Physiotherapy Support Personnel

Support Personnel and the Nova Scotia Physiotherapy Association

Individuals working as Support Personnel within a physiotherapy setting in Nova Scotia are warmly invited to join the Canadian Physiotherapy Association's National Support Worker Assembly (NSWA).  The Assembly was formed in 2005, and has members from across Canada.  For individuals living/working in Nova Scotia, membership in the Assembly provides access to both Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) and Nova Scotia Physiotherapy Association (NSPA) resources such as newsletters, members-only website access, networking opportunities and more.

For information on NSWA activities and how to join, please visit the CPA's NSWA web pages.  For information on working as a Physiotherapist Assistant in Nova Scotia, or for information on Nova Scotia membership benefits for NSWA members, please contact the NSPA office at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Guiding Principles for Working with Support Personnel

• Support personnel must work under the supervision of a physiotherapist.
• Physiotherapists maintain responsibility and accountability for the quality of the supervision provided.
• Physiotherapists are required to make a judgment about the knowledge, skills and abilities of the support personnel prior to assigning tasks.
• Decision to delegate to the support personnel includes factors such as education, training, competence, the environment and the client needs.
• Physiotherapists are to obtain informed consent from each client for the involvement of a physiotherapy support personnel in the delivery of their physiotherapy treatment plan.

Physiotherapy Support Personnel:  Defininitions & Education

There are two main groups of Physiotherapy support personnel in Canada:  physiotherapy/rehabilitation assistant (group 1) and physiotherapy/ rehabilitation aide (group 2).  The differences between the two groups pertain to the level of formal education, and are defined as follows.

Physiotherapy/Rehabilitation Assistant (Group 1 Physiotherapy Support Personnel)

The educational background of all physiotherapy/rehabilitation assistants includes all of the following:

1. A curriculum that prepares students for physiotherapy practice models in Canada.
2. A broadly ranging curriculum to match the variety of physiotherapy environments and client populations.
3. A college diploma/certificate from a recognized post-secondary program that includes a minimum of three terms full time equivalent study of which:

• One term's equivalent must be in physiotherapy-specific coursework (e.g., use of ambulatory aids, electrotherapy modality instruction, the principles of therapeutic exercise) that includes classroom and laboratory work; and
• One term's equivalent in physiotherapist-supervised training/fieldwork; and
• One term's equivalent of generic, program related coursework (e.g., anatomy, physiology)

     4.  Educational program faculty includes registered physiotherapist(s).

Physiotherapy/Rehabilitation Aide (Group 2 Physiotherapist Support Personnel)

The educational background of all physiotherapy/rehabilitation aides includes all of the following:

1.   Completion of ‘on-the-job' training that:

• Prepares the personnel for the provision of physiotherapy services in that specific work setting.
• Is directed by a licensed physiotherapist.
• Is physiotherapy-specific.
• Can be variable in length and content depending on the background of the support personnel and the needs of the client(s).

2.    Physiotherapy/rehabilitation aides may have various levels and types of formal education, but their education does not meet all aspects of the criteria for physiotherapy/rehabilitation assistants.
It is assumed that Physiotherapy/Rehabilitation Aides are a heterogeneous group with a large variation in educational background. As a result, fewer assumptions about knowledge, skills and attitudes can be made of everyone within this group.

Physiotherapist Responsibilities

The physiotherapist maintains responsibility for the physiotherapy treatment delivered to all clients under his/her care.  It is, therefore, always the responsibility of the physiotherapist to:

• Interpret referrals and obtain informed consent,
• Conduct initial and ongoing assessments of the client and interpret the findings,
• Formulate the treatment plan, with goals, in consultation with the client,
• Decide what, if any, components or modifications of the treatment plan can be safely delegated to a physiotherapy support personnel,
• Ensure appropriate documentation,
• Re-evaluate and/or modify treatment plan and goals,
• Provide appropriate education to clients, families and other caregivers,
• Conduct discharge planning.

The physiotherapist is accountable for the appropriate assignment of duties to the physiotherapy support personnel under his/her supervision, and shall not delegate to a less qualified person:

• Any task that the physiotherapist has not observed the support personnel perform competently, or
• Any task that requires the unique skill, knowledge and judgment of a physiotherapist, or
• A task or procedure in a situation where risk requires the continuous clinical judgment of a physiotherapist.

Physiotherapists with questions regarding the clinical role of support personnel and/or the supervision of support personnel should contact the Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Our thanks are extended to the Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists for their contribution of content regarding Principles, Definition / Education, and Responsibilities.