LPTA – Full-time – First shift

The following statements reflect the general duties considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements, which may be inherent in the position.

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work as part of a team to provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist. PTAs implement selected components of patient/client interventions (treatment), obtain data related to the interventions provided, and make modifications in selected interventions either to progress the patient/client as directed by the physical therapist or to ensure patient/client safety and comfort.

PTAs assist the physical therapist in the treatment of individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.

The physical therapist is responsible for the services provided by the PTA. Physical therapists (PTs) are health care professionals who examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

PTAs provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. PTAs must graduate from a CAPTE-accredited PTA program and licensure or certification is required in most states in which a PTA works.

Physical therapy is a dynamic profession with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function. Physical therapists:

• Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities.
• Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function, but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health assisted by PTAs when appropriate.
• Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries.

The terms “physical therapy” and “physiotherapy,” and the terms “physical therapist” and “physiotherapist,” are synonymous. The terms “physical therapist assistant” and “physical therapy aide or technician” are not synonymous. PTAs complete an intensive education culminating in an associate degree. Aides and technicians are on-the-job trained and not eligible to provide physical therapy by many payers, including Medicare.

EDUCATION:

                       Associates degree from an accredited institution offering training in this specialty and a clinical internship

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION:

                        Licensure by the State of Alabama as a Physical Therapist Assistant.

                        Acquire 10 hours of continuing education per year.

Lake Guntersville, a mountain-lakes jewel, is located approximately 30 miles from metro Huntsville – and is home to Marshall Medical Centers.

Marshall Medical Centers, an affiliate of the Huntsville Hospital Health System, serves the residents of Marshall County and the surrounding area (population approximately 125,000). With two hospitals, eight outpatient locations and a highly-trained team of physicians practicing 28 specialties, Marshall Medical is a confident, convenient choice for local healthcare. Residents can remain close to home and receive excellent care – often provided by those who are neighbors and friends.

Marshall Medical Center South is a 150-bed hospital in Boaz, Alabama, and opened in 1956. Marshall Medical Center North, in Guntersville, opened in 1990 – and – is a 90-bed facility. In addition to the two hospitals, the Gary R. Gore Medical Complex is conveniently located mid-county and is home to several outpatient clinics and a 22,000 square foot comprehensive Cancer Care Center.

Named by the Joint Commission as a “Top Quality Performer” among America’s hospitals, Marshall Medical Centers’ patients can be assured they are being treated in an environment where a premium is placed on quality and best practices.