Physical Therapy Assistant Jobs

Physical Therapy Assistant Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Low cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones.

Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

Works under limited supervision of a Physical Therapist in outpatient and/or inpatient settings. Supervisor is responsible for providing guidance on new procedures, unprecedented problems and highly unique situations; defining objectives of clinic operations; stating administrative procedures; and periodically reviewing clinical care rendered by the Therapy Assistant. Supervisor’s review of the autonomous care given by the Therapy Assistant is accomplished through random audits of selected patients charts and notes, direct patient assessment and discussions with physicians and patients, to insure that treatment is in accordance with stated medical objectives and in adherence with physical therapy standards and practice.
MAJOR DUTIES:
Provides direct therapeutic care to a diverse patient population with a variety of patient diagnoses to include but not limited to: orthopedic, podiatric, cardiopulmonary neuromuscular disorders; burns; and ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients (many of whom present with poly trauma). Carries out the physical therapy treatment plan, giving consideration to patients neurological, surgical, sensory, respiratory, cardiac status, gait ability, posture, age, and general health. With assistance from the physical therapist, determines the length of the treatment period. Uses interpersonal skills are utilized in patient instruction, education, motivation, and coordination with supervising physical therapist and the patient's family to ensure compliance with stated therapeutic goals. Care involves a broad expertise in several areas of therapy, i.e. post surgical orthopedic patients, medical patients, neurological patients, polytrauma patients, burn patient, and post myocardial infarction patients. Adjusts or modifies crutches, splints, braces, etc, as needed to facilitate treatment, and/or recommends changes in equipment to supervising physical therapist. Based upon patient’s response to rehabilitation/treatment program, recommends changes to specific aspects of treatment program to supervising physical therapist.
Operates equipment and carries out exercise programs under guidance of supervising physical therapistin accordance with standard Physical Therapy practices. Administers physical therapy to which involves the use of heat, cold, water, electricity, massage, therapeutic exercise to treat physical disabilities, injury and disease. Measures active/passive joint, trunk range of motion, and girth circumference to determine muscle atrophy, edema or effusion. Instructs patients in maximal heart rate determination, pulse monitoring, assesses blood pressure, and reviews precautions and contraindications prior to initiating an aerobic exercise program. Knowledge of indications and contraindications of all employed modalities and treatment techniques is required. Based on observation of patient's response, judges whether or not the treatment program is having the desired effect, and per the guidance of the supervising therapist, modifies or discontinues the treatment program. All assessments, modifications, or discontinuances are annotated in the patient's record. Maintains equipment in proper working condition by cleaning and adjusting, and reports any malfunctioning equipment to the clinic’s NCOIC for disposition for repair. Specific modality and exercise program expertise is required for ultrasound, medcosonalator, diathermy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS), cervical and lumbar traction, hot packs, cryotherapy, electrical stimulation, and Jobst pump operation, iontophoresis, crutch and cane ambulating, gait instruction, burn care, sterile technique, continuous passive motion device, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, isometrics, and various progressive resistive exercise programs. Instruct patients and family members on usage and application of TENS and cervical traction for home usage, reviewing both precautions and contraindications with the patient. Instruct patients in a variety of exercise programs, including pre and postoperative exercise regimens. May instruct patient education classes. Classes may include, but are not limited to pre-operative total joint rehabilitation, aquatic rehabilitation, strength training and aerobic fitness, core stabilization and running shoe selection programming. In the clinic environment, exercises responsibility for the comfort and well being of patients. In addition to determining treatment objectives, judges whether the treatment is causing an adverse effect on other conditions not under treatment. Maintains patient treatment records by writing reports (under the guidance of the supervising physical therapist) covering initial evaluation of patients, patient progress, and treatment determination. Assists with transfer or follow-up care of patients in this or other medical facilities, by annotating progress and coordination with the appropriate department.
Shares technical advice with other therapy assistants, physical therapy students, nursing and other medical personnel, and participates in clinic in-services, including professional journal review. Masters new techniques and modality proficiency as required. Assists in the maintenance of clinic cleanliness. Researches new therapy equipment and makes recommendations to clinic chief for purchase.
Performs other duties as assigned.

US Citizenship required

Personnel security investigation is required.
This position requires a pre-employment physical.
Immunization screening is required for this position.
This position requires a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination requirement and is therefore subject to annual seasonal influenza vaccinations. Applicants tentatively selected for appointment to this position will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption.
Must be Basic Life Support (BLS) certified.

NOTES:
May be required to provide inpatient/acute care to ambulatory and non-ambulatory polytrauma patients on weekends or holidays per the needs of the SAMMC Physical Therapy Service.
Graduate of a Physical Therapy Assistant program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, American Physical Therapy Association.
Position may be subject to rotating shifts.