Physiotherapist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a physiotherapist job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a physiotherapist. Feel free to use our physiotherapist job description template to produce your own physiotherapist job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a physiotherapist.
Who is a Physiotherapist?
Physical therapy (PT), another name for physiotherapy, is a medical specialty. Physical therapists that specialize in this field work with patients to promote, preserve, or restore their health through physical examinations, diagnosis, prognosis, patient education, physical intervention, rehabilitation, illness prevention, and health promotion. Many nations refer to physical therapists as physiotherapists. Other facets of the physical therapist profession outside of clinical work include research, instruction, consultancy, and health administration. In addition to or in conjunction with other medical services, physical therapy is offered as a primary care treatment. Physical therapists are permitted to write prescriptions for drugs in various countries, including the United Kingdom. Physiotherapy is a form of medical care that aims to improve a patient’s mobility, function, and overall health. Through physical rehabilitation, injury prevention, and health and fitness, physiotherapy is beneficial. Your healing is facilitated by physiotherapists.
The management and prevention of pain, injury, disability, and impairment are the main areas of concentration for physiotherapists, who are highly trained healthcare professionals. With an emphasis on using evidence-based treatment to improve their health and accomplish their goals, physiotherapists work with patients of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences. A physical therapist will teach you lasting healthy behaviours so that you may help yourself more effectively. There is also a role for the primary contact health professional in the differential diagnosis of illnesses that seem like musculoskeletal issues. Physiotherapists are very knowledgeable in this area and can correctly refer patients to other medical specialties like psychologists, doctors, and surgeons. To assess, identify, and treat the symptoms of sickness, injury, and disability, physiotherapists have a thorough understanding of how the body functions as well as specialized hands-on clinical skills. In addition to injury prevention and fitness enhancement, physiotherapy also focuses on rehabilitation. To better satisfy a patient’s healthcare needs, physiotherapists frequently collaborate with other medical specialists in teams.
The physical manipulation of soft tissue, such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, and fascia, is the foundation of the holistic approach used by physiotherapists. To assist their patients, they employ electrotherapy, prescription exercise, manipulation, mobilization, medical acupuncture and dry needling, and electrotherapy. To gain the health knowledge required for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients with physical issues, physical therapists study medical science disciplines in medical school, including anatomy, pharmacology, physiology, and much more. The physical therapist works in general practice (GP) offices, private practices, community settings, and hospitals. Physical therapists are required by law to be properly qualified and registered in the vast majority of nations. The physical therapist needs to have earned a degree in physical therapy from an accredited university or a health science degree from an accredited university along with a physical therapy course to enroll.
A licensed physical therapist is an expert in diagnosing and treating patients with cardiothoracic, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular disorders, with a focus on the conditions and issues that limit their capacity to move and perform their daily activities. In the field, there are numerous varieties of physiotherapists. Successful physiotherapy graduates continue to discover their niche in a variety of physiotherapy specialties. They may pursue further education or practice to acquire the specialized abilities necessary for their specialization. The following are seven separate physiotherapy specializations:
Pain management physiotherapist: Physiotherapists often specialize in pain management and rehabilitation from disease, surgery, or injury, which helps them lessen a variety of aches and pains that come with aging or are caused by accidents, illnesses, or surgeries. Rehabilitation physiotherapists design personalized exercise and pain management regimens that, through a variety of exercises and therapeutic activities, target both the surface-level and underlying causes of pain or discomfort. Some physiotherapists are licensed to give their patients prescriptions for medications and administer them. A physiotherapist can assist a patient in improving their posture while standing or sitting, which helps address the underlying causes of their injury or suffering. By strengthening or stretching particular muscle groups, the patient addresses the bad movement habits that led to discomfort. For a quicker recovery and return to function in cases of serious problems, such as stroke, the physiotherapist may also collaborate with other medical specialists.
