Outpatient Physical Therapy Assistant
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur Memorial Hospital

Outpatient Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) - Travel/Contract Position

Location: Decatur, Illinois
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Details

• Specialty: Therapy/Rehabilitation
• Shift: 5x8 hour days (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM), open to 4x10 hour days
• Experience Required: Minimum 1 year of PTA experience (higher value confirmed)
• First-timers: Not accepted
• Weekend Requirement: None
• On-call: No
• Floating: No floating within scope
• Schedule: Monday-Friday, blocked schedule
• Locals Accepted: Yes, no radius restrictions
• License: Active Illinois PTA license required (no pending licenses accepted)
• Return to Office Restrictions: Ideally no more than 5 days

Required Certifications

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• Illinois State PTA License

Required Skills and Experience

Specialty/Patient Population

• Neurology
• Orthopedics

Work Setting

• Outpatient Clinic

Assessment Skills

• Adaptive Devices
• AROM/AAROM/PROM
• Assistive Devices
• Body Mechanics
• Identifying Environmental Barriers
• Pain Assessment
• Sensory Response
• Skin Integrity
• Strength Testing
• Vital Signs

Documentation Skills

• Discharge
• Evaluation
• Long Term Goals
• Plan of Care
• Reassessments
• RUG Levels
• Short Term Goals
• Time Management

Orthopedic Case Experience

• Ankle Sprains
• Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
• Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)
• Elbow Injuries/Tendinopathy
• Extremity Mobilization
• Frozen Shoulder
• Gait Training
• Hip Fractures/Injuries
• Knee Injuries/Tendinopathy
• Low Back Pain
• Myofascial Release
• Osteoarthritis
• Post-op Cervical Surgery
• Post-op Shoulder Repair
• Post-op Spinal Surgery
• Spinal Conditions
• Taping
• Total Hip Replacement
• Total Knee Replacement

Neurologic Case Experience

• Post Stroke Rehabilitation

Professional Skills and Knowledge

• Home Exercise Program
• Lifting and Transfers
• Patient and Family Education
• Scheduling Appointments
• Recognizing Signs & Symptoms of Physical, Sexual, Psychological Abuse
• Telephone Communication

Billing Experience

• Commercial Insurance
• Medicaid
• Medicare A & B
• Private Pay
• Worker's Compensation

Age-Specific Competencies

• Middle Adult
• Older Adult

Electronic Medical Records

• WebPT EHR required
• EMR experience preferred

Facility Information

• Type: Acute Care Hospital
• Trauma Level: Level II Trauma Center
• Beds: 372 staffed beds
• Scrub Color: Gray scrubs or professional attire
• Charting System: Cerner
• Parking: Permit required, no cost

Background and Compliance Requirements

• Valid/current US Driver’s License or US ID
• Background Check within 30 days covering all locations lived/worked in past 7 years
• EPLS/GSA/SAM, HHS/OIG checks within 30 days
• Illinois-specific searches including Department of Corrections, Most Wanted, and State Police registries within 30 days
• Education Verification (degree verification required)
• Fingerprinting via Illinois Health Care Worker Registry (must be completed in Illinois 3 business days prior to start)
• Competency Exam required for all clinical/allied candidates
• Photo for badge required before start
• Code of Conduct acknowledgment
• Flu vaccine or approved exemption required annually
• Physical exam within 1 year of start, including labs within 7 days of contract signing
• Fit mask test required (specific mask types accepted)
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year
• Immunizations or titers for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Varicella
• 9-panel drug screen within 30 days of start
• References: 2 professional references required

Additional Notes

• No prior travel experience explicitly required for this position
• Candidate may be called off up to 36 hours per 13-week assignment without pay for those hours
• Schedule is blocked Monday through Friday; no weekend or on-call required

This position is ideal for experienced outpatient PTAs licensed in Illinois with strong skills in neurology and orthopedics, comfortable working in an acute care outpatient setting with a structured weekday schedule.