Post job
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Physical therapist assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Physical therapist assistant example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical physical therapist assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for physical therapist assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 26.1% of physical therapist assistant resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a physical therapist assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 physical therapist assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how physical therapist assistants use patients:
  • Provided quality out-patient treatment, education and instruction and progression of therapeutic exercise programs for patients with trauma related injuries
  • Documented all vital signs of patients according to facility schedule and information regarding their progress and medical condition.

2. Rehabilitation

Here's how physical therapist assistants use rehabilitation:
  • Practiced specialized post-orthopedic surgery recovery and rehabilitation.
  • Gained clinical experience working with post-operative patients on a daily basis, and other aspects of outpatient rehabilitation and sports therapy.

3. Home Health

Here's how physical therapist assistants use home health:
  • Provided physical therapy to a diverse population covering a variety of medical condition in home health and assisted living facility.
  • Complete necessary scheduling paperwork and documentation forms for various home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities.

4. PTA

The Parent-Teacher Association, PTA, is a formal organization made up of parents, teachers, and staff that aims to facilitate parental involvement in a school, discuss issues that affect children, organize events to raise funds for the school supplies, and supporting school efforts in general. It is also a forum for parents to gain insight and express their views on what is happening at their school.

Here's how physical therapist assistants use pta:
  • Performed various Physical Therapy interventions under the direct supervision of a PTA clinical instructor.
  • Communicated with the PTA Program Director and Clinical Coordinator of Onondaga Community College.

5. Physical Therapy Treatment

Here's how physical therapist assistants use physical therapy treatment:
  • Prepared patients for physical therapy treatment by welcoming, comforting, providing and/or assisting patients into physical therapy apparel or apertures.
  • Delivered intensive inpatient physical therapy treatments on rehab unit, assisted with therapeutic outings, and designed/implemented a group exercise program.

6. Quality Care

Here's how physical therapist assistants use quality care:
  • Facilitated Care Plan meetings with family caregivers and other disciplines to deliver quality care to every patient.
  • Motivated and enthusiastic team player recognized as providing compassionate, quality care that consistently exceeds patient expectations.

Choose from 10+ customizable physical therapist assistant resume templates

Build a professional physical therapist assistant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your physical therapist assistant resume.

7. Direct Supervision

Direct supervision is a term used to indicate that a person is supervising a certain task or a certain person while being physically present or in close proximity. It refers to the presence of a person and the availability of their supervision in something if it is needed.

Here's how physical therapist assistants use direct supervision:
  • Assumed the role of a Physical Therapist Assistant within a geriatric/sub-acute rehabilitation setting under direct supervision of a Physical Therapist Assistant.
  • Provided physical therapy interventions as an intern under the direct supervision of a PT in the hospital outpatient rehabilitation facility.

8. SNF

SNF is a kind of nursing home perceived by the Medicare and Medicaid frameworks as meeting long haul medical services needs for people who can work autonomously after a restricted time of care.

Here's how physical therapist assistants use snf:
  • Worked closely with multiple physical therapist and interdisciplinary team members to facilitate patient healing in SNF.
  • Maintained approximately 25% of a caseload in a SNF with patients ranging in age from mid twenties to late nineties.

9. PET

Here's how physical therapist assistants use pet:
  • assisted in performing home evaluations, group therapy, pool therapy, pet therapy, community reintegration.
  • Job Title | Company | Dates From - ToPersonal Care: babysitting, housesitting, pet sitting.

10. Physical Therapy Interventions

Here's how physical therapist assistants use physical therapy interventions:
  • Skilled nursing facility with a large pediatric wing of severely involved pediatric and young adult patients needing daily physical therapy interventions.
  • Provided physical therapy interventions, to a primarily geriatric population, incorporating behavior change strategies to encourage program participation.

11. Physical Therapy

Here's how physical therapist assistants use physical therapy:
  • Performed post-operative rehabilitative physical therapy for post-operative patients.
  • Provided skilled physical therapy services to residents of skilled nursing facility under direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist.

12. Compassion

Here's how physical therapist assistants use compassion:
  • Experience and compassion for/with physically impaired, challenged and elderly people.
  • Promoted empathy and compassion with all patients and residents.

13. Direct Patient Care

Here's how physical therapist assistants use direct patient care:
  • Involved in direct patient care utilizing manual therapy techniques and providing complementary exercises.
  • Included applying direct patient care, coordinating clinical services, and educating patients / caregivers regarding safety and managing chronic illnesses.

14. ADL

ADL is a clinical shorthand for "activities of daily living." It includes tasks such as feeding, dressing, bathing, and caring for one's self and personal hygiene.

Here's how physical therapist assistants use adl:
  • Provided treatment that improved patient mobility while working extensively with the patients on their gait and balance and functional ADL's.
  • Assisted in maximizing residents quality of life with Therapy Screens to identify any decline or improvement of ADL skills.

15. Restore Function

Restore function refers to a process of restoring function lost due to various circumstances of life.

Here's how physical therapist assistants use restore function:
  • Performed skilled therapeutic interventions to help restore function.
  • Used treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability of patients.
top-skills

What skills help Physical Therapist Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

List of physical therapist assistant skills to add to your resume

Physical therapist assistant skills

The most important skills for a physical therapist assistant resume and required skills for a physical therapist assistant to have include:

  • Patients
  • Rehabilitation
  • Home Health
  • PTA
  • Physical Therapy Treatment
  • Quality Care
  • Direct Supervision
  • SNF
  • PET
  • Physical Therapy Interventions
  • Physical Therapy
  • Compassion
  • Direct Patient Care
  • ADL
  • Restore Function
  • Outpatient Clinic
  • Ultrasound
  • Patient Education
  • Traction
  • Gait Training
  • Treatment Programs
  • Senior Care
  • Patient Safety
  • OT
  • Crutches
  • Discharge Planning
  • Patient Treatment
  • Acute Care
  • Therapy Management
  • Body Mechanics
  • Functional Mobility
  • Electrical Stimulation
  • Therapeutic Interventions
  • Bed Mobility
  • Orthotics
  • Vital Signs
  • Assistive Devices
  • CVA
  • Injury Prevention
  • Family Education
  • Therapeutic Modalities
  • Optima
  • POC
  • Walkers
  • Patient Evaluations
  • ROM
  • Pain Management
  • Cold Packs
  • Chronic Pain

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare support jobs