Neurological physiotherapist: Patients with severe spinal cord injuries or degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, or stroke typically receive therapy from neurological physiotherapists. Understanding the brain and how the nervous system works is frequently essential to solving these problems. The nervous system’s capacity to heal from damage frequently restricts the neurological physiotherapists’ ability to restore lost function. The preservation of function and halting further function loss in patients is a typical emphasis for neurological physical therapists. A neurological physiotherapist develops knowledge of a broad range of neurological problems impacting their patients to deliver effective treatment strategies. With symptoms ranging from migraines to tremors, or even a considerable loss of mobility and muscular degeneration, they might be of sudden start, intermittent, progressive, or persistent nature. Neurological physiotherapists frequently offer lifestyle and care instruction to the family or caregivers of their patients in addition to direct interventions because of the large variety of potential neurological injuries and disorders.
Women’s health physiotherapist: Female patients with a variety of movement and pain difficulties are assisted by physiotherapists who specialize in women’s health. In the past, these physiotherapists typically focused on movement and posture issues associated with pregnancy and childbirth: they assisted women in addressing the significant physical changes that occur during pregnancy and advised on how to reduce any long-term effects of pregnancy as well as techniques for accelerating healing and recovery after childbirth. The selection of specialized therapy and treatment options for issues unique to women has grown dramatically during the past several decades. Women of all ages are being assisted by this branch of physiotherapy in addressing a variety of distinct movement and postural problems. Physiotherapists that specialize in treating women’s health address pelvic floor muscle strengthening, bladder and bowel problems, and sexual wellness. They typically have extensive knowledge of the hormonal and neurological issues unique to the female body. Some pelvic floor physiotherapists specialize further in women’s health, mainly working with new moms to address pelvic floor problems and recuperate after pregnancy and childbirth.
Paediatric physiotherapist: Children and newborns are treated by paediatric physiotherapists, who offer early therapies for movement disorders and support the healing process after injuries. In addition to working on a variety of problems, including congenital disabilities, genetic illnesses, and injuries, they are frequently experts in early development. They assist in addressing issues related to orthopaedic, cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neurological systems. Children’s injuries and developmental problems are topics that paediatric physiotherapists are frequently aware of. To assist their patients in sticking with therapeutic exercises and activities, they draw on a thorough understanding of developmental child psychology. Establishing a rapport of trust with patients and their parents or caregivers is a requirement for specializing in pediatric physical therapy. Explaining the rationale behind each therapeutic action to the parent or caregiver is a crucial component of the job because a substantial chunk of the therapeutic activity takes place at home. A paediatric physiotherapist makes sure the child has the support they need to carry out the therapy activities correctly by working with the patient’s parents or caregivers to educate them. By turning the exercises into a game to keep the patient engaged in their practice, they can frequently increase the therapy’s effectiveness.
Sports physiotherapist: To promote healthy and effective performance, sports physiotherapists deal with both professional and amateur athletes. One of their major roles is offering guidance and injury prevention exercises or treatments. When these patients are performing an athletic activity, they continuously monitor them and watch for any indications of injury or malfunction. They recognize injuries early, treat them, and stop more serious injuries from occurring during routine diagnosis and therapy sessions. Sports physiotherapists are essential in giving therapeutic assistance and speeding injury recovery because many sports are physically demanding on the body of the athlete. When an accident does occur, a physiotherapist offers immediate care as well as recreated oversees and a recovery plan. A sports physiotherapist assists an athlete in recovering swiftly and safely advancing toward peak physical performance by offering constant and unwavering assistance. Sports physiotherapists are frequently on hand during sporting events to offer athletes urgent assistance in the event of an injury.
Vestibular physiotherapist: A patient’s ability to regain their sense of balance after disturbances to the vestibular system, a collection of various senses and organs (most notably in the inner ear), is supported by vestibular physiotherapists. The vestibular physiotherapist assists in regaining balance and minimizing symptoms like vertigo by treating the underlying causes of these problems and offering exercises and therapeutic activities. Inner ear positional testing is a technique used by vestibular physiotherapists to determine the precise causes of vertigo or drowsiness in their patients. They restore comfort and a patient’s capacity for function by first comprehending the type of vertigo a patient is experiencing and then addressing the likely underlying reasons. These treatments frequently lessen dizziness, enhance visual stability, and improve a patient’s sensation of balance while standing and walking. These specialized physiotherapists frequently pursue specialized training due to the complexity of the vestibular system.
