Tag: therapy

How to Rehab Your Therapy Résumé

Whether or not you are actively searching for a new therapy job, keeping your résumé current is always smart. Here are some tips to get yours in top shape.

Whether or not you are actively searching for a new therapy job—we have a lot of those, if you are, though—keeping your résumé current just in case is always a good idea. Here are some tips to make sure your therapy résumé is in top shape.

Start with the Basics

Just like your patients, you have to walk before you run. Start with a clean, modern layout that breaks your information into easily identifiable sections, so the hiring manager, recruiter, or other important person whose hands your résumé falls into can easy see your selling points—and this is about selling yourself.

Some great examples of templates we love can be found here, here, and here. Be sure to use clean, easy-to-read fonts (side note: it is never appropriate to use Comic Sans), and always save a copy of your résumé as a .PDF file to retain formatting.

Objective: Ditch the “Objective”

Since you are selling yourself, you need to identify your personal brand, and put that at the top of your résumé in a professional summary, instead of an outdated “objective”. Your objective is to get the job—that’s already clear.

Start with your personal brand statement—a good trick for this is: a few words describing your strengths + who you are + your experience + your unique expertise. For example: An empathetic, tech-savvy Doctor of Physical Therapy, who has served the pediatric population for five years, with a special focus on treating those with Autism spectrum disorder.

Follow your personal brand statement with a professional summary. Highlight your expertise level and education accomplishments, if they are impressive enough to include here—such as a high GPA or special honors, and use strong action words (pioneered, increased, managed, achieved, generated, conceptualized, collaborated, and so on) to further drive your value.

School Them On Your Schooling

Education is a big selling point for therapy professionals—and, obviously, for us, since we’re mentioning it again. Your education, continuing education, and other certifications are your core, and recruiters and hiring companies are interested in them. Any schooling and training you have completed and completed well should be placed in its own section, and, if formatting allows, placed above your clinical experience.

Focus on Your Accomplishments

Don’t just bullet point your responsibilities in your previous roles, focus on what you have accomplished—maybe even brag a little.

List your experience in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent role at the top, and expand on the points you touched on in your professional summary. This is a good place to get in some keywords (which will help your résumé get through the automated process of screening candidates and into the hands of an actual human, mind you) and talk about populations you’ve treated, modalities you’ve used, EHR you’re familiar with, and so on.

You can even include volunteer experience here, if it bolsters your brand.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Breaking Down MIPS for PTs, OTs, and SLPs

2019 is coming, and so is Medicare’s Merit-Based Incentive Payment System. Here’s an easy-to-follow breakdown of what PTs, OTs, and SLPs need to know.

from WebPT

Medicare’s Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)—the forthcoming payment mechanism that will provide annual updates, based on performance in quality, resource use, clinical practice improvement activities, and meaningful use of an electronic health record system—has two main questions that surround it for therapy professionals: whether or not all physical, occupational, and speech therapists need to report, and if there is a penalty, how to avoid it. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, over at WebPT breaks down what you can actually expect in terms of MIPS, without any over-dramatization or scare tactics.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Holiday Gift Guide for Children with SPD

The holidays can be hard on children with sensory processing disorders. Here is a guide of sensory-friendly items your patients’ families might want to add to their lists this year.

The holidays can be hard on children with sensory processing disorders—everything from being surrounded by strangers at holiday dinners to sitting on Santa’s lap can be hurdles for your patients and their families to climb, or events for them to flat out avoid—but as awareness of SPD grows, more and more options are available to help children better enjoy the gifting aspects of the upcoming holiday season. Below is a guide of well-reviewed, sensory-friendly items your patients families might want to add to their lists this year.


Photo credit: Amazon.com

Abilitations Teacher’s Pet Weighted Lap Dog

Featured Review:
“This was perfect in every way for my son with autism and sensory processing disorder.”


Photo credit: Amazon.com

Educational Insights Playfoam Pals Wild Animals 6-Pack

Featured Review:
“These are great special treats that are a wonderful alternative to a traditional “surprize egg”. You get the initial excitement of “what toy did I get” coupled with the long term sensory play of the foam!”


