Rehab Aide Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a rehab aide job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a rehab aide. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a rehab aide.
Who is a Rehab Aide?
A rehab aide is a medical professional who works under the supervision of a physical therapist or the therapist’s assistant.
Rehabilitation assistants care for patients who have emotional, mental, or physical disabilities. They assist patients in their rehabilitation by providing support and assistance. A rehab aide can work closely with an occupational therapist, physical therapist, member of the rehabilitation team, and other rehabilitation assistants.
A Rehab aide can do a variety of tasks. For instance, they may be asked to set up a patient’s treatment area, assist with immobile patient transportation, or perform routine patient care procedures such as applying heat packs.
In addition to filling out paperwork, calling clients, and liaising with insurance providers, people in this position frequently perform a variety of clerical duties.
Rehab Aide Job Description
What is a rehab aide job description? A rehab aide job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a rehab aide in an organization. Below are the rehab aide job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a rehab aide job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of rehab aid include:
- Assisting therapists in the preparation and transportation of patients for treatments.
- Establishing treatment rooms, gathering materials, and planning therapy sessions.
- Ensuring that personal care services such as bathing, grooming, and dressing are provided to patients.
- Keeping track of patient data such as vital signs and responses to treatment plans.
- Cleaning up after and before therapy sessions, as well as using the facilities.
- Maintaining the equipment and informing the therapist of any problems.
- Performing routine non-clinical patient care activities.
- Monitoring a patient’s condition, and providing them with equipment such as wheelchairs or crutches to supplement therapy sessions.
- Handling maintenance of inventory supplies, ordering stock, and keeping stock areas clean and organized.
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients and families to ensure comprehension of the treatment process by explaining its steps.
- Finishing paperwork and updating patient files.
- Encouraging patients to participate in recreational activities such as board games or music.
- Giving patients therapeutic exercises to help them recover from disease, injury, or other conditions.
- Instructing patients on how to take deep breaths or clear their throats in preparation for tests, surgeries, or other procedures.
- Answering patient questions, scheduling appointments, and taking phone calls.
- Greeting clients, scheduling sessions, and coordinating therapist and treatment room schedules at the front desk.
- Providing therapeutic activities to help patients recover from illness, injury, or other conditions.
- Preparing patients for medical examinations, surgeries, or other procedures by instructing them to take deep breaths or clear their throats.
Qualifications
- A rehab aid must meet the following qualifications:
- GED or high school diploma required.
- CPR certification is beneficial.
- Experience in the medical or legal fields is advantageous.
- Powerful organizational skills.
- Prior administrative experience is advantageous.
- Knowledge of physical therapy is highly needed.
- Computer and data entry skills.
- Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and teamwork abilities.
- Exceptional bedside manner.
- Ability to lift and move immobile patients with good physical strength.
Essential Skills
Rehab aides need the following skills to be successful:
- Physical Fitness:
Depending on the workplace environment, some rehab aides may be required to lift, position, or transport patients. Because of their good physical fitness, these professionals can safely move or adjust patients.
Furthermore, rehab aides may be required to work standing up for a significant portion of the day. They may be required to move between patient rooms or to use their physical abilities to assist patients while they are receiving treatments. Physical fitness reduces the risk of injury to themselves or others while providing rehab assistants with the endurance required to remain active throughout the workday.
- Empathy:
Rehab aides need the ability to comprehend and experience the emotions of others. When working with patients as a rehab aide, empathy is a valuable trait to have. Empathy can be used to make patients feel safe and comfortable while undergoing treatment.
- Critical Thinking Ability:
Rehab aides with critical thinking skills can use logic and reasoning to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions or methods for solving any problem which they may identify in the course of discharging their duties in any work environment.
- Teamwork
Rehab aides work together to provide excellent medical care. This team includes people they work with directly, such as the lead therapist and their assistants, as well as outside parties such as insurance companies and primary care doctors. A rehab aide may communicate with other service providers to ensure that patients receive comprehensive care from all members of their medical team. Coordination of patient care and communication between patients, outside service providers, and internal therapists are important functions that professionals in this position frequently perform.
- Care Planning:
When working with physical therapists, rehab aides have the opportunity to contribute ideas and timelines for care plans. This is why rehab aides should be able to create care plans that take the patient’s schedule and condition into account.
- Decision-making:
Rehab aides must be able to recognize situations in which the patient may be in danger, choose the best course of action, and respond appropriately. Having decision-making skills can help them take unique decisions that would offer solutions to any problem clients are facing.
- Patience:
Rehab aides may assist patients suffering from a variety of conditions, such as those recovering from surgery, those with disabilities, or those in pain. As a result of this, rehab aides must be patient with their patients and understand that recovery can take time.
- Technical Expertise:
Rehab aides may use computers and other devices to record patient information or communicate with other medical professionals, so having technological skills may be advantageous. Knowing how to operate machines such as treadmills and exercise bikes can be beneficial because rehab aides may use technology to assist patients with physical therapy exercises.
- Knowledge of First Aid:
Cleaning wounds, applying dressings, palpating tissue, and administering manual tests to patients are common tasks for rehab assistants. You must have some knowledge of first aid for all such tasks. These abilities can also assist you in providing patients with routine physiotherapy. For instance, knowing the ideal sleeping position for a patient with a neck injury can help you place the patient in bed properly.
