Become a Physiotherapy Assistant

Picture of Become a Physiotherapy Assistant
Now Only
$389
AUD
35% off
$599 AUD
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 6720 Students

Prepare for a rewarding career as a valued member of a physiotherapy team.

Prepare for a rewarding career as a valued member of the physical therapy team while learning all about the human body, specific disorders, and the way physical therapists treat these disorders.

We'll begin by exploring the history of physical therapy and the relationships between physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy aides. You'll get training on how to communicate effectively with other health care professionals and patients. You'll also come to understand the medical documentation that physical therapists use and principles of ethics and law that affect the PT aide.

Physical therapists often use words and terms that may be unfamiliar to you, so we'll devote some time to learning much of the language of PT. We'll then spend two lessons studying the body's 11 organ systems. You'll learn the names of the organs in each system, their main functions, and some common disorders.

Health care professionals must take extra care to avoid the spread of infection, so we'll go over that important subject. Along with infection control, you'll learn proper body mechanics and how to safely move patients. We'll also cover the normal gait cycle, and you'll learn how to help patients walk with assistive devices like walkers, crutches, and canes.

Physical therapists use physical agents like heat, cold, ultrasound, and electricity to treat many of their patients, so we'll explore these agents. You'll learn when PTs use them and important precautions. We'll move on to a discussion of exercise, and we'll spend a lesson studying the principles of strengthening, aerobic, and range-of-motion exercises.

We'll close with a study of balance and coordination disorders. You'll learn about the vestibular system—an important mechanism that helps you keep your balance. We'll also talk about treating children with developmental coordination disorder and developmental delays.

By the time you finish this course, you'll have gained valuable knowledge and be well on your way to becoming an important member of the physical therapy team!

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

In our first lesson, I'll introduce you to the profession of physical therapy (PT). You'll learn about the history of PT and how two wars and an epidemic created a need for this profession. To help you understand what makes PTs different from other health care professionals, we'll discuss the types of patients who need PT and the types of treatment PTs use. You'll understand the important difference between PTs, PT assistants, and PT aides as you come to understand the special role of PT aides.

As a PT aide, you'll communicate with many different people, so in today's lesson, we'll focus on the communication skills you'll need to help you communicate with your supervising PT, patients, and their families. You'll learn about some of the challenges you'll face when communicating with sick or injured people, and how to demonstrate the traits of empathy, respect, and patience. We'll also spend some time on SOAP notes—the method many medical personnel use to document their evaluations and patient treatments.

This very important lesson will help you stay out of trouble because today, we'll discuss law and ethics for the PT aide. You'll learn the differences between law and ethics and why you must be concerned about both. We'll go over the American Physical Therapy Association's Code of Ethics, relating its principles to PT aides. We'll also talk about the American Hospital Association's <em>A Patient's Bill of Rights</em> so you'll know how you should treat patients in different situations. You'll want to understand both negligence and malpractice, so we'll cover those topics, too. Finally, we'll spend some time on the very important topic of patient confidentiality. You can face stiff penalties if you violate patient confidentiality, so I want to make sure you thoroughly understand this topic.

Have you ever noticed that every profession has its own unique language? The health care profession is no different. As a PT aide, it's vitally important that you understand the language that PTs use, so we'll focus on that in this lesson. We'll cover planes of the body and directional terms. You'll also learn the terms that define the body's major regions and body cavities. The movements of joints have special names, so I'll define them and share lots of graphics that demonstrate these movements. We'll finish with some other terms related to function and movement in the last chapter.

In this lesson, we'll begin our discussion of the body's organ systems. We'll go over how your body is organized, from atoms to an entire individual. We'll discuss the muscular, skeletal, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, and lymphatic systems. You'll learn about the organs in each of these systems, the jobs they perform, and disorders affecting these systems that are commonly treated by PTs.

We'll continue our discussion of the organ systems in this lesson. To start out, we'll go over how our organ systems are interrelated and how a problem with one system will affect the others. We'll then move on to a discussion of the integumentary (skin), digestive, urinary, respiratory, and reproductive systems. Just like in Lesson 5, you'll learn about each system's organs, function, and some common disorders. We'll finish the lesson with a discussion of the most important concept in human physiology—homeostasis. Homeostasis means the drive of your body to keep many different variables, like blood pressure and temperature, within a certain range. I'll tell you why this is so crucial and how you might be asked to monitor homeostasis while caring for patients.

We'll start discussing specific safety issues in this lesson, focusing on infection control. Anyone working in healthcare must understand the meaning of infection, its causes, and how its spreads. To help you understand this, we'll discuss the chain of infection and what you can do to break that chain so infection doesn't spread from one person to another. We'll spend some time on an infection called MRSA because it's so common and dangerous. Since proper hand hygiene is the most effective way to stop infection from spreading, we'll go over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines. We'll also talk about patient-care equipment, environmental control, and the role of vaccinations.

