Aide Certificate

120 Hours/Instructor Supported/Textbooks Included

Overview

Thousands of people attend physical therapy schools every day to become a part of this hot career field. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of physical therapy aides is expected to grow by 29% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average job.

A physical therapy aide most often works under the direction of a physical therapist and/or physical therapy assistant. Physical therapy aide jobs often include keeping the treatment area clean and well organized, as well as to help escort patients in wheelchairs, perform clerical duties, order supplies and more. A physical therapy aide generally needs to be well organized, have patience, and enjoy working with others.

Textbooks included with course:

•            Physical Therapy Aide: A Worktext by Roberta C. Weiss

•            Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary, 27th Edition -- Book and CD-ROM by Dorland

Outline

Physical Therapy Aide Module 1
Medical Terminology

• Pronunciation
• Spelling
• Word Roots
• Combining Vowels/Form
• Prefixes
• Suffixes
• General Rules
• Word Building
• Abbreviations
• Procedural and Diagnostic Billing Codes
• Body Structure
• Organization of the Body
• Anatomical Position
• Body Planes
• Directional and Positional Terms
• Body Cavities

Physical Therapy Aide Module 2
The Profession of Physical Therapy

• History and Evolution of Physical Therapy
• The Rehabilitation Team
• The Role of the Physical Therapy Aide
• Ethical and Legal Issues
• Interprofessional Issues
• Justice Issues
• Administrative Skills
• Communicating Effectively
• Types of Communication
• Appointment Scheduling
• The Medical Record
• Billing, Banking, and Insurance
• Maintaining the Facility
• Increasing Office Productivity
• Maintaining Office Equipment
• Control and Storage of Drugs

Physical Therapy Aide Module 3

Scientific Principles

• The Musculoskeletal System
• The Skeletal System
• The Joints
• Specific Joint Motion
• The Muscles
• Exercise and Fatigue
• The Central Nervous system
• The Peripheral Nervous system
• The Autonomic Nervous System
• The Cardiovascular System
• Blood Vessels & the Flow of Blood
• Heart-Lung Cycle
• Pulse & Blood Pressure
• The Respiratory System
• The Integumentary System
• Structure and Function of the Skin
• Accessory Organs and Epidermal Appendages
• Vitamin D Production

Physical Therapy Aide Module 4

Physical Dysfunctions, Safety and Charting

• Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System
• Common Injuries
• Joint & Bone Diseases
• Muscle & Connective Tissue Diseases
• Common Neurological Disorders
• Stroke & Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Degenerative Disorders
• Dealing with Amputations
• Decubitus Ulcers
• Safety in the Working Environment
• Providing a Safe Environment
• Practicing Good Body Mechanics
• Asepsis and Infection Control
• Proper Handwashing
• Understanding Vital Signs
• Blood Pressure and Measuring the Pulse
• Respirations and Body Temperature
• Observation, Reporting and Charting
• Purpose of Medical Records
• Correcting Charting Errors
• General Guidelines for Charting

Physical Therapy Aide Module 5

Patient Care Skills & Physical Therapy Modalities

• Preparation for Patient Care
• Body Mechanics
• Verbal Commands
• Patient Transportation
• Turning and Positioning the Patient
• Supine & Prone Positions
• Supine Position to Side-lying
• Sitting to a Supine Position
• Transferring the Patient
• Types of Transfers
• Standing & Sitting Transfers
• Drawsheet Transfers
• Pneumatic Lifts
• Floor to Wheelchair Transfers
• Therapeutic Exercises
• Skill or Coordination Exercises
• Superficial Heating Agents
• The Paraffin Bath
• Deep Heating Agents
• Microwaves, Shortwaves & Ultrasound
• Hydrotherapy
• Cold Therapy

Physical Therapy Aide Module 6

Physical Therapy Procedures

• Performing Range of Motion Exercises
• Planes of Motion
• Patterns of Motion
• Lower & Upper Extremities
• Assisting with Ambulation
• Choosing the Appropriate Device
• Gait Training & Deviations
• Specialized Therapies
• Immobilization by Reduction
• Traction
• Specialized Therapies Used in Diagnosing
• Pet Therapy
• Job Seeking Skills
• Beginning the Job Hunt
• The Cover Letter & Resume
• Preparing for the Interview Process
• After the Interview

Average Time of Completion: 4-6 months; Maximum Time to Completion: 1 Year

Computer Requirements

Internet Access

·         Broadband or high-speed internet access is strongly recommended. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.

·         Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware

·         Virtually all Windows-Mac-Linux hardware configurations and processors are acceptable.

·         1 GB RAM recommended

Software

·         Operating Systems

§  Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X 10 and higher, most Linux distributions

·         Web Browsers

§  Mozilla Firefox 2 and 3 (previous versions will work also)

§  Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8

§  Safari is not currently recommended as it cannot display certain Moodle editing menus for both students and instructors

Media Plug-ins (These may be required depending on your course media-click on the links below to download the latest versions)

§  Adobe Flash Player

§  Adobe Acrobat Reader

§  Apple Quicktime

§  Windows Media Player

§  Real Player

§  PowerPoint Viewer (use this if you don’t have PowerPoint)