As a physical therapy aide, you will work under the supervision of a physical therapist to help provide additional support to recovering patients. Employers are looking for patient and compassionate individuals who are eager to learn. PT aides work closely with other therapists and assistants, so make sure you highlight your teamworking skills. Although it is not mandatory to obtain a licence to practise as an aide, having one will give you a competitive edge.
Here are three top physical therapist interview questions and tips on how to answer them:
How to answer: This open-ended question is designed to provide you with an opportunity to describe your interactions with patients as a physical therapy aide. It allows you to demonstrate how you use compassion with patients, even those who may have more demands or require additional attention. This question is also an opportunity for you to showcase your problem-solving skills.
How to answer: This open-ended question gives you a chance to speak about your ability to handle stressful situations and work under pressure. In a physical therapy setting, you may be working on getting a machine cleaned for one patient, another patient scheduled and yet another patient set up or moved to start a therapy session. Provide examples of situations where multiple patients may need attention and how you would attend to them.
How to answer: This open-ended question is designed to evaluate your understanding of the role of a physical therapy aide in a clinical setting. It will also provide you with an opportunity to use your communication skills, share time-management skills, demonstrate your ability to work independently and emphasise your importance to the clinic while showcasing your enthusiasm for your profession and helping others.
↳
Very familiar
↳
Very familiar
↳
Always worked but always wanted to do something in medical field to help people
↳
I would first take the patient off of electrical stimulation. Then, I would ask the the patient at the for a moment while I answer the phone. I would ask the customer on the phone if I can put him on hold. I would then help the patient at the front and answer the phone after he leaves. Less
↳
If a patient is on electrical stimulation, the aide is not suppose to touch the e-stem unit. A licenses therapist is suppose to do this, just in case something were to happen. Less
↳
Inform the patient you are going to quickly answer the phone, taking the callers name, number and reason for calling, let them know you have an ongoing appointment with a client and that they will be hearing from someone at your office in the next 24 hr or asap (Don't say asap). Then tend to patient on the Electric Stim. Finally, return the call once your current patient is taken care of. Less
↳
Find a common ground and make sure they are always feeling comfortable
↳
I answered by giving two answers: "I'm an independent person and work very efficiently by myself, and I think that comes in handy while working with a team so you don't have to rely on anybody to get things done. Interdependence and independence are distinctly different, but go hand in hand. Less