Photo credit: Amazon.com

Educational Insights Playfoam Combo 8-Pack

Featured Review:
“I work with kids who have autism, and this a great alternative to Playdoh.”


Photo credit: Amazon.com

CoolSand 3D Sandbox – Dino Discovery Edition

Featured Review:
“Great sensory play toy for my 2 and 5 year old boys. This helps them to calm down and play together nicely.”


Photo credit: Amazon.com

BizyBeez MagStix Sensory Magnetic STEM Toys Building Set for Kids

Featured Review:
“I like all of the different pieces: straight, curved, balls, half spheres, and wheels. I also appreciate the different textures of the items for my son with sensory processing.”

Please note: HealthJobsNationwide.com receives no compensation for recommending these items and makes no warranties regarding their safety. Items listed above should be evaluated individually for potential risks and hazards.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Majority of Patients Expect Opioids After Surgery

Despite campaigns by the therapy community, and the government, to loosen the grip of opioids in the U.S., patients still expect them after surgery.

Despite the mounting opioid crisis in the United States, a staggering 77% of patients expect opioids, such as morphine, fentanyl, and dilaudid, after surgery, according to a study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting.

Researchers surveyed 503 adults who were scheduled to have surgery for the back, ear-nose-and-throat, abdomen, or hip or knee replacement. Survey results showed that all 503 patients expected to receive pain medication after surgery—77% expected opioids, 37% expected acetaminophen, and 18% expected a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.

“Patients often assume they will receive opioids for pain, believing they are superior, and therefore may pressure physicians to prescribe them after surgery. But research shows opioids often aren’t necessarily more effective. Clearly, we need to provide more education to bridge that gap and help patients understand that there are many options for pain relief after surgery, including other pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.” Nirmal B. Shah, D.O., lead author of the study and an anesthesia resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, is quoted as saying.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

PT Supported Opioid Bill Ready for President’s Signature

Landmark legislation to fight the opioid epidemic, supported by the APTA, is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Last week, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that aims to combat the staggering opioid epidemic that has been impacting this country at an alarming rate by a 98-1 margin, and it will now head to the White House for Donald Trump’s signature, making it law.

Being hailed as “landmark” legislation by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, it includes provisions aimed at promoting research to find alternative, less addictive medications for pain management, as well as covering treatment for opioid addiction and use disorder, and efforts to prevent foreign shipments of illegal opioids.

The legislation is supported by the APTA, as well as scores of physical therapists. “The bill now on its way to the White House represents a significant step in the right direction,” APTA congressional affairs senior specialist, Kristina Weger, is quoted as saying. “But there’s much more work to be done—there are many provisions that direct agencies to begin reviews and studies on potential changes that we may not see for years. We need to continue our advocacy and outreach to help fight this crisis.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How to Ask for Referrals Without Freaking Out

Asking for referrals is a necessity to grow your practice and make it thrive, but some therapists are uncomfortable doing so.

from Evidence in Motion

Some therapists may have a little anxiety or feel uncomfortable about asking for referrals in an effort to grow their practice. However, as your practice needs clients to thrive, asking for referrals is a necessary evil. Learn how to do it right in this handy breakdown of three principles that work from Evidence in Motion.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Great Podcasts for PTs, OTs, and SLPs

Podcasts are a great way for busy therapy professionals to absorb practical advice and tips, and maybe even be entertained, while you’re on the go.

Podcasts are a fantastic and free way to absorb information—and often be entertained—while on the go, which can be quite beneficial for busy therapy professionals. Below are some great podcasts, broken down by specialty, for your listening pleasure.

Physical Therapy:

Senior Rehab Project – Listen Now
The Senior Rehab Podcast brings you helpful conversations for rehab clinicians that serve older adults. Dustin Jones, PT, DPT, CSCS, RKC, speaks with industry leaders to draw out useful, practical information for YOU – the rehab clinician. Whether you’re a physical therapist, PTA, student, or seasoned veteran, the Senior Rehab Podcast will prove to be helpful for you in your practice.

