Rehabilitation Assistant

Department: Rehab Therapy

Status: PRN

Schedule: 1-2 holidays/year, 3-4 weekend days/quarter

Weekday hours as needed

General Summary

Performs general, non-technical duties. Assists therapists and/or therapist assistants in preparing patients for therapy, treating patients, gathering supplies and regular cleaning of treatment spaces.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• May vary by location:
• Communicates consistently, professionally and in a timely manner.
• Completes daily cleaning of all therapy spaces in compliance with departmental cleaning policies.
• Maintains technician duties log and uploads archived logs to SharePoint.
• Transports patients to and from the department.
• Possesses the knowledge and skills to keep patients safe.
• Obtains patient vitals as needed and under the direction of a clinician, including blood pressure, pulse oximetry, respiration, and pulse.
• Prepares the treatment areas for patient care including set up, removal, cleaning, appropriately storing, and organization of equipment and supplies.
• Assists with monitoring of supply stock and informing leadership when supplies are low.
• Prepares, handles, and stores a variety of food items per policy as applicable. Monitors expiration dates and maintains a clean food prep environment compliant with regulations. This includes weekly cleaning of staff refrigerator.
• Assists clinicians with safe transfer/positioning of patients.
• Under the direct supervision of a therapist or therapist assistant, prepares for patient treatment, assists with providing care, monitors patient during treatment and cleans equipment according to policy.
• Prepares modalities, apply if directed by therapist.
• Set up of assistive technology, as directed by a therapist, in preparation for therapist’s treatment session.
• Observes patient’s precautions as related to the patient’s diagnosis.
• Ensures safety of patients, visitors and staff while receiving services. Ensures safety/maintenance of therapy area(s) and equipment, including monitoring of biomed expiration stickers for routine maintenance.
• Monitors temperatures of applicable equipment per policy.
• Cleans hydroculators, ice pack machines, and paraffin baths and document on cleaning logs
• Assists with administrative duties as assigned. This includes maintenance of our equipment inventory spreadsheet.
• Assists department in preparation for regulatory surveys, utilizing checklists to ensure compliance.
• Determines appropriate initial wheelchair seating and positioning for newly admitted patients from their demographic information and diagnosis.
• Completes maintenance and modifications for department’s durable medical equipment and fulfils wheelchair prescription requests.
• Assists with patient mealtimes, ensures safe eating, and when appropriate, carryover of safe eating strategies recommended by the therapy team.
• Provides support for patient/caregiver connectivity.
• Assists with group therapy sessions including patient education, group therapy, and support groups.
• Provides safe patient handling support on the nursing unit. This includes carryover of clinician’s recommendations for safe patient handling and for use of therapy team recommended durable medical equipment.
• Provides assistance with standing protocols, pressure relief protocols and strategies, initiating carryover of clinician-initiated home exercise programs, and provision of additional mobility opportunities outside of therapy when determined as safe and appropriate by the primary treating clinician.
• Assists all staff with other tasks. Asks team members if assistance is needed.

Common Expectations

• Handles multiple priorities simultaneously with ease and proficiency.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span of the assigned patient population.
• Maintains established policies and procedures, objectives, quality assessment, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
• Participates in educational programs and in-service meetings when appropriate.
• Provides outstanding service to all customers; fosters teamwork; and practices fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation.

Qualifications

Minimum Education

• High School Diploma or GED Required

Work Experience

• Less than 1 year Relevant experience. Required

Licenses

• Basic Life Support Upon Hire Required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrates good communication skills.

WellSpan Health’s vision is to reimagine healthcare through the delivery of comprehensive, equitable health and wellness solutions throughout our continuum of care. As an integrated delivery system focused on leading in value-based care, we encompass more than 2,300 employed providers, 250 locations, nine award-winning hospitals, home care and a behavioral health organization serving central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our high-performing Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is the region’s largest and one of the best in the nation. With a team 23,000 strong, WellSpan experts provide a range of services, from wellness and employer services solutions to advanced care for complex medical and behavioral conditions. Our clinically integrated network of 3,000 aligned physicians and advanced practice providers is dedicated to providing the highest quality and safety, inspiring our patients and communities to be their healthiest.