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Are you searching for a rehab technician job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a rehab technician. Feel free to use our rehab technician job description template to produce your own rehab technician job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a rehab technician.

 

Who is a Rehab Technician?

A rehabilitation technician often referred to as a Rehab Technician or rehabilitation aide, is a healthcare practitioner who works with doctors and therapists to advance the physical therapy rehabilitation process for patients. You might oversee physical therapy exercises, handle paperwork, set up and clean up equipment, or schedule appointments as a rehab technician. Rehabilitation specialists frequently assist patients who are healing from diseases or wounds. The precise range of responsibilities can vary depending on the circumstance, but these technicians often support licensed physical therapists. While some technicians participate in the rehabilitation process with patients, others focus more on paperwork. If you decide to work as this kind of technician, you might be expected to take calls, speak with both new and old patients, and input data into a computer. You could also carry out fundamental rehabilitation tasks including supporting patients as they engage in different exercises.

A high school diploma or completion of an equivalent degree is normally required to work as a rehabilitation technician. Since every employer has different requirements, you might also need to have some sort of volunteer or job experience. If you are still in school, you might want to look into potential opportunities. A rehabilitation certificate, which can help you get started in this type of employment and may offer opportunities for further progress as well, is also something you can receive from a vocational school or community college. Additionally, you will likely need to be proficient in data entry and other computer-related duties and have well-developed interpersonal skills.

Being a rehab technician may be a rewarding and difficult career. It is crucial to take into account all the elements that may affect your performance in this area, such as your personality type, interests, and abilities. A career as a rehab technician can be a good fit for you if you’re sociable and like dealing with people. Additionally, you should be eager to learn new things and have a strong desire to assist others. You must be able to work freely and make decisions on your own if you want to become a rehab technician. Rehabilitation technicians may begin in entry-level employment before moving up as they gain expertise. Some might eventually work in rehabilitation programs as managers or supervisors. Others might enter allied professions including social work, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. You need to be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills to succeed as a rehab technician. You should also be knowledgeable about therapeutic techniques. A rehab technician must be able to convey their ideas, thoughts, and opinions to others around them as well as be good with their hands when it comes to physical exercises.

Depending on the position, different qualifications may be needed to become a rehabilitation technician, but you will normally need a high school diploma and some relevant work experience. While you’re still in school, you can gain experience like this by volunteering in a hospital or clinic, or you can try to land a low-paying position in one of those facilities. A little bit of experience in a professional setting similar to this may frequently be enough to land you a position as a rehabilitation technician because you will typically undergo on-the-job training after becoming one. If you’re interested in a career in this field, there are also several vocational institutions and community colleges that offer certificates in rehabilitation technology. Although obtaining one of these qualifications is not normally necessary to work as a rehabilitation technician, it might make you more competitive when looking for jobs. Because you will already be familiar with your responsibilities and expectations, having this kind of schooling may be beneficial to you once you start working as a rehabilitation technician. When looking for any kind of future job progression, certificates can occasionally be useful—or even vital. You should be knowledgeable about therapeutic methods and ideally have prior experience in the position to succeed as a rehab technician. A top-tier rehabilitation technician will be a team player with excellent interpersonal abilities.

 

Rehab Technician Job Description

What is a rehab technician job description? A rehab technician job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a rehab technician in an organization. Below are the rehab technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a rehab technician 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 a rehab technician include the following:

