PT Aide vs. a Rehab Aide

[engmedpt]

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Can anyone clarify the difference between a rehab aide and a pt aide? Are the terms interchangeable. The hospital near in maine has a four hour per week rehab aide position which seems like a good paid gig to me while acquiring observation hours. Anyone else have thoughts?

 

[StudentRehab]

I've always considered them the same thing.

 

[DesertPT]

I suppose you could be working with either PT's or OT's as a general "rehab aide", but I would think it is pretty much the same thing. At a hospital as a rehab aide or tech, you may not really be observing PT's while you are there, you may just be going on rounds to get people out of bed and to the bathroom, etc.

 

[StudentRehab]

I suppose you could be working with either PT's or OT's as a general "rehab aide", but I would think it is pretty much the same thing. At a hospital as a rehab aide or tech, you may not really be observing PT's while you are there, you may just be going on rounds to get people out of bed and to the bathroom, etc.

Well, as a tech you aren't really certified to provide any kind of help for the patient w/o the supervision of a PT/PTA. So a hospital setting is awesome in the fact that you get to see PT's do evaluations on patients, and also get called to help PTA's when transferring is required.

You do in fact work with PT's on a regular basis as a tech in a hospital, but it differs with each hospital you go to and how they utilize their daily techs.

 

[DesertPT]

Ah, I guess I was thinking more along the lines of general hospital techs that come in your room after surgery to help you get up and pee, etc.

 

[engmedpt]

Ah, I see. So I would be able to place this on my ptcas application as paid observation I assume. That would definitely be a plus.

 

[StudentRehab]

Ah, I guess I was thinking more along the lines of general hospital techs that come in your room after surgery to help you get up and pee, etc.

Nah, those are nurses/nurse techs. Rehab techs/aids are in and out with PTs, PTAs, or Wound Care.

 

[DesertPT]

Nah, those are nurses/nurse techs. Rehab techs/aids are in and out with PTs, PTAs, or Wound Care.

Yup yup

 

[MFS6]

I'm currently a rehab aide in acute care and I work with PT, OT, and speech a lot (we get to assist with two different types of swallow studies they do with patients). It's a ton of hands on experience with transfers, etc. and also a great view into how PT/OT/SLP work together as a team on patients, and how their roles are similar/different.

 

[lcs2074]

My job title at an adult outpatient clinic is "PT Aide" but because I am going to OT school (and because there is no seperate OT aide) I work a little more with the OTs along with PTs than the average PT Aide there, and I've been called a "Rehab Aide" by the therapists I work with interchangably. I think they are pretty much interchangable terms, except that each specific location/setting probably defines the job description and responsibilities a little differently.