This is an old thread so I want to apologize for the bump but I feel some decent information can be shared here since I assume many Pre-PT students will hold such a position at some point in time.
I am currently a rehab aide at an outpatient clinic which is fairly busy and have been working there for only around a month so I will share my experience as is.
Firstly, the main task of a rehab aide is to make sure everything is flowing properly, depending on how many PT's there are at the clinic it is essential that you are thinking 2-3 steps ahead at all time for each one of them.
1) Know the patients that are coming in and how much attention each one requires.Some patients know there routine and can fly through it without any problems. However, it is still necessary to provide them with the equipment they will need in advance (dumbbells, setting up machines, straps for stretching ect..). Others, such as those with dementia, or who are unfamiliar with exercising in general will need more one on one time with the aide. A key point is to not be caught up in conversation with these patients if the clinic is busy, do not be afraid to say things like "hold that thought" or likewise. Set them up with the exercise, inform them of how many reps and sets they will be doing and make sure they are starting out with proper form. From there you can glance over at any given point to make sure they are continuing with what they should be doing. A lot of times you may run into a patient who needs you through the entire program, such as one with severe dementia and forgets what they should be doing after one set. Make sure these patients are not short counting (such as 6 reps instead of 10 or 2 sets instead of 3 etc..) this will mess with the actual PT's program and slow down progression and the plans of care.
2) When a patient is nearing the end of their program make sure if they are going to need Stim. Ice packs, or hot packs and have those ready before they finish so they can be started on it right away. Generally, they will need 15 minutes worth of ice, stim. or hot packs so if there is a delay, space will be taken up in the gym and thus, it will create a backup in the therapy room.
3) Know when evaluations are coming. These patients will require the PT to be working with them directly in a closed room. It is important to have these rooms setup in advance so the PT can begin work on time. It is also important to know when a PT will be required to do hands on work with other patients such as massaging or stretching as you will have to remind them that they have an eval. in 10 minutes so they better start on the manual therapy with the patient in need.
4) The PT's generally are not aware of other therapists patients and there needs. So if you know you need a high-low for a patient (such as an elderly patient or a severely handicap patient) make sure that another therapist does not seat a younger, more healthy patient on that bed. This will also cause a backup and not allow the patient to be started on time.
5) Keep things organized. When a patient is finished with a piece of equipment, clean it, and put it back in the right spot so other aides or therapists do not need to waste time looking for it.
As for interview questions, I asked some of the following:
1) What type of patients are seen at this clinic?
2) What sort of therapists does the clinic have (OT, PT, Neuro, Speech etc..)?
3) What is a typical day in the clinic?
4) What special techniques do the therapists use? (I was generally interested in this and asked it more to my interviewer, who uses a great deal of McKenzies)
If I think of more I'll add or if others want to add.
Again, I apologize if this was a bad bump and I hope some of the information was useful!
