Is There a True Demand for Physical Therapy Assistants? What are the Pros and Cons of this profession?

romansroad in Cleveland, Tennessee said: Lots of heavy lifting. I have been a PTA for 21 years and have have 4 back operations. Patients keep getting fatter and fatter as the years go on. I am now looking for another career path. Most of the jobs are found in nursing homes or hospitals. If you have any back issues at all and done want to do heaving lifting, pass this by and look elsewhere.

Romansroad, do you still monitor this chat window? Local PTA here in Northeast Florida and noticed that supply/demand for our profession looks weak up there in TN. Any input?

lory in Laredo, Texas said: yes as a pta you may occationally find yourself in a position you would wish otherwise, like having to deal with toileting but honestly it is more embarrasing for the patient. Your heart sinks when you see their faces completely flushed from embarrasement and the inability to help themselves, beleive me your instinctive reaction will be to help or at least offer your help. It sounds horrible to have to help someone when they are soiled but when and if it happens you'll realize your more humane that you thought! good luck to you :D

I know that if someone needed help because they soil themselves I would help them but I'm not sure that I want this is a job requirement. We do this for babies and for pets and for elderly parents but don't know if I want this as my job. I just don't know.

WIMHAUSER in SOMEWHERE, Illinois said: I THINK DavidT in Berwyn, Illinois COMMENT WAS JUST FINE, HE WAS ONLY LETTING YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE BACK ISSUES IT MAY NOT WORK OUT. I WORK FOR AN AMBULANCE CO. AND I WOULDNT WANT TO SEE SOME ONE WITH A BAD BACK HELPING PATIENTS. NOT ONLY DO YOU HURT YOURSELF YOU COULD END UP HURTING A PATIENT. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?? BESIDES, HE GAVE YOU PLENTY OF INFO. YOUR VERY RUDE AND I HIGHLY DOUBT YOU WOULD BE GOOD WITH THE PUBLIC IF YOU FREAK OUT THE EASY.

Learn how to spell, moron. "Your" not exactly a peacemaker yourself. These are legitimate concerns. If "your" this confrontational, and losing grammatical skills, maybe "your" suffering from burnout yourself
.

Vallon in Nashville, Tennessee said: Oh, and is there toileting involved? How much heavy lifting are we talking? I have scoliosis (back issues) and if there is a lot of heavy lifting, I don't see myself lasting in this profession.

there's alot lifting!

hi,

i'm in the same boat as you.

could you tell me which program you ended up going to and how you found that?

thanks.

betty

Physical Therapist Assistant is an excellent job. If you are doing your job correctly you don't lift anyone, you are teaching them how to do it themselves or you are teaching the staff how to safely lift them. I did work in a nursing home and now in a hospital. I do no toileting. I call an aide or an Occupational Therapist. I went to school for this at 40+ and worked at the same time as well as took care of my young kids. I hope this helps.

Rank how physically demanding physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing is from greatest to least and explain why

Thank you :)

I have not. I looked at my options and the career and I have decided that PTA's seem to be full time when working with in-patient care but they have to toilet the patients from time to time and the out-patient care seems to be more part-time depending where PTA works.

I am not one of those people who can be happy and change adult diapers or handle older people all day and remain happy and I am not willing to wait 2 years to get into a $6,000 program and work & study really hard to maybe get a full time position working with out patient care.

My choice was to remain in massage. I would have chosen St. Pete Collage PTA program, though. There maybe another newer/lesser known PTA program at PHTC-Pasco-Hernando Tech Collage. It would be closer to me for sure but I am not sure of the quality of the program. SPC-PTA has a long waiting list and it very competitive.

Another person who is just about done with the program told me that it great educationally but that once you get to work the PTs and other hospital/clinic staff treat you like a human crane and you end up lifting people all the time and and toileting is not infrequent. She loves what she has learned but wonders if she really wants to work as a PTA. After shadowing a friend who is a PTA and watching (and smelling) she toilet a patient I really stopped researching the career.

Thanks,

(Hope you have Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Kwanza...)

I think w/ in-patient care when working w/geriatric patients there can be a lot of heavy lifting which brings new meaning to your patient load (sorry I had to say it--its funny LOL).

in out patient care there maybe be some heavy lifting when stretching patients but it is no where near the heavy lifting of the dead weight of even a relatively light patient. Obesity in the elderly and paralyzed/paraplegic..., has really become a problem for people in this and other aspects of health care.

It seems that out-patient care my earn less and be more part-time. I don't know for sure but it would seem to be the case.

I have never had to toilet a person. I may help them get to the commode or help the aide by helping keep the patient upright while the aide cleans them up. As far as the lifting of the patients, if a patient is a max assist I would not attempt to lift them. If they needed assist to stand and they are heavy I would get an aide or nurse to help. No one should be lifting anyone, they have machines for that. I always use a gait belt when working with patients, if they are heavy and start to fall I would lower them slowly to the floor using the gait belt (in 9 years I have never had to do this). I have worked inpatient in acute care and a skilled nursing facility for my whole career. I am a very small person but I use good body mechanics which they teach you in school. I have never been hurt. I know of a woman who still practices as a PT and she is in her 70's. I love my job! I highly recommend it.

I know a PT office in Brentwood that is expanding and needs PT assistants. It is a really beautiful setup. The PT is very creative and into teaching assistants. I left there because I got a full time job closer to home, but otherwise I would have stayed. If anyone is interested email me at pamelabarbie@hotmail.com.

If anyone is loking for a PTA position I know of a very nice office in Brentwood that has just expanded. They added Pilates and it is pretty easy work. I didn't do any heavy lifting or anything particularly demanding. The patients are lots of older people, but also some athletes looking to improve their performance, which is cool. I found a job closer to home or I would have stayed.

Ok i feel compelled to become a PTA I myself also have scoliosis and had back surgery when I was 14yrs old. I am now 41 and I feel like this would be good for myself as well learning the correct body mechanics I never really learned how to strengthen any of the muscles in my back however I am in good health and feel good about pursuing this as a 2nd career. I have been doing research in Resp Therapy but sounds like everyone who is in this field really enjoy it and don't feel a burnout. I'm sold. Let's just hope I can get into a program where I live. *crossing fingers*

I have one more semester until I graduate and from what I've gathered online regarding the RC3-11 is the PTAs future lies in SNF and hospitals... Demand? Not in an outpatient facility. Hope it changes.

If anyone cares to read a forum of PTs and ATCs discussing the future of PTAs (posts from 2 years ago). physicaltherapy.rehabedge.com/printable.aspx?m=64942&mpage=1

SOMEONE!! hi im anthony 19yr old and in community college. if anyone could just give me some advice on becoming an assis or actual therapist for physical therapy i would love you so much. im currently healthy i stay very active with combat sports and daily heavy lifting. all i need is just some guidance so please anyone!!!!!