We'll discuss important safety issues again in this lesson, but this time, instead of infection, we'll focus on proper body mechanics and safe patient transfers. Body mechanics means the posture of your body and how you move it. You must understand proper body mechanics to protect yourself from injury. We'll start out with a discussion of the anatomy of the spine since the spine gets hurt most often when we ignore proper body mechanics. We'll talk about proper posture and the importance of paying attention to your center of gravity. We'll also go over a list of principles for using proper body mechanics and guidelines for moving patients in a variety of different situations. We'll end with a discussion of lifting machines, which PTs now commonly use to transfer patients.

Most of us take walking for granted, but many patients must learn to walk again after an illness or injury. PTs often ask their aides to help with this, so you must understand what types of conditions make it hard for people to walk. You should also understand the normal gait cycle, so I'll spend some time on that topic and tell you about common deviations from normal gait. We'll spend quite a bit of time discussing different ambulatory devices including parallel bars, walkers, crutches, and canes and how they're used in PT.

PTs use physical agents, rather than medications or surgery, to treat patients. These agents include heat, cold, ultrasound, traction, and electricity. To explain these agents, we'll start with a discussion about the relationship between a disease or injury and one's ability to perform activities of daily living. We'll then follow a fictitious Mrs. Smith as she struggles to recover from a car accident. You'll learn about the physical agents her PT chooses and how they affect her body. We'll end with a discussion of contraindications (when an agent should never be used) and precautions (when an agent must be used with extra care).

Along with physical agents, PTs use exercise to treat patients. In this lesson, I'll introduce you to three types of exercise—strength training, aerobic exercise, and range-of-motion exercise. You'll learn how muscles are put together and why resistance is necessary to build strength. I'll teach you about three important principles you should know when supervising a strength training program. We'll also go over aerobic exercise, and you'll learn how it increases a person's ability to use oxygen. Finally, you'll learn about range-of-motion exercises. You'll find out how PTs measure how far a patient can move a joint and why joints sometimes become limited in their motion. We'll talk about different types of range-of-motion exercises and important principles to follow.

In our final lesson, we'll explore balance, coordination, and developmental delays. We'll focus on children in this lesson, although the information will be helpful if you're treating adults, too. You'll learn about a special sensory system called the vestibular system and how important it is for maintaining balance. I'll give you examples of activities PTs use to treat children with balance problems, and you'll learn about the adaptive response—something PTs continually look for when treating children. We'll move on to a discussion of developmental coordination disorder, and you'll learn how important it is for professionals to properly diagnose this condition. We'll end this course with the subject of developmental delays. You'll learn about developmental milestones and how PTs treat children who fail to meet those milestones. We'll also discuss how PTs use developmental activities with adults who have sustained traumatic brain injuries.

Holly Trimble

Holly Trimble

Holly Trimble has a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado and a master's degree in pediatric physical therapy from Boston University. She completed an additional 15 credit hours in education at the doctoral level. S... Read more

Read Holly Trimble's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Become a Physiotherapy Assistant you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

Still looking?

Check out the following courses related to Become a Physiotherapy Assistant:

Explore Blogging Online Course | Vibe Learning
 

Explore Blogging

Picture of Explore Blogging
Now Only
$389
AUD
35% off
$599 AUD
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 3205 Students

Learn how to create your very own blog and add a podcast too using the tools that you already have available on your computer.

If you're thinking of starting a blog or just beginning one, this course is for you. Perhaps you'd like to try out podcasting too. You can and it's easy. In this course, you'll learn how to create, manage, and promote your own blog and audio and video podcast using tools that you already have on your computer—no paid software or equipment is needed.

You'll begin by developing a plan for the content, setup, and long-term maintenance of a blog, and then you'll use free blogging software like Blogger and WordPress to put that plan into action. After that, you'll learn how to record a professional-sounding audio podcast with a very simple recording tool you already have. You'll edit the file with another free software program, add music to it, and then post it online for others to enjoy. Your instructor will guide you through all these steps. Finally, you'll find out how to record a video podcast. You'll use pre-recorded video to learn the editing process, and then you'll apply what you've learned to your own video file. You'll edit it, add special effects, drop in a podcasting-safe music file, and then publish it online.

Through hands-on exercises, you'll discover the benefits of using free web tools like Blogger, WordPress, Audacity, and YouTube. Guided by an expert instructor, you'll find that creating a blog and podcast is much easier than you ever imagined. And by the end of this course, you'll be amazed how much you've accomplished.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Welcome to the beginning of your blogging adventure! During the next six weeks, you're going to learn how to blog, produce your own audio and video podcasts to add to your blog, and market and promote your blog&mdash;all skills you can put to use on personal, business, educational, or even political projects, right away. In this first lesson, you'll get acquainted with blogging terms, the parts of a blog, and the important differences between a blog and a website. We'll also critique a couple of blogs and figure out what makes them work successfully. You'll learn the best way to search for and locate blogs on topics that interest you, and you'll discover ways to creatively use blogs to express yourself, teach, advocate for a cause, promote a product . . . the possibilities go on and on!