• Carry out various administrative and clerical responsibilities to ensure a seamless recovery process.
• Aid physical therapists in their care of the patients.
• Ensure the sanitization and safety of the surrounding environment and medical equipment.
• Work with patients to ensure their continued health and independence.
• Call and email patients to set up appointments.
• Assist with the intake forms when patients arrive for therapy.
• Interact with patients to acquire health data and prepare medical histories.
• Develop a structured progress report to monitor and evaluate a patient’s rehabilitation process.
• Complete the necessary documentation and requirements for billing and health insurance.
• Prepare paperwork with the patient’s workout schedule so they may keep track of their progress at home.
• Keep track of your medical records and keep them close by for reference.
• Pay for medical services and treatments by processing payments.
• Collaborate with the medical care team to put a treatment plan into action.
• Get physical therapy and other medical supplies ready while waiting for appointments.
• Upon their arrival for appointments, welcome and receive patients.
• Aid in patient interaction for the physical therapy staff.
• Lead and accompany patients to treatment areas and gyms for rehabilitation.
• Take charge of patient mobility and transportation to off-site appointments.
• Help physical therapists with challenging treatments.
• Work together with specialized organizations on behalf of counsellors, specialists, and therapists.
• Disinfect the therapeutic equipment before and after the therapy.
• Replenish supplies and keep an inventory.
• Make sure the treatment area and facilities are clean and sanitized.
• Dispose of garbage and dangerous materials safely.
• Encourage patients to complete their daily tasks independently to become independent by the nursing care plan.
• Encourage and prepare patients to adjust to physical impairment or trauma following an injury.
• Provide information to patients and respond to their questions.
• Examine the health of the patient and run quick diagnostic tests.
• Carry out blood withdrawals.
• Master and record vital signs for patients.
• Help patients stretch and exercise gently and safely.
• Implement CPR, first aid, and other emergency measures.
• Conduct physical therapy and deliver medication under the direction of a physical therapist.

 

Qualifications

• GED or high school diploma is required.
• CPR Certification is essential.
• Prior experience in a related position is required.
• Working knowledge of electronic medical record (EMR) programs like Cliniko and Kareo.
• Knowledge of gathering patient data and completing fundamental evaluations.
• Understanding of the procedures, tools, and practices of physical therapy.
• Expert management of patient mobility and transportation requirements.
• Ability to provide a safe, orderly, and clean environment by regulations.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork abilities, as well as a kind disposition.
• Physically capable of helping injured, weak, and immobile people.

 

Essential Skills

• Physical therapy skills: A rehab technician’s work responsibilities include providing physical treatment. You need to be skilled in a variety of physical therapy procedures, including electrical stimulation, joint mobilization, and massage. Being able to treat different body systems requires having a thorough understanding of human anatomy and bodily processes. Delivering rehabilitation services may benefit from having a solid grasp of human psychology, behaviour, and lifespan development. Employers may at times request that you specialize in particular fields, such as wound treatment, post-surgery therapies, sports injury management, and rehabilitation therapy for prosthetics and orthotics.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing other people’s emotions is called empathy. To help patients recover from addiction and alter their behaviour, rehab staff members may need compassion. For instance, if a patient relapses, a rehab technician may need to be compassionate to help the patient comprehend their behaviours and discover a solution to successfully battle their addiction once more. Patients are given attention and support by rehab technicians. They frequently offer patients advice and support to hasten their rehabilitation. They must be sympathetic and supportive to do this. They must be able to relate to the patient’s condition and help them emotionally.
• Technical skills: To use and maintain a variety of rehabilitation equipment, rehab professionals need technical expertise. Additionally, they use their technical knowledge to read and comprehend schematics, diagrams, and technical manuals to comprehend how to use and maintain equipment.
• Communication skills: Interaction between patients, medical professionals, and other rehabilitation technicians always take place with the rehabilitation technicians. They explain treatment plans, respond to inquiries from patients, and give feedback to medical professionals using their verbal and writing communication abilities. To create treatment plans and monitor patient progress, rehabilitation technicians collaborate with other rehabilitation technicians and use their communication skills.
• Administrative skills: Rehabilitation technicians manage patients’ mobility within and outside of the facility in addition to other secretarial duties like creating medical reports. Administrative abilities, such as phone etiquette, relationship management, teamwork, organization, and planning, are crucial for them. They must be able to use a computer, particularly for jobs like billing, keeping track of things, and producing reports.
• Physical stamina: This is important because Rehabilitation technicians move around a lot. They regularly walk, stand, stoop, and bend over to complete their responsibilities. They might give patients workout demonstrations. Physical therapists may massage, stretch, and assist patients in moving various body parts to administer physical therapy. Physically taxing jobs include setting up medical equipment and controlling patients’ mobility with wheelchairs and other support devices. Rehab technicians must therefore be physically healthy and have the strength and stamina to carry out their everyday tasks.
• Attention to detail skills: When entering patient data, completing paperwork, and carrying out other job-related tasks, rehabilitation technicians must have the ability to pay close attention to detail. A patient’s condition may change over time, and paying attention to the details can help you see any changes as well as potential dangers or consequences.
• Teamwork: Rehabilitation technicians collaborate with a range of individuals, including other rehabilitation technicians, doctors, patients, and family members. They frequently work together to develop a patient’s treatment plan and assist them in achieving their objectives. Additionally, rehabilitation technicians assist patients in creating a treatment plan and in understanding their conditions and available solutions.