Dr. Scott Gray’s Redefining Physical Therapy Podcast – Listen Now
Sport and spine injury specialist, Dr. Scott Gray, interviews other elite level physical therapists helping to redefine the physical therapy profession. Practical advice and tips are shared on this podcast that clinicians can apply TODAY in their practice, not research.

Therapy Insiders Podcast – Listen Now
Hosts Gene Shirokobrod PT, DPT, OMPT, Joe Palmer PT, DPT, OMPT, CSCS, and Erson Religioso III, DPT, MS, MTC, CertMDT, CFC, CSCS, FMT, FAAOMPT interview prominent guests to help shed light on various therapeutic topics ranging from joint manipulations, functional training, business ownership while being a clinician, sports rehab and much more. We cover Physical Therapy (PT), Manual therapy, rehab, sports medicine, business practice, and many more topics.

The PT Source – Listen Now
The PT Source Podcast with Matt Laporte brings you the latest articles, blog posts, research and web content in an easily digestible format. Welcome to the easy way to stay up to date with the latest in the field of physical therapy and exercise science.

Physical Therapy Forensics – Listen Now
Evidence truly meets practice on this podcast where we take a look at the latest research affecting the treatment of your patients/clients. Taking a practical approach to evidence-based practice.

Occupational Therapy:

Seniors Flourish Podcast – Listen Now
The Seniors Flourish Podcast helps occupational therapy practitioners working with older adults be the best they can be – not only by showcasing relevant interviews, answering questions, current articles and hot topics, but also to get OT practitioners EXCITED about working with older adults, give actionable ideas that listeners can take and use in their own practice and have some FUN along the way.

Occupational Therapy Insights – Listen Now
Occupational Therapy Insights is a show for parents, educational professionals, and occupational therapists, that delves into the world of occupational therapy. Here occupational therapy is broken down into its simplest form for all to understand. The show is hosted by Dr. Frederick Covington, an occupational therapy professor, author, award winning inventor, and occupational therapy private practice owner.

Occupied – Listen Now
A creative project exploring all things Occupation, Occupational Science, and Occupational Therapy. Each fortnight I am to showcase a topic or therapist and to have a discussion exploring OT related ideas and concepts. My aim is to challenge you, make you think and provide you with guidance wherever possible.

Joyriding In Autismland: Autism Podcast with Kid Gigawatt – Listen Now
Launched by parents of an infectiously funny and *mostly* happy boy on the spectrum, the Joyriding in Autismland podcast chats with ASD parents, kiddos, therapists, writers, and artists about the unexpected, charming, and funny moments with autism. Because laughing? Is the best vacation.

ADHD Experts Podcast – Listen Now
Leading ADHD experts give real-life answers to questions submitted by ADD adults and parents raising children with attention deficit disorder across a range of topics covering symptoms, school, work, and family life. Note on audio quality: This podcast is a recording of a webinar series, and the audio has been captured from telephone conversations, not recorded in a studio.

Speech Therapy:

The Speech Space Podcast – Listen Now
Looking for some fresh ideas for your speech therapy sessions? The Speech Space podcast is a podcast full of tips and resources for speech-language pathologists working in the schools or private practice.

Speech and Language Kids Podcast – Listen Now
Carrie Clark, a speech-language pathologist from Columbia, Missouri, offers resources, information, and activities for speech therapists and parents of children with speech and language development and delays. While Carrie’s materials will provide great information for speech therapists, they will also empower families to use fun and easy activities to improve their child’s speech and language skills at home. Activities and information cover a range of ages, ability levels, and disabilities. Topics covered include: articulation, apraxia, phonology, language, late talkers, alternative/augmentative communication (AAC), autism, stuttering, reading, social skills, down syndrome, following directions, answering questions, grammar, etc. Educators and other professionals will also love this easy-to-follow information and the step-by-step guides.

Speech Therapy: Storm of the Brains – Listen Now
Speech therapist Carrie Clark brainstorms ideas and answers to your speech therapy questions. Carrie Clark will bring on guest speech-language pathologists to answer your questions. Speech therapists can call in questions for Carrie and her guest to answer on air. Listen in as Carrie Clark and her guest brainstorm ideas to help you with your toughest cases. Plus, tune in each week for a giveaway!