- Observational Skills:
Rehab aides must observe patients on a regular basis and track how they respond to treatment, so they must be good observers. By keeping a close eye on your patients, you can better understand them and administer treatment to them. You may notice, for example, that a patient fails to perform a specific exercise. Once you’ve determined the root cause, such as a patient’s fear of pain, you can either suggest a different course of action or offer advice to help the patient overcome their anxiety.
- Communication Skil:
Since rehab aides work with a variety of people, having good communication skills can help them get along with others. For instance, rehab aides frequently follow the instructions of medical experts like physical therapists and their assistants. In this role, it’s critical to be able to pay attention to their needs and offer assistance when required. Additionally, patients are welcomed, treatments are explained, and patients are ready for therapy by rehab aides. These professionals must express their ideas and goals, and having excellent communication abilities can help them achieve this.
- Multitasking Skills
Rehab aides frequently handle multiple tasks at the same time. This implies that as a rehab aide, you could be caring for several patients at the same time. Similarly, you could be attending to a patient while preparing a discharge report. Strong multitasking skills allow you to prioritize your tasks while performing daily tasks such as monitoring patients’ progress, maintaining equipment, following physical therapists’ instructions, and suggesting changes to the treatment plan.
- Attention to detail
Rehab aides must be detail-oriented in order to follow instructions, keep accurate patient records, and care for their patients. Many rehab aides maintain patient files and update them after each visit; these must be complete and accurate so that medical professionals can use them to provide ongoing and complementary treatments. When rehab aides pay close attention to detail, they can follow a doctor’s instructions when assisting with therapies. Because they lack the training to perform independent clinical procedures, rehab aides can use their attention to detail to collaborating with medical professionals.
- Competence in Interpersonal Relationships:
Rehab aides must be able to interact with patients and other medical personnel in a positive and cooperative manner. Interpersonal skills such as kindness, patience, and empathy are required. Another skill that rehab aides should have is the ability to clearly communicate treatment plans and objectives to patients and their families. They may be required to explain difficult medical concepts or procedures in detail.
- Documentation
This is an important skill for a rehab aide to have because it ensures patients receive consistent care and allows other medical professionals to understand previous treatments. It is also necessary to keep records for insurance purposes.
- Flexibility:
Rehab aides must be adaptable in their tasks and responsibilities. This is because the responsibilities of a rehab aide can change depending on the needs of the patient and the physical therapist. You must be adaptable in order to meet the changing needs of both the patient and the physical therapist.
How to Become a Rehab Aide
Those who are interested in becoming a rehab aide can follow the steps outlined below:
- Obtain a General Education Degree (GED) or High School Diploma
To become a rehab aide, you must first complete high school or a GED program. While pursuing a diploma or GED, you can enroll in courses that advance the skills that rehab aides use on a daily basis. Take anatomy classes, for example, to learn more about the human body and medical terminology.
- Get Certified
Although certification is not required to work as a rehab aide, it does give you an advantage over other applicants. The majority of certification programs include classroom instruction, formal training, and a certification exam. Certification also allows you to stay current on any advancements in the rehabilitation field. After completing the training course, aspirant assistants can take the CAAH certification exam to obtain the credential of Certified Assistant for Aging and Human Services. The certification is intended to provide aging services professionals with a foundation of knowledge so that they can provide the best care possible to older adults
- Gain Experience
Obtaining experience in a medical setting is an important step toward becoming a rehab aide. Many healthcare facilities provide on-the-job training to help rehab aides get acclimated to the workplace and familiar with their daily responsibilities. To find job openings, search online job boards for healthcare facilities hiring rehab aides.
- Build your Network
Expanding your network is an excellent way to find new job opportunities and advance your career. Working in healthcare facilities as a rehab aide allows you to expand your network by meeting other professionals in your field. To broaden your network, consider joining rehab aide organizations such as The American Physical Therapy Association and The National Rehabilitation Association.
- Update Your Resume
It is critical to keep your resume up to date with new certifications and experience as they become available. On your updated resume, include the organization that administered your certification as well as the date you received it. Additionally, emphasize important skills used by rehab aides, such as communication, medical knowledge, and teamwork.
- Apply for Rehab aide Positions
After you’ve updated your resume, it’s time to apply for positions in healthcare facilities that you’re qualified for. To find positions that interest you, attend job fairs, register for job board websites, or ask around to see if local hospitals are hiring rehab aides. Search for keywords in job descriptions to find jobs that are a good fit for you.
Where to Work as a Rehab Aide
Rehabilitation assistants work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and home health care agencies. They frequently administer treatments, exercises, and other forms of care to patients while working under the supervision of a physical or occupational therapist. Although some rehab assistants may work evenings or weekends to accommodate patients’ schedules, most work a standard 40-hour work week.
Rehab Aide Salary Scale
The salary of a rehab aide may vary depending on the level of experience, employee, location, education level as well as certification among others.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey, the average total compensation for an entry-level rehab aide with less than one year of experience is $27,202. In the same vein, an entry-level rehab aide with 1-4 years of experience earns $31,352 per year on average.
More so, a rehab aide in their mid-career with five to nine years of experience earns an annual salary of $36,043. A rehab aide with 10 to 19 years of experience can expect to make $40,043. Employees in their late careers (20 years or more) earn a total annual salary of $48,827 on average.