 

How to Become a Rehab Technician

Step 1. Obtain the required education

You must complete high school or a GED program to become a rehab tech. You can enroll in classes to develop the abilities that rehab technicians utilize daily while pursuing a diploma or GED. Take an anatomy course, for instance, to learn more about the human body and medical jargon. Biology, anatomy and physiology, psychology, and kinesiology classes are recommended for anyone interested in working as a rehabilitation technician. They should also be enrolled in classes on how to use mobility aids like wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers.

Step 2. Become licensed

Although certification is not necessary to work as a rehab tech, it gives you an advantage over other applicants. The majority of certification programs include formal training, in-person instruction, and an exam that must be passed to be certified. Because of the renewal process, which occasionally forces people to renew their certifications after a set amount of time, certification also enables you to stay current on any breakthroughs within the rehabilitation sector. As a rehab technician, you could earn the following certifications:  Certified Rehabilitation Therapy Technician, Physical Therapy Technician, Physical Therapy Aide etc.

Step 3. Gain experience

Gaining experience in a medical setting is a crucial step in becoming a rehab tech. For rehab techs to get acclimated to the workplace and become familiar with their daily responsibilities, many healthcare facilities offer on-the-job training. Search online job boards for healthcare facilities hiring rehab techs to find job openings. The majority of businesses demand that applicants finish a training course before starting work at a rehabilitation institution. Candidates learn the fundamentals of the job, such as how to utilize equipment, how to aid patients, and how to handle normal scenarios, during these programs, which typically last between one and three months.

Step 4. Develop network

Increasing your network is a terrific method to find new job chances and develop in your profession. As a rehab technician, you can expand your network by getting to know other professionals in your sector while working at healthcare institutions. Consider joining rehab tech organizations like The American Physical Therapy Association and The National Rehabilitation Association to expand your network.

Step 5. Keep a ready and available resume

It’s crucial to update your resume with your certificates and expertise when they become available. List the organization that administered your certification and the day you obtained it on your updated resume. Be careful to draw attention to crucial abilities used by rehab technicians, such as communication, medical knowledge, and collaboration.

Step 6. Apply for Jobs

At this stage, it’s time to apply for opportunities that you are qualified for within healthcare institutions after you’ve updated your resume. Look at job fairs, register for job board websites, or ask around to see if area medical facilities are hiring rehab techs to find opportunities you’re interested in. To find positions you’d be a good fit for, search for keywords in the job description. Rehab technicians might search for jobs using the following phrases: Physical therapy, office work, rehabilitation assistance, patient care, pain management, and scheduling software.

 

Where to Work as a Rehab Technician

Work environments for rehabilitation technicians include hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and home health organizations. They might also be employed by facilities for people with developmental, emotional, or physical problems. The majority of rehabilitation technicians are full-time employees, while some may work evenings or weekends to meet the schedules of their patients. They might also be available for service requests outside of regular business hours. Rehabilitation technicians may need to lift or move patients during the physically taxing activity. As technicians work with people who are frequently in pain or who have limitations that limit their capacity to operate independently, the profession can also be emotionally taxing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 30% increase in employment for physical therapy aides and associated positions by 2030.

 

Rehab Technician Salary Scale

As of July 2022, the average pay for Rehabilitation Technicians in the United States is $30,955, although the normal pay range is between $27,517 and $35,208. Salary ranges might differ substantially based on a variety of significant aspects, including schooling, credentials, supplementary talents, and the length of time you have been in your career. In Nigeria, a rehabilitation technician normally makes roughly 134,000 NGN per month. From 65,900 NGN to 210,000 NGN is the range of their incomes.

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