<p>It makes sense to give something a try before doing it yourself, right? So today you're going to learn how to participate in the blogosphere by commenting on a blog of your choosing. Before you click <em>Submit Comment</em>, though, we'll explore the process together and talk about the do's and don'ts of blog commenting etiquette. After that, it'll be time for you to start planning your own blog. We'll walk through a series of questions to help you develop a sustainable plan for your blog's content, setup, and long-term maintenance.</p>

In this lesson, we're going to explore your options for blogging software and hosting, and you're going to decide where and how you'll build and store your blog. You'll learn about free online blog software options, and you'll get hands-on experience working with two free blogging services, Blogger and WordPress, as you set up an account to use as a practice blog throughout the course. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a blog all ready to go, with a nice-looking design and a clean layout.

Why settle for a cookie-cutter blog when you can create a custom blog look? In this lesson, you'll pick the perfect image for your background and spice up your blog's header on your Blogger and WordPress blogs.

Now that your blog has the perfect look, it's time to start to thinking more about your readers and what they'll need. In this lesson, you'll get to decide who can read your blog. You'll learn how to set your blog's privacy levels in case you'd like to limit who can read your blog. We'll also set up your comment fields so that you can manage who is able to comment on your blog. You have control over these features, so take advantage of them. Finally, we'll add a few gadgets that will help your blog readers navigate through your blog.

Today you'll learn to write an effective first blog post, and you'll consider the writing style you'd like to use for your blog. You'll also practice working with formatting tools to make your first post look great online. You'll learn how to change the font, color, and size of your text, and you'll add lists and links to enhance the content and interactivity of your post.

You've mastered the process of formatting the text of your blog post, so now it's time to add some photos. After learning how to locate and incorporate appropriate images into your draft, you'll create labels to categorize the content of your post so that your blog readers interested in your topic will be able to find your post. Next, you'll learn the seven steps of how to promote your blog to boost readership. We'll finish this lesson by looking at how Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are useful blog promotion tools.

Today we'll start exploring the podcast. You'll learn the podcasting terms you'll need to know to feel at home with this technology, and you'll discover the important differences between radio broadcasts and podcasts. You'll find out how to search for and locate podcasts you'd like to listen to, and you'll download and install a free <I>podcatcher</I> you can use to subscribe to your favorites. Finally, you'll take the first step in the PREP method of podcasting: You'll <EM>plan</EM> your own podcast, following our effective formula of developing strategies for content, setup, and long-term maintenance. By the end of this lesson, you'll be one step closer to adding this interactive tool to your blog, too.

In this lesson, we're going to explore the minimum equipment you'll need to record your first audio podcast&mdash;as well as other equipment you may find of interest if you become a serious podcaster. You'll experiment with your telephone as a microphone, and we'll talk about how to make the most of your voice before you press the Record button. We'll discuss how to script or outline a podcast so you feel confident and comfortable in front of the microphone. And, after that, you'll continue to follow the PREP method of podcasting by <EM>recording</EM> your first podcast using Audacity, a free audio recording program.

Today you'll work with the last two steps of the PREP method of podcasting: <EM>editing</EM> and <EM>publishing</EM>. I'll provide you with sample voice and music files for your practice edit. You'll learn how to cut out dead air and an unexpected sneeze, adjust the volume so listeners don't have to strain to hear you, and add effects so the sound fades in at the beginning and out at the end. Then, you'll use one of the sample files I've provided to add background music to the practice podcast. After mastering these skills, you'll use them to edit and enhance your own recording. When you're done, I'll walk you through the steps to get your file Web-ready, and then it will be time to publish your work.

Now that you know how to prepare, record, edit, and publish an audio podcast, doing the same for a video podcast is going to be a lot easier. But, of course, there are some important differences between the two podcasting styles, so we'll begin today's discussion by exploring what makes video podcasting different. We'll discuss the equipment you can use for video podcasting&mdash;and you may be surprised to discover that even a simple cell phone with video capabilities will do! You'll learn about video editing software and video podcast hosts. We'll discuss how to develop a recording script so that everything runs smoothly when the camera's rolling. And, finally, you'll learn how to import and edit video using a sample file I've created for you to practice with. We're going to use Windows Live Movie Maker, but the principles you'll learn with this program can be adapted for use in other video editing programs, for example iMovie or Final Cut Pro for the Mac.

It's time to fine-tune your video podcasting skills as well as your video podcast. In this final lesson, you'll learn how to add transitions and video effects to your video file, trim unwanted portions out, and make audio enhancements. You'll discover how to convert your video podcast into a file format suitable for the Web, upload to YouTube, and embed that file as an entry on your blog.

Robin Sellers

Robin Sellers

Robin Sellers is a certified teacher with a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Technical and Professional Communication. She has over 11 years of experience in the traditional classroom and has been an online instructor since 2000, trai... Read more

Read Robin Sellers's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Explore Blogging you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

Still looking?

Check out the following courses related to Explore Blogging:

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