Our Physiotherapy Interns work alongside our Physiotherapists to treat patients, undertaking the jobs that are essential to the physiotherapist’s work. They look after patients on their arrival for treatment, set up and clear away equipment, work on exercises with patients and show them how to use mobility aids such as wheelchairs. They also have clerical duties such as booking appointments and writing notes.
The Physiotherapy Interns support Physiotherapists in treating people and in rehabilitation, for example, enabling people who have had strokes to learn how to walk again or to use their hands again after paralysis. They help the Physiotherapist to deliver treatments in many ways, including through exercise, massage, fitness classes, hydrotherapy, and heat and ice. Our Physiotherapy Interns often greet patients when they arrive for treatment. This is a good opportunity to reassure anxious patients, listen to their concerns, answer questions and explain what they should expect from seeing the Physiotherapist. During treatment, they help in moving and handling the patient. Our Physiotherapy Interns also take the patient through basic treatments and exercise programmes, according to the Physiotherapist’s instructions. They encourage and motivate patients to perform the exercises but will monitor them carefully to make sure they are doing them correctly and not risking further injury. Often our Physiotherapy Interns are able to work unsupervised in carrying out set exercise programmes. They carefully record any changes in the patient’s condition and report them to the Physiotherapist. As a Physiotherapy Intern they help to maintain equipment, store materials and order replacement parts when needed.
To become a Physiotherapy Intern, people ideally need the ability to get on with patients from all backgrounds; patience, tact and understanding the ability to encourage, persuade and reassure people; listening skills; the ability to explain things clearly; teamwork skills; clerical skills for record keeping and booking appointments; and physical fitness, as this is an active job.
A key part of the Physiotherapy Intern’s role is to learn moving and handling techniques and will use equipment to help in this.
One route into becoming a Physiotherapy Intern with us is to apply directly for a vacancy and then receive on-the-job training. An Advanced Level Apprenticeship is a great place to start. Training covers areas such as health and safety, working in teams, moving and handling, maintaining records and monitoring stock. In addition, a number of universities offer part-time courses that they have designed specifically for Physiotherapy Interns who want to become Physiotherapists. We are also open to our experienced Physiotherapy Interns to study part-time for a degree in physiotherapy, in order to become registered Physiotherapists.
01795 534113
contact@kessonphysio.co.uk