Hand physiotherapist: To treat wounds and disease-related damage, hand physiotherapists offer specialized care and supervision adapted to the delicate, complicated nature of the hand. Hand physiotherapists evaluate issues with hand function and advise their patients on how to improve it. This advice may include therapeutic exercises, stretching and strengthening routines, or electrical stimulation.
Physiotherapist Job Description
What is a physiotherapist job description? A physiotherapist job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a physiotherapist in an organization. Below are the physiotherapist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a physiotherapist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Create treatment strategies to address the ailments and requirements of the patients.
- Implement sophisticated mobilization strategies.
- Help injured patients regain their ability to walk.
- Inform patients, family members, and the public about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and injury prevention.
- Create and manage physical therapy and exercise plans.
- Assess patients to decide whether they need physiotherapy interventions.
- Conduct patients’ assessments according to the standards and guidelines for professional practice.
- Treat patients with movement disorders that either developed after an injury or were present at birth.
- Check for signs of lessened stiffness, pain, and discomfort frequently to gauge the patient’s progress.
- Send patients to other experts for hydrotherapy, acupuncture, massages, and other specialized treatments.
- Encourage patients to exercise regularly by recommending new tools and equipment.
- Analyze the therapeutic effects and share the patients’ development.
- Keep a record of all patient care activities.
- Work together with other team members to provide comprehensive care.
Qualifications
- A physiotherapy degree is essential.
- Experience as a physiotherapist in practice.
- Excellent time and organizational management abilities.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities.
- Sympathetic and affable personality
- Ability to think critically and solve problems.
- Ability to establish and maintain rapport with patients.
- Collaboration skills.
- Capabilities in administration.
- Fitness and good health.
- Tolerance and patience are essential virtues.
Essential Skills
- Communication skills: While you spend your time helping your customers’ bodies recover, your communication skills shouldn’t be neglected. It will take a lot of communication to get your clients to the right exercise while you describe the necessary motions well enough for them to picture and retain the instructions you verbally delivered. As you end your sessions with take-home instructions and advice on how to keep them active in between sessions, you might also need to communicate in writing. Without effective communication skills, your customers can be less productive and your rehabilitation plan might not go as smoothly.
- Critical thinking skills: As a physiotherapist, having critical thinking skills is essential. To succeed in this position, you will need to be able to analyze a problem and present a plan based on that analysis. These professions typically offer a high degree of autonomy. To establish an independent hypothesis that will result in physical rehabilitation for your client, you must be able to think critically about all the circumstances since your level of independence will increase.
- Interpersonal skills: As a physiotherapist, don’t undervalue the value of interpersonal skills. These abilities are crucial when you are in charge of a person’s recovery. You must establish a rapport with your client to handle any issues that may arise as a result of their frustration with stalled rehabilitation or the pain they are going through. Active listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence are just a few interpersonal skills that can help you both get through it successfully.
- Time management skills: Time management abilities will go a long way in helping you as a physiotherapist maintain good relationships with your patients. Some of your clients might have a hectic day, not to mention that your day might involve seeing clients back-to-back. Be considerate of their time and include the discussions as you work on their rehabilitation plan.
- Multitasking skills: Multitasking will be crucial as you efficiently manage your time with your clients. While they are conducting their rehabilitation exercises, your patients don’t want a physiotherapist who is speechless. In truth, the majority of consumers will enjoy the diversion of talking about their own lives. As a physiotherapist, you must be able to use your talents to physically assist your clients while also mentally distracting them from any pain or suffering they may be experiencing.
- Organizational skills: Organizational skills are essential in any professional function, and physiotherapists are no different. There will be a lot of moving pieces in your business, and you might be juggling several clients at once. You’ll fare better the better structured you are. Avoid setting yourself up for failure by misplacing, for instance, a document your client needs to apply for medical leave. As you walk side by side and oversee your customers’ care, being organized will keep you and them safe.
