Physical Therapy Aide (Per Diem)

Hackensack Meridian Health; North Bergen (NJ); On-site; USD 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Hackensack Meridian Health is seeking a Physical Therapy Aide to support therapists and patients in daily treatments. You will prepare patients and equipment, maintain a clean treatment area, and assist with mobility, transfers, and transport within the department.

The role requires a high school diploma or GED and BLS certification within 60 days of starting. Prior healthcare exposure is preferred and the team emphasizes patient safety and compassionate care.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required. Basic Life Support certification within 60 days of start.
• Prior experience in healthcare settings preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean, safe treatment area and equipment preparation for therapists.
• Assist therapists with patient transfers, gait training, and daily treatments.
• Transport patients to and from treatment areas using wheelchairs or assistive devices.
• Communicate clearly with patients, families, and staff to coordinate care.
• Assist with linen, supplies, and inventory management for the therapy department.
• Support therapists during hydrotherapy, whirlpool, and other modalities as directed.

Education

High School diploma or GED

BLS/Basic Life Support Certification (HCP)

Job description

Overview

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives - and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It's also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

Maintains clean and safe working environment for the therapists. Prepares patients and equipment for therapists. Assists therapists to support patients during daily treatments (i.e. gait training, transfers, exercise, etc.) Maintains linens and supplies, assists with office tasks as assigned. Communicates clearly and tactfully with patients, family members, therapists, co-workers, etc.

Responsibilities

A day in the life of a Physical Therapy Aide at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Maintains a clean and safe working environment. Prepares and maintains treatment. areas including equipment, patient rooms, treatment tables, etc. Assures neat, clean work environment throughout work and after patient use.

Maintains Equipment

• Cleans equipment and accessories for treatment according to hospital infection control policies.
• Maintains/Cleans Hydrocollator units, parafiin bath, and freezer as recommended in manufacturer's manual.
• Takes daily temperatures of hot pack machine and freezer.
• Prepares prior, Cleans after and assists therapists with Whirlpool Treatments according to department procedure.
• Maintains Game Ready machine (fills, replenishes ice as needed, empties at night and cleans daily)
• Routine monitoring of equipment function and ensuring safety checks are current.
• Immediately reports all equipment defects, mal-functions, and maintenance needs to their supervisor.

Patient Care Support

• Assists in maintaining treatment schedules by announcing patient arrivals to the waiting room and checking on availability of inpatients prior to the therapist attempting treatment.
• Communicates clearly and tactfully with patients, their families, therapists, etc.
• Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
• Assists patients and therapists in preparation of and during treatment, and anticipates needs of both patients and therapists. Includes gowning, assistance with toileting, assistance with dressing, assistance with hygiene, and assistance with mobility.
• Safely assists patients in prescribed activities as per direction of the therapist.
• Provides assistance when a patient is in distress and immediately informs supervising therapist.

Maintains Laundry

• Keep towels stocked
• Change bags as they become full
• Maintains inventory par levels of therapy supplies and advises Supervisor if supplies need to be ordered.

Supplimental Duties And Responsibilities

• Ensures delivery of excellent customer service resulting in positive and improving patient satisfaction scores for department and Medical Center.
• Attends hospital and department in-services as required.
• Serves and protects the hospital community by adhering of Professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, federal, State, and local requirements, and JCAHO standards.
• Regularly updates knowledge of techniques and regulations appropriate to patient populations being served.
• Completes Care learning annually.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• High School diploma, general equivalency diploma (GED), and/or GED equivalent programs.

Education, Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Preferred

• Prior experience preferred.

Licenses And Certifications Required

• BLS AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification within 60 days of entering position.

Working Conditions

• Extensive employee and outside contacts.
• Works indoors in a well lighted and ventilated area.
• Possibility of cuts or minor burns from instruments and equipment
• Some direct exposure to contagion, but risk is minimal when proper safety precautions are observed.
• Possibility of strains due to moving patients (or objects).
• Requires substantial standing, walking, stooping, and lifting.
• Willingness to work with the realization that errors and incompetency may have serious consequences to patients.

Physical Demands

• Requires constant verbal communication in person or using the phone.
• Requires frequent reading of correspondence, reports, material, etc.
• Frequently lifts objects from 10 - 150 lbs.
• Frequently lifts with assistance objects greater than 150 lbs.
• Frequently carries objects weighing up to 50 lbs.

Mental Demands

• Requires ability to deal with stress of dealing with public, frequent interruptions, and working on more than one task concurrently.
• Requires flexibility in order to respond to changes in priorities, special project assignments, and emergency situations.
• Manage time appropriately to meet patient and department needs.

Equipment Operated

• Wheelchairs, whirlpool, hydrocollator, ultrasound, electrical simulators, isokinetics, parallel bars, diathermy, etc.

Compensation

Minimum rate of $17.24 Hourly

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package.

Job Duties

The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to:

• Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.
• Experience: Years of relevant work experience.
• Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training.
• Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.
• Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location.
• Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.
• Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered.

Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.

HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH (HMH) IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, genetic information, refusal to submit to a genetic test or make available to an employer the results of a genetic test, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, national origin, nationality, ancestry, disability, marital status, liability for military service, or status as a protected veteran.

Our Network

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) is a Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Facility