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Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists work with people of all ages to maintain and promote health, and restore function and independence when people have a disability or problem caused by physical, neurological (related to the brain and nervous system) or other disorders.

Tasks & duties

Physiotherapists may do some or all of the following:

assess and diagnose patients' injuries or functional problems
discuss movement problems with patients
observe patients as they carry out specific tasks
identify problems and the treatments needed to remedy them
use a range of treatments to reduce pain and improve movement
plan a range of exercises for patients to improve strength and fitness
keep records of patients' progress
educate people on the prevention of further injury
help improve breathing patterns (cardio-respiratory physiotherapy) and encourage/teach patients to relax
work as part of a team of health professionals to improve public health
help improve co-ordination, balance, muscle strength and sensation (neurological physiotherapy)
help children with disabilities co-ordinate their movements, growth and development
help rehabilitate people who have suffered from strokes and accidents
educate caregivers, family, and where appropriate, teachers, about the patient's physiotherapy programme
work with groups, such as antenatal groups or sports teams, to prevent problems
work in occupational health to ensure a safe work environment and assist injured workers return to work
run a business if self-employed

Specialisations

Physiotherapists often specialise by doing postgraduate training while working. A career pathway to recognise physiotherapist specialists has been developed.

Specialisations include:

working with children with disabilities
sports physiotherapy
acupuncture
hand therapy
acute trauma
mental health
women's health
occupational health physiotherapy
paediatrics
occupational therapy
neurorehabilitation (related to the brain and nervous system)

Skills & knowledge

Physiotherapists need to have:

knowledge of physiotherapy methods and equipment
a detailed knowledge of the biomedical sciences, including anatomy, physiology and pathology
an understanding of movement, injuries and disabilities
skill in performing mobilisation, exercise, movement retraining, manipulation and massage techniques
general knowledge of any medical conditions that may affect the treatment given
understanding of medical ethics
listening skills and the ability to communicate with a wide variety of people
teaching skills
observational skills
problem-solving skills
planning and organisational ability

Entry requirements

To become a physiotherapist you need to have a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in physiotherapy (BHSc) from the AUT University or a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPhty) from the University of Otago.
Both courses take four years and consist of a first year studying common health science and three years' studying physiotherapy.

Secondary education

Bursary or NCEA equivalent is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include English, biology, chemistry and physics.

Training on the job

Physiotherapists continue to develop their skills on the job. They also attend postgraduate courses to learn new techniques to update their skills.

Registration

On completion of the four-year physiotherapy degree you must register with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand to obtain an Annual Practising Certificate. You are then registered to work as a physiotherapist in New Zealand.
Immigrants with a physiotherapy qualification from a different country must also register with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand before they can practise physiotherapy in New Zealand.

Useful experience

Admission to the two schools of physiotherapy is largely based on academic achievement and places are limited.
However, experience working as a nurse aide or physiotherapy assistant is useful, as is any work in the health sector. Occupational health nursing and counselling experience is also helpful.