Description
Assesses, treats and prevents disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease. Registration or licensing is required.
Skill Level
1
Alternative Titles
- Physical Therapist
Specializations
- Aquatic Physiotherapist
- Cardiothoracic Physiotherapist
- Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist
- Gerentological Physiotherapist
- Maori Physiotherapist (NZ)
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- Neurological Physiotherapist
- Occupational Health Physiotherapist
- Paediatric Physiotherapist
- Sports Physiotherapist
Skills Assessment Authority
Caveats
Group: 2525 Physiotherapists
Description
assess, treat and prevent disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease.
Tasks
- administering muscle, nerve, joint and functional ability tests to identify and assess physical problems of patients
- designing treatment programs to address patients’ problems
- treating patients to reduce pain, improve circulation, strengthen muscles, improve cardiothoracic, cardiovascular and respiratory functions, restore joint mobility, and improve balance and coordination
- using the therapeutic properties of exercise, heat, cold, massage, manipulation, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, ultraviolet and infra-red light and ultrasound in the treatment of patients
- reviewing, continually monitoring, assessing and evaluating programs and treatments
- consulting with other Health Professionals as required about patients’ problems, needs and progress
- instructing patients and their families in procedures to be continued at home
- recording treatments given and patients’ responses and progress
- developing and implementing screening and preventative health promotion programs
Skill Level
Occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).