Physical Therapy Aide Programs in Kentucky – KY

By K'Lee Banks, allied health world contributing writer
Published: March, 15 2010

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Most programs for physical therapy aides in Kentucky consist of on-the-job clinical training with a potential employer, as this healthcare position does not require any formal degree or professional certification.

The primary responsibility for a physical therapy aide is to support the physical therapist or the physical therapy assistant. Since a PT Aide doesn’t need to earn a degree or acquire certification, this career option is attractive to those who still desire to work in a profession helping people regain a measure of independence through improved functionality.

Brief Overview of PT Aide On-the-Job Training

A physical therapy aide provides the valuable service of easing the physical therapist’s schedule and increasing his or her productivity. As a physical therapist or assistant provides field training and practical application for the PT Aide, he or she learns to fulfill a flexible role that may include a combination of tasks, such as the following:

Help patients prepare for treatment.
Assist patients who have limited mobility when they must travel from one treatment area to another.
Stock therapy supplies.
Keep treatment areas clean and equipped.
Complete various clerical tasks, including filling out insurance forms; ordering supplies; maintaining patient records; and answering the phone.

Physical therapists and therapy assistants, with their required degrees, certifications, and licenses, are the only ones who execute clinical tasks and treatments; a physical therapy aide may NOT engage in any form of clinical procedure.