True Confessions with Lisa & Sarah – Listen Now
This is the true story of two school-based SLPs who decided to start a business and are stupid enough to record it. Find out what happens when we stop being polite and start getting real.

More than Child’s Play – Listen Now
Join Speech Therapist Lacy Morise and Physical Therapist Nicole Sergent as the host warm and helpful conversations around their table where the early childhood world and daily parenting life meet. The friends and professionals from their village will inspire, challenge, and support you in your own journey as a parent, early childhood professional, or therapist.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Speaking with a Speech Language Pathologist

“Those moments when there is progress and I have changed my clients lives for the better carry me through the difficult times,” says Christie Moran, MS, CCC/SLP-L in this interview about what she has loved, and learned, about being an SLP.

Christie Moran, MS, CCC/SLP-L has been a practicing Speech Language Pathologist for 14 years, serving in many different settings and across varying populations. In this interview, she lets us in on her experiences in speech therapy, as well as what she’s learned, and loved, over the course of her career.

Why did you choose to become an SLP? What drew you to this line of work? Is your experience as an SLP what you expected it would be?

I knew I wanted to work in healthcare. I enjoyed interacting with both kids and older adults through my volunteering opportunities. I loved learning about language development and how the brain processes language has always been fascinating to me.

I have never regretted my career choice, but my experience has not been what I expected. I always saw myself working in a hospital; however, both professional and personal choices have moved me further from that choice and I find myself working more and more in schools. This profession has given me the opportunity to work in different settings and with different populations, not all careers would have that choice. I am able to personalize my career to my needs, both personal and professional, and I am extremely thankful for that.

What sort of setting do you work in?

I have experience in schools, early childhood, home health, early intervention, private clinics, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, outpatient adult clinics, and as a hippotherapist (using horses as a therapy modality) and using pet assisted therapy and natural settings. Last year, I worked with a school district as a case manager and therapist for 20 students aged pre-school through 2nd grade, one day a week, and a therapist for a unique communication and behavior program for students aged pre-school through 1st grade, 4 days a week.

As you know, SLPs see clients ranging from young children to the elderly, which population do you serve and why did you choose that area?

I maintain certifications and continuing education with both pediatric and elderly populations. Being a speech-language pathologist can be very intense and challenging. Unfortunately, burnout is common in our profession and one way I avoid burnout is by working with a variety of clients and diagnosis in different settings. Recently, I have been working with students diagnosed with autism and other genetic disorders and motor speech disorders to help them develop functional and social language skills, including developing augmentative and alternative communication systems to help them communicate.

What are the most rewarding parts of being an SLP? The most challenging?

I love helping my clients and their families communicate and become functional communicators. I love working with families and collaborating with families and other professionals. I am a lifelong learner and enjoy learning different ways to help my clients communicate, improve their swallowing, feeding and oral motor speech skills. I enjoy being challenged to keep it relevant to my individual clients, so that they are engaged and are able to carryover the skills I teach them. Those moments when there is progress and I have changed my clients lives for the better carry me through the difficult times. Whether it is celebrating with an elderly man and his wife when he is able to safely swallow his favorite meal again to when a 4-year-old child is able to request his favorite toy using picture choices and eye contact.

I would say the most challenging part of my job is the paperwork and keeping up with the ever-changing laws and regulations that need to be followed.

Is there any advice, or tricks of the trade, you’d like to impart to your fellow SLPs, or those looking to get into the profession? In your opinion, what personal or professional qualities make someone a good SLP?

A good SLP must have passion and patience. A desire for lifelong learning. An ability to communicate and collaborate with families and other professionals. Professional qualities should include the ability to set priorities and manage time well, a quality I am still learning. There are many types of SLPs out there, and many different settings and opportunities, I would tell those in the profession already and those entering it to remember to stay flexible, explore your options and different settings through networking, contract work and mentoring opportunities, and remember, everything changes, all the time, so enjoy the good times and prepare for the challenging ones.

