How to hire a physical therapy attendant

How to hire a physical therapy attendant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step physical therapy attendant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a physical therapy attendant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new physical therapy attendant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a physical therapy attendant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a physical therapy attendant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a physical therapy attendant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of physical therapy attendant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Physical Therapy Attendant	Description	Hourly rate
   Physical Therapy Attendant	Physical therapist assistants, sometimes called PTAs, and physical therapist aides work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists. They help patients who are recovering from injuries and illnesses regain movement and manage pain.	$12-28
   Rehab Technician	A rehab technician's role is to assist physical therapists and patients in a hospital or similar facility. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's personal information and medical history, escorting them to corresponding rooms, and conducting initial tests and assessments... Show more	$10-17
   Rehabilitation Aide	A rehabilitation aide is responsible for assisting patients with injuries, mental disorders, and illnesses in their treatment plans and medications. Rehabilitation aides monitor the patients' progress and update attending physicians regarding their conditions... Show more	$10-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Therapeutic Exercises
   • Therapy Equipment
   • Rehabilitation
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Patient Treatment

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage flexible schedule at various company facilities categorize as ILF, ALF, and SNF.
   • Followed/Implement physical and occupational rehabilitation plans.
   • Followed/Implement physical and occupational rehabilitation plans.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your physical therapy attendant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A physical therapy attendant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, physical therapy attendants' average salary in alaska is 34% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level physical therapy attendants 58% less than senior-level physical therapy attendants.
   • Certifications. A physical therapy attendant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a physical therapy attendant's salary.

   Average physical therapy attendant salary

   $39,324yearly

   $18.91 hourly rate

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   Entry-level physical therapy attendant salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a physical therapy attendant job description

   A job description for a physical therapy attendant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a physical therapy attendant job description:

   Physical therapy attendant job description example

   Under the supervision of the registered physical therapist, administers therapeutic modalities with the use of specialized equipment; instructs the patient and supervises established therapeutic exercise, functional activities, and fits and instructs patients in the use of orthopedic appliances.Essential Functions:
   
   - Instruct patients on general health and basic self care procedures.- Review, explain and clarify physician orders with patient or parent.- Instruct patients in use of home equipment. - Apply orthopedic appliances.- Apply and remove dressings. - Follow standard infection control procedures.- Initiate emergency procedures (including CPR) and provide emergency patient treatment.- Lift patients.- Monitor patient vital signs.- Monitor patients for bleeding.- Observe machine monitors.- Prepare and position patients for procedures.- Provide therapeutic patient care as prescribed by a physician.- Observe and monitor patient condition for reactions during and after procedures.- Observe patients using remote monitoring equipment.- Visit assigned patients to observe and record symptoms.- Perform geometric measures and gross muscle testing.- Anesthetize patients with topical or aerosol medication.- Adjust physical therapy treatments as conditions warrant.- Administer physical therapy modalities.- Assist patients with ambulation and exercises.- Conduct group exercise classes.- Evaluate patient's response to physical therapy.- Instruct patients in routine and complex physical therapy exercises.- Interpret and administer prescribed physical therapy treatment.- Perform basic physical therapy.- Interview patients to collect data.- Review patient record for medical information.- Fill out maintenance forms.- Complete patient processing forms (such as CPRs).- Record and chart patient data. Take patient medical and prescription history.- Review patient charts to evaluate patients and identify significant conditions.- Complete forms and records.- Consult with physician concerning test results and alert physicians to test abnormalities.- Issue report on findings.- Perform accurate measurements and calculations on diagnostic test procedures.- Maintain current records of all testing.- Record and maintain patient treatment data, log of procedures, and records of equipment usage.- Prepare periodic workload statistics.- Collect and compile cumulative data and statistics.
   Basic Qualifications:
   
   - Graduation from an accredited Physical Therapy Assistant program with an associate of science degree in physical therapy OR California Examining Committee equivalent. - Successful completion of clinical competencies during internship. - Current license or license eligible as a Physical Therapy Assistant by the state of California.
   
   COMPANY: KAISER
   
   TITLE: Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant Per Diem- Outpatient Ortho / Inpatient
   
   LOCATION: Panorama City, California
   
   REQNUMBER: 1115076
   
   External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, state and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran, or disability status.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find physical therapy attendants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your physical therapy attendant job on Zippia to find and attract quality physical therapy attendant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting physical therapy attendants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new physical therapy attendant

   Once you've selected the best physical therapy attendant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new physical therapy attendant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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