By Christine Whitmarsh RN, BSN
The valuable role of physical therapy in restoring mobility and quality of life for post-operative patients, those with chronic conditions that affect mobility and general function, and patients recovering from injuries is not limited hospital rehabilitation units. There are career opportunities for physical therapists, including traveling physical therapists, in many different clinical settings. Each setting offers a new way to stretch your skills and build your resume.
Here are some of the various clinical settings with potential career opportunities for physical therapists. Contact your travel rehabilitation agency recruiter to find out what is available at your goal destinations.
Hospitals and Medical Centers: Depending on the size of the facility, the physical therapy department of a hospital can be anything from an office to a large space that resembles fitness gym meets playground. In hospital settings, physical therapists treat a variety of patients including post-operative hip and knee replacements, recovering stroke patients, and children and young adults with athletic injuries.
Home Health Care: Physical therapists with the experience and qualifications to work in patient’s homes are typically the most well paid in the profession (avg. $2k+ median salary). The type of patients seen in their home are often similar to those seen in long term care facilities as well as those who would normally be seen in doctor’s offices but lack transportation.
Long Term Care Facilities: One of the major therapeutic goals for residents of nursing homes and other long term skilled nursing facilities is to maintain as much function, mobility, balance and overall quality of life as possible. This is an ideal career option for physical therapists who enjoy the satisfaction of contributing to a patient’s well-being and celebrating each day.
Physician’s Offices: Aging baby boomers who haven’t quite realized that they’re not resilient 20-somethings anymore, make for a growing supply of “weekend warrior” injuries seen in doctor’s offices. Physical therapists play an important role in getting these patients back on their feet again, restoring function and teaching them how to use assistive devices such as walkers and crutches.
Physical Therapy Clinics: Examples of rehab patients that a physical therapist will see in a private practice outpatient clinic include children and adults with chronic conditions and diseases such as multiple sclerosis as well as follow through care for patients recently released from the hospital who still require additional rehabilitation.
Schools: Many schools will employ or contract physical therapists to work with patients with childhood/hereditary disabilities. An important aspect of this type of physical therapy career is the emphasis on following a regimented course of treatment, meeting measurable, scheduled milestones in the child’s treatment and communicating results to parents on a regular basis.
With a variety of clinical settings in need of physical therapists, both experienced and new grads, this type of career flexibility, might be one of the reasons that a career as a physical therapist has been ranked as one of the “best careers” for 2009 in several national prestigious surveys.*
Travel physical therapists: Tell us about your experiences working in various clinical settings.
Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.