Interested in sharing some insight about your specialty and experience with your fellow therapy professionals? Email us to set up an interview.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

3 Ways to Enhance the Patient Experience

Happy patients make for a thriving practice. Are you overlooking these three core ways to keep your patients satisfied?

Therapists, by nature, are caring individuals, but in practice, sometimes caring about the patient experience can get a little lost in the day to day hustle. Here are three core ways you can enhance the patient experience to keep patients satisfied and your practice thriving.

Create an Inviting Environment

It has been proven, in some cases, the physical environment a patient is in can actually help them heal faster. Since healing is a main focus of physical therapy, creating a positive, welcoming environment is a good place to start, when enhancing the patient experience. Everything from the ambience of the waiting room to a friendly and well-informed front office staff should be taken into consideration.

While no patient likes to wait, it is often inevitable that they will have to, be it because they arrived early or you are running late. Make the wait more bearable by creating an inviting space. Everything from providing comfortable seating to making use of natural light can make a huge difference in terms of atmosphere. Stock the with toys and coloring books for children (whether or not you treat children) and set the mood with soothing music via Pandora or Spotify, if you’d like to forgo fitting the space with a television.

Staff your reception area with a friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable team, who will provide one-on-one, patient-focused customer service. Have them greet patients by name and with a smile, and make sure they are intimately familiar with office policies and procedures, so they can answer any questions your patients may have.

If you are running late, respect that your patient’s time is also valuable and have your front office staff let them know there is a delay. Having your front office staff offer an apology and give updates on how long they can expect to wait can go a long way in managing expectations, as well as easing any frustrations your patients may be.

Communication is Key

Communicating effectively will not only help to foster a strong provider-patient relationship and, in turn, may create better outcomes, but also lends itself well to a positive patient experience, all around.

From the very beginning, work to keep your patient in the know on everything from how to get to the office the very first time and where to park, to office policies and procedures, including paperwork and payments, right on through to their care plan, including the benefits of therapy, what is happening during their sessions, and what is expected of them, during and after each. While your schedule may be packed, and you may not have time to sit and chat with each patient for hours on end, make sure that they know they can ask questions, particularly about their care.

Having a therapist that is accessible and friendly can be an important factor for patient satisfaction, and a well-informed patient will very likely be a happier, more motivated and compliant one.

Ask for Feedback

No news isn’t always good news, no matter how the adage goes, and the things your patients aren’t telling you could be holding you back from reaching your patient satisfaction goals. So, in the spirit of communication being key, know that it has to work both ways.

Ask your patients to provide feedback in the form of patient satisfaction surveys, either digitally or on paper, as a part of their end-of-treatment process. This not only allows you to be aware of where you could be failing in providing the best care and experience, but tells you where you really shine.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Physical Therapy and the Gender Pay Gap

Though typically a female-dominated industry, a new report indicates that women PTs are still paid less than their male counterparts.

Despite being widely disputed by non-believers, there is no shortage of data showing that the gender pay gap is alive and well, with women being paid just 80% of what men are paid, on average. It seems that holds true in the physical therapy profession, as well.

Though typically a female-dominated industry, the 2018 State of Rehab Therapy report from WebPT shows that females are still earning less than their male counterparts. This is despite females now outpacing males in all leadership categories, except C-level executive roles, in which men out-represent women by only 9%. As reported by therapists themselves, more than half of the therapists who responded to the report indicated their salaries fell into the range of $50,000 to $90,000, with nearly a third falling into the $60,000 to $80,000 range. However, men were more significantly represented in the $70,001+ salary range, and females were more significantly represented in the salary range below $70,000. These findings are on par with the latest U.S. Census data from 2016, which showed that within the physical therapy occupation, women earn only 87.6% of their male equivalents’ salaries.

With more females in places of leadership within therapy practices around the country, these numbers may shift, in time. However, it is projected by the American Association of University Women that, as a whole, the gender pay gap across all industries is not expected to be closed until 2119.

These numbers, however, do not seem to be upsetting therapists too much, overall. According to the report, more than 60% of therapists who responded agreed that they liked being a therapist, which may indicate that success and satisfaction cannot only be measured by numbers.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.