Are you interested in becoming a rehabilitation aide? A rehabilitation aide plays a critical role in helping rehabilitate patients recovering from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. As a rehabilitation aide, you work under the supervision of occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals. You complete many daily tasks to help patients. Let us explore the duties of a rehabilitation aide and learn more about what it takes to become one so that you can better map out your journey.
What Does a Rehabilitation Aide Do?
A rehabilitation aide works alongside a physical or occupational therapist and assists them with patients during rehabilitation appointments. To effectively help patients you will complete multiple tasks. These tasks include:
Assist Patients with Transfers and Ambulation
Patients may have mobility issues and need assistance while ambulating or when transferring from one surface to another. You also help them with tasks of daily living like dressing and toileting.
Exercises
You can assist the therapist in helping patients perform their exercises thoroughly and adequately.
Patient Education and Motivation
You will assist in teaching your patients the importance of maintaining their prescribed therapy routines. You also help to keep patients motivated and support them throughout the rehabilitation process.
Administrative Tasks
Rehabilitation aides often help with various administrative tasks. These tasks include scheduling appointments, managing supply inventory, and maintaining patient records. You may also answer phones, help with patient intake, and check in patients for their appointments.
Cleaning and Setting Up Equipment
You will use the safety standards created by your facility to sanitize all equipment and maintain all equipment clean while ensuring that items are returned to their proper place after each use. You will learn how equipment is set up correctly to maximize performance.
How Do You Become a Rehabilitation Aide?
To become a rehabilitation aide, you can complete a diploma program. While the diploma is not required, a formal education ensures you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed as a rehabilitation aide. During this program, you develop vital social skills and critical thinking abilities. As you work through this program, you will experience enhanced personal growth and get a chance to network with those in your field. It can also increase your career opportunities.
What Classes Will You Take During Our Rehabilitation Aide Diploma Program?
During the Rehabilitation Aide diploma program, you take several classes. These classes ensure you have a solid foundation and the necessary skills to thrive in this field. The classes include:
English Composition
English composition is an essential class for improving articulate expression and critical thinking. It also helps you build persuasive and clear arguments. During this class, you will conduct research, analyze texts, and engage in peer reviews. Your professor also has you write various papers to expand your English skills.
Fundamentals of Oral Communication
This class helps you to develop vital listening and speaking skills. It covers speech organization, using visual aids, non-verbal and verbal communication, and audience analysis. During this class, you will give persuasive, informative, and impromptu speeches to your fellow classmates. Your professor and fellow students provide feedback to help you improve. Once you complete this class, you will have enhanced interpersonal communication and public speaking abilities.
College Algebra I
This is a foundational Math class that helps you to learn algebraic techniques and principles. You learn about quadratic and linear equations, functions, polynomials, systems of equations, inequalities, graphs, and rational expressions. Throughout the class, you develop solid mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Another element of this class is helping you to take algebraic methods and learn how to apply them to real-world problems.
Medical Terminology
Part of being a successful rehabilitation aide means being proficient in medical terminology. During this class, you learn about medical term structure and the terms that apply to different diseases, treatments, body systems, and procedures. You will also study various medical terms’ root words, prefixes, and suffixes. This foundational knowledge is essential to be successful in your role as a rehabilitation aide.
Biomedical Ethics
Your biomedical ethics class examines various ethical issues in the biological and medical sciences. During this class, you learn about genetic testing, informed consent, research ethics, end-of-life decisions, patient rights, and confidentiality. Throughout the class, you examine ethical theories and moral principles and discuss how they apply to real-world healthcare scenarios. Once you complete the class, you can navigate complex moral dilemmas and have strengthened ethical reasoning and critical thinking skills.
General Psychology
This class helps you explore fundamental psychology theories and concepts. You learn about learning, cognition, emotion, mental health, human development, memory, motivation, and personality. You also examine different research methods, psychological perspectives, and ethical principles associated with psychology. The goal is to better understand how individuals think, behave, and perceive.
Human Growth and Development
During this class, you will learn about the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical changes people experience from conception to old age. You explore the various developmental stages and theories, learn about genetics, culture, environment, life experiences, and the other factors that impact development. Knowing how people change and grow over the years helps you provide adequate support and care for your patients throughout rehabilitation.
Introduction to Information Technology
This class provides foundational knowledge of IT concepts and computer systems. Since healthcare facilities rely heavily on computers, you must have a basic understanding of computers. During this class, you learn about operating systems, cybersecurity, software and hardware, networking, and databases. Plus, you will use different IT applications and tools throughout the class to prepare for your role as a rehabilitation aide.
Anatomy and Physiology I and II
Anatomy and physiology are comprehensive, so this class is often divided into two separate courses delivered over two semesters. During this more advanced class, you learn about the function and structure of the human body, and explore topics like tissue, organ systems, and cell and organ organization. You learn about the individual body systems and how they work together. Physiological processes like metabolism, reproduction, and homeostasis are also taught during this class. Expect to attend both laboratory activities and lectures to ensure that you get a comprehensive understanding of anatomy and physiology.
Introduction to Physical Therapy
In this class, you explore a variety of topics, such as legal and ethical considerations, scope of practice, history of physical therapy, and professional standards. You also explore common injuries and conditions that physical therapists treat and the different treatment and assessment techniques they use. Lectures and case studies are standard class components.
Final Thoughts
Rehabilitation aides are a critical part of a comprehensive healthcare team. With the right education and training, you can effectively assist patients in receiving efficient and safe therapy. You also support occupational and physical therapists to ensure that the entire rehabilitation process goes as smoothly as possible for everyone involved.
Eager to Learn More?
The Rehabilitation Aide Diploma provides the basic knowledge and skills required for graduates to work as an Aide supporting Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Occupational Therapy Assistants in the provision of rehabilitation services. Florida National University awards a Diploma following the completion of this program. This program also prepares students to apply to the Associate of Science Physical Therapist Assistant program.
Let Florida National University answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to learn more about our Rehabilitation Aide Diploma program.
