Job Description:

• 1) Fabricates, fits, maintains, and repairs artificial limbs, plastic cosmetic appliances, and other prosthetic devices, according to prescription specifications and under guidance of PROSTHETIST or PROSTHETICS ASSISTANT : Reads specifications to determine type of prosthesis to be fabricated and materials and tools required.

• 2) Lays out and marks dimensions of parts, using precision measuring instruments and templates.

• 3) Saws, carves, cuts, and grinds wood, plastic, metal, or fabric to fabricate parts, using rotary sawing and cutting machines and hand cutting tools.

• 4) Drills and taps holes for rivets and screws, using drill press.

• 5) Glues, welds, bolts, sews, and rivets parts together to form prostheses, such as artificial limbs.

• 6) Makes wax or plastic impression of patient's amputated area, prepares mold from impression, and pours molten plastic into mold to form cosmetic appliances, such as artificial ear, nose, or hand.

• 7) Assembles layers of padding over prosthesis and fits and attaches outer covering, such as leather, sheet plastic, or fiberglass, over device, using sewing machine, rivet gun, and handtools.

• 8) Mixes pigments according to formula to duplicate skin coloring of patient and applies pigments to outer covering of prosthesis.

• 9) Polishes finished device, using grinding and buffing wheels.

• 10) Tests prostheses for freedom of movement, alignment of parts, and biomechanical stability, using plumbline, goniometer, and alignment fixtures.

• 11) May harness prosthesis to patient's stump, applying knowledge of functional anatomy.

• 12) May instruct patient in use of prosthesis.

• 13) May also perform functions of ORTHOTICS TECHNICIAN.