- Science acumen: Physical therapists must have a science-focused education. To effectively treat your clients, you’ll need a thorough understanding of anatomy, biology, chemistry, and physiology. Depending on your passion, you might even pursue postgraduate study. You will have the knowledge and abilities to control the bodies of your patients as necessary for effective treatment if you have a scientific background. This information will enable you to carry out calculations and measurements to support your suggested rehabilitation strategy more effectively.
How to Become a Physiotherapist
Step 1. Acquire a bachelor’s degree
The industry demands a graduate doctoral degree, which requires extensive training to pursue to become a physical therapist. Get a bachelor’s degree in physiology, chemistry, biology, physics, or anatomy to get ready for graduate school. You can gain essential knowledge through degree programs in pre-physiotherapy, health sciences, athletic education, and fitness science, which are all relevant to physical therapy. To obtain real-world experience, think about taking these classes and then an internship.
Step 2. Obtain a doctorate in physical therapy (DPT)
A physiotherapist is required by law to complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy program before practising. Apply through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) and look for a DPT program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). To complete a DPT degree, you must also complete an internship to gain hands-on experience under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The following subjects are covered in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program: Pharmacotherapy, Life span development, Law, ethics, social duties, and client advocacy, Disease pathology, Behavioral science, Exercise physiology, Medical screening and radiology, Embryology, anatomy, cellular histology, and physiology, Complex illnesses, and Law, ethics, social obligations, and client advocacy.
Step 3. Obtain a license to practice as a physiotherapist
Although the standards differ from state to state, licenses are required of physiotherapists in every state. Passing the National Physical Therapy Examination is required to earn a license (NPTE). For the NPTE, a computerized exam that is given three times annually, you can use the practice test and resources provided by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Your state could also require a criminal history check before you can obtain a license to demonstrate that you abide by its morals and regulations. To keep your license current, the state board may also require you to renew it after a set amount of time and to continue earning physical therapy education credits.
Step 4. Enroll in residency
Consider enrolling in a clinical fellowship or residency, a one-year training program that can assist you in specializing in a particular field of physiotherapy, after receiving your DPT. Your experiences, knowledge, and skills in one area of specialization are expanded through these programs.
Step 5. Get your physiotherapy certification
To become a board-certified medical specialist, you could pursue specialized certification. Some companies exclusively employ licensed physical therapists. This certification demonstrates that you are a devoted physical therapist capable of providing excellent patient care. You can apply for a variety of physiotherapy employment, including leadership and management roles, once you earn your medical professional certification. Neurology, orthopaedics, geriatric, sports fitness therapy, women’s wellness, medical electrophysiology, and pulmonary, and cardiovascular physical therapy are among the specialties you might choose to become certified in.
Step 6. Prepare your CV and a cover letter
After completing your education and certification requirements, you can apply for a position that matches your professional qualifications. Create a CV and cover letter that demonstrate to companies why you are the best applicant for the position. Include your education, training, and clinical experience. Update your resume with relevant keywords, abilities, and details for each position you’re applying for. Find employment with home health agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, rehab facilities, and institutions for sports training.
Where to Work as a Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists have access to a variety of job opportunities. For instance, they might work in hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, medical and rehabilitation facilities, or they might offer patients home care services. They might also work in other types of health and social care facilities. Additionally, they might work at athletic facilities like gyms and fitness centres, or they might become part of the medical staff attending to a professional athlete or sports group. Occupational therapists, speech therapists, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and health education professionals are common coworkers of physiotherapists in multidisciplinary teams.
Physiotherapist Salary Scale
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that physiotherapy is growing much more quickly than other vocations. There are differences in pay across different physiotherapy disciplines since certain specializations are more in demand or require more study time. Additionally, the pay is based on the employer’s size and nature, as well as the employee’s level of education, experience, and credentials. Physiotherapists typically make between $58,000 and $95,000 annually. The typical monthly salary for a physiotherapist in Nigeria is 591,000 NGN. The salary ranges from 278,000 NGN to 934,000 NGN.