Physical Therapy Assistant Research Paper

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

The medical field is expanding ever so rapidly in today’s society. In the field of Physical Therapy one needs to have the understanding of how the human body works and the injuries one body could sustain. I have chosen a career to help others to battle back from life-changing injuries or surgeries. I will take the first step of joining the medical field by obtaining a physical therapist associates degree. I will become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

Physical therapy assistant is a health care professional who provides physical therapy services based on the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapy assistant. This professional helps individuals of all ages who have medical issues and health-related conditions that restrict their ability to move and carry out functional activities in daily life. A physical therapy assistant can work in various settings such as private practices, hospitals, home health, sport facilities, schools, outpatient clinics, and nursing homes. The physical therapy assistant is also responsible for evaluating the changes in a patient's performance based on the physical therapy provided. The kind of care provided by a physical therapy assistant may incorporate teaching the patient to exercise mobility, the use of physical agents, strength and coordination, electrotherapy, and training for various activities like walkers and crutches ("Who Are Physical Therapist Assistants?" 2012). For an individual to become a physical therapy assistant, he/she is required to be licensed, certified, or registered by the state. In this case, the educational requirements and examination criteria are usually stipulated based on the particular state requiring licensure.

This takes more time and effort from both the patient and the physical therapist assistant. There are patients who will need to adapt to having an artificial limb or being permanently confined to a wheelchair. Patients with these kinds of impairments will be stressed emotionally with the limitations they have with their body; a physical therapist assistant must also help that patient to improve their state of mind. Overall, it’s about helping a patient regain independence as much as possible. Along with the team, a physical therapist assistant will also help with the evaluation of a patient’s condition, “An evaluation can include measuring the patient's strength, range of motion, and functional ability; that is, how well the patient performs certain physical tasks” (Mayo Clinic). Once the evaluation is done, the physical therapist will develop a treatment plan for the patient that the physical therapist assistant has to carry out (Mayo Clinic). When carrying out this treatment plan, the physical therapist assistant must “observe [the patient] before and during therapy, [take note of] their status and [report] to a physical therapist (Bureau of Labor Statistics). If a procedure it a little more complicated both the physical therapist and the assistant will work alongside each other to get the job done. However, most routine visits will be done by the physical therapist assistant alone. They also help patients by teaching them how to use things like canes, braces, walkers,

A physical therapist assistant plays a very important role by providing treatments to patients, under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. They use physical therapy treatment procedures to help improve the mobility and relieve pain and disability caused by disease or injury. Some examples of the patients that call for a physical therapist to assist them include accident victims and persons with disabling conditions, such as, lower back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and cerebral palsy.

A Physical Therapist Assistant is a job occupation that involves assisting a Physical Therapist who helps with the rehabilitation of individuals who have past injuries or are working towards strengthening what they are weak with. They help people get back to their normal self and ready to operate in society normally. The Physical Therapist Assistant mostly helps with the workouts and stretches that patients have to do. They help with impairments, disabilities, and their mobility(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). A Physical Therapist Assistant can work in hospitals, schools, and any average therapy location. There is a lot of information about being a Physical Therapist Assistant including their day to day routine,salary, schooling, and

A physical therapy assistant works under the supervisory arm of a physical therapy to provide physical treatment that helps to improve the mobility of their patients and to relieve their pain and disability which is caused by injury or disease. Together with their superiors, the physical therapy assistant works in a hospital, nursing home or clinic and they form part of the team of health care experts which also includes doctors, nurses, and occupational therapists(Meyer, 2001)2001.

Every story has a beginning, mine starts in Oak Hill, Ohio. I was born on February 18th, 2000 in Gallipolis, Ohio. I live in Oak Hill, Ohio and go to Oak Hill Middle/High School. I live with both of my parents (Sabrina and Kenneth Burton) and my little sister Amber Burton. My older sister goes to college now and does not live at home with us .I am a really nice, responsible, and hard working person. I have won many awards in both marching band and HS choir. Some of the awards range from the best dancer to one of the most dedicated members. I have not yet finished high school, but it is my senior year. After I graduate I plan on attending Shawnee State University to become a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA).

I believe that my personal and professional growth and behavior as a physical therapist is of utmost importance. I base this firstly on my strong connection to those in society who are disadvantaged when it comes to physical therapy, and also on the movement system, movement being “the key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person’s ability to participate in and contribute to society” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2013). This perspective, I believe, is aligned perfectly with the vision statement for the physical therapy profession – to transform society through optimization of movement to improve the human experience (APTA, 2013). After reviewing the vision statement, I strongly believe it will act as my guide by strengthening compassion, reinforcing advocacy, improving quality of service, and strengthening cohesion.

It’s reassuring to the public when they know they have someone to count on for help when it’s needed. In an instant, people go from being completely healthy and independent to vulnerable and sick. So who do people go to whenever their body isn't working physically the way it should? They go to Physical therapist, Occupational therapist and many others; But what I’m interested in pursing as a career is a Occupational therapy assistant.

I want to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) because PTAs help others live a healthy and productive life by facilitating those in need as they regain their full physical capability. Physical therapy is a vital component in patient care that may be challenging at times but overall extremely rewarding. PTAs are directly involved with the rehabilitation, prevention and treatment of patients by following a plan set forth by the PT that involves stretching and strength training to improve their movement and manage their pain. It requires empathy, patience, and the ability to analyze individual

Also, I would be to do paper work, motivate and help patients gain their ability or range of motion back, and measure patients range of joint motion, body parts, and vital signs to perform evaluation. As a PTA, I would need to have skills to work with all age groups and with people with different diseases. And with these diseases, I could travel to patient’s houses to make things easier for them. I could also work in a hospital setting or at a school.

Physical therapy assistants are responsible for assisting the physical therapist in an interven-tion/treatment on patients of all ages. The treatments are only assessed to those who face the ina-bility to function in everyday living activities. This ranges from infants; pediatrics which is chil-dren and geriatrics which is elderly people (Mikulik, Tammy PT, DPT).

A Physical Therapy Assistant involves assisting a Physical Therapist who helps with the rehabilitation of people that have different injuries past or present. They help people get back to their normal self and help them learn to live on their own with little to no assistance. The Physical Therapist Assistants job consists of mainly helping with the workouts and massages. They help with impairments, disabilities, and their mobility (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). As a physical therapy assistant, you can work in different locations like therapy, gyms, hospitals, and schools.

Physical therapists are members of a health care team, specially trained to improve movement and flinction, relieve pain, and expand movement potential. Through evaluation and individualized treatment programs, physical therapists can both treat existing problems and provide preventive health care for people with a variety of needs (Physical Therapy-Improving 1). Physical therapists are very knowledgeable and skillful concerning the human body. Physical therapy is a complex, but rewarding field to pursue as a career. Specialization, working conditions, job outlook, salaries, and education requirements need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career as a physical therapist.