Transcript REHABILITATIVE CAREERS Careers in Rehabilitative Health Care

REHABILITATIVE
CAREERS
Careers in Rehabilitative
Health Care
• Health care workers in rehabilitative
careers provide services designed to
overcome physical, developmental,
behavioral, or emotional disabilities
• These disabilities include impaired
muscle strength, physical endurance,
sensory or muscle coordination, and
spatial discrimination
• A rehabilitation team works closely with
patient and family members
Physical Therapist (PT)
• Education
– Master’s degree preferred
– Licensure by state
• Functions
– Restores function, relieves pain, and prevents
disability following disease, injury, or loss of a body
part
• Specialties in physical therapy include:
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Rehabilitation
Sports
Research
Education
Massage Therapist
• Education
– 3 mo to 1 yr accredited program
– Certification, registration or licensure
required in many states
• Functions:
– use massage, manipulation or application of
pressure and therapeutic touch to muscles to
provide pain relief, improve circulation, and
relieve stress/tension
• Some are entrepreneurs
Orthotist and Prosthetist
• Certified orthotist (CO)
– Provides services for clients with disabling
conditions of the limbs or spine
– Designs, fabricates, and fits braces or
strengthening apparatus
• Certified prosthetist (CP)
– Provides care to clients with partial or total
absence of a limb and who use an artificial
limb (prosthesis)
Occupational Therapist
• Occupational therapist (OT) (OTR)
(registered)
– Helps clients reach the highest level of
independent living by overcoming physical
injury, birth defects, aging, or emotional
and developmental problems
• Occupational therapy assistant (OTA);
(COTA) (certified)
– Work under guidance of the OT;
Instructs and assists clients to perform ADLs
Athletic Trainer (ATC)
(certified)
• Education
– 4-year college or university program, including a
minimum of an 1800-hour internship over 2 years
- licensure required in some states
• Functions
– Works under the supervision of the team physician
in a variety of amateur and professional sports
and other settings
– Prevents injury as well as performs emergency
treatment
– Uses methods that include corrective exercise,
conditioning, rehabilitation, and nutrition counseling
Pharmacist
• Education
– Minimum of 5 years of college
– Bachelor of science in pharmacology (BS Pharm) or
doctor of pharmacology (PharmD)
• Functions
– Mixes and dispenses drugs according to
prescriptions written by physicians, veterinarians,
dentists, and other authorized professionals
– Provides information to the consumer about side
effects of medications, food and drug interactions,
dosing schedules, and health care supplies
Pharmacy Support Personnel
• Pharmacy technician
– Assists the pharmacist in processing prescriptions
and distribution of medication
• Pharmacy helper/assistant
– Assists the pharmacist by waiting on clients and
maintaining the inventory of supplies under the
direction of the pharmacist and technician
• Pharmaceutical industry worker
– Produces medicines, remedies, nutritional
supplements, and health care products
Speech and Language
Pathologist
• Speech and language pathologist
– Provides evaluation, treatment, and
research in communication and related
disorders
– Diagnoses language problems and treat
disorders such as delayed language, aphasia,
stuttering, and articulation problems
• Audiologist
– Specializes in prevention, identification,
assessment, and rehabilitation of hearing
disorders
Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory therapist (RT); (RRT) (registered)
– Evaluates the client to administer respiratory care
and operates life-support equipment under the
supervision of a physician
– Performs oxygen administration, incentive
spirometry, tracheotomy care, and mechanical
ventilation
• Respiratory therapy technician (RTT); (CRTT)
(certified)
– Administers routine respiratory care under the
supervision of a therapist
Recreation Therapist
• Recreation therapist (TR); Certified
therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS)
– Use recreation and leisure activities to
minimize patient symptoms and improve
physical and emotional well being. Activites
are directed toward gaining independence,
building self confidence, and relieving anxiety
• Recreation therapy assistants/Activity
Directors
– work under the supervision of a recreational
therapist or other health care professional
Art, Music, Dance Therapist
• Education
– Bachelors or Masters degree
- registration or certification
• Functions:
– Use the arts to help clients deal with social,
physical, or emotional problems
– Usually work with individuals who are
emotionally disturbed, mentally challenged,
or physically disabled
Other Rehabilitative Personnel
• Dialysis technician
– Educational requirements vary with states, some
require a RN or LPN license and state approved
dialysis training; others 1-2 yr HOE dialysis
program or associates degree with certification
– Operate the hemodialysis machines
• Perfusionist / Extracorporeal circulation
technician (CCP)
– Bachelors and specialized training with supervised
clinical experience; licensure required in some
states; certification available
– Operate the heart-lung machine used in bypass
surgery