Therapeutic Massage

Abilities and Skills Necessary for the Profession

• Physical and mental proficiency
• Energy to fulfill responsibilities of the role
• Visual acuity (with corrective devices as needed)
• Color vision, depth perception, peripheral vision
• Process and Respond Effectively to Auditory Communication
• Communication which can be understood by all persons across the lifespan
• Tactile ability
• Manual Dexterity to perform all necessary skills in all limbs and hands.
• Strength to push, pull and lift
• Strength/ability to carry, stoop, squat and bend
• Ability to:
• Reach above shoulder height
• Stand/walk for long periods
• Organize and effectively manage time to meet deadlines
• Perform neat and accurate work
• Respond to increasing pressure, emergencies, and workload.
• Set priorities.
• The student must continuously be open to communication and transmit and receive communication with faculty and other students, as deemed appropriate. Students must follow chain of command for issues or concerns for the course, given to the student on the first day of class.
• Communicate effectively with the health care team and consumer of health care services,
• Document completely and legibly, using acceptable professional terminology.
• Computer literacy.

Technical Standards of the Profession

• Observation: Students must have sufficient sensory capacity to observe and participate in the classroom, laboratory, and all clinical settings. Functional capacities must be adequate to accurately observe vision, hearing, olfactory, and tactile sensation to accurately observe or assess clients and to elicit information through procedures regularly required in the care of clients or groups of clients.
  
• Communication: Students must be able to communicate effectively in the classroom, laboratory, and all clinical settings with clients, families, and members of the health care team.  Students must demonstrate evidence of effective written and interactive communication skills and technological literacy.
  
• Motor: Students must have sufficient motor function to participate in basic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and to provide effective, quality care to clients.  Motor function includes both gross and fine motor skills, strength and coordination, physical stamina, and should be sufficient to allow the student to endure long periods of sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting, twisting, and crouching and moving about in complex health care environments.
  
• Intellectual: Students must be able to perform measurements, and calculations, read charts and graphs, adhere to professional ethics, and demonstrate a professional manner and insight in the communication process.  In order to complete any coursework in the Health Education and Nurse Aide programs, the student must be able to demonstrate mastery in reading and comprehension and use them together to demonstrate critical thinking and clinical reasoning.
  
• Behavior and Social: Students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and prompt completion of all academic and client care responsibilities.  The development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with clients and other members of the health care team is essential.  The role requires flexibility, compassion, integrity, and motivation.
  
• Emotional Intelligence: Students must possess and further develop emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence encompasses knowledge and management of one's own emotional life and the skills to process the various workplace and client situations that arise including death of a client unexpectedly or with prolonged suffering, negative responses to care, or strained work environments or coworker relationships.  Responses to giving and receiving feedback both positive and negative are also a part of emotional intelligence.