Physical Therapist

Full Job Description

The Physical Therapist is responsible for the care and treatment of patients referred to the Physical Therapy Section of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) within the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System.

The incumbent will spend the majority of time working in the inpatient Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP) and the Intensive Evaluation & Treatment Program (IETP)/RENEW Program.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements: (a) United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

(b) Education and Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.

Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. Doctorate degree in physical therapy.

NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university.

The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs.

Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org. (c) Licensure.

Individuals must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C.

7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed.

Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

GS-11 (Entry Level) Grade Determinations: (a) Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (b) Assignment.

PTs at this level are responsible for providing assessment and treatment intervention.

PTs plan and modify treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition.

PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any physical therapy program area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required or may serve as the sole PT such as in an outpatient clinic.

Licensed PTs may provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegate non-patient care duties to non-licensed staff.

PTs that are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed PT. GS-12 (Full Performance Level) Grade Determinations: (a) Education, Experience and Licensure.

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below: Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment.

This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services.

Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors.

Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.

Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated.

Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence.

Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs. (b) Assignment.

At the full performance level, PTs are responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions to inpatients and outpatients received through healthcare provider referrals and patient self-referrals.

Guided by differential and movement diagnoses, PTs perform examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors.

PTs interpret findings from examination, diagnostic studies/medical tests and, during evaluation, select appropriate clinical tests and measures, and then integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.

PTs establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate intervention to treat and/or refer to another provider for further consultation when needed.

They determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences for meaningful level of function in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes.

Physical therapists select appropriate equipment needed to substitute for loss of function or to substitute for limited function of individuals they treat.

Staff PTs at this level practice autonomously, making recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as clinically indicated during ongoing assessment of patients under their care.

The staff PT may also develop and provide individualized clinical training experiences for physical therapy students in facilities with established clinical experience rotations.

PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any/all areas where physical therapy services are deemed necessary, and/or may serve as the sole PT at a less complex facility.

Individuals may perform ancillary assignments as deemed appropriate given the needs of a facility on an occasional basis, where the amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).

References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11 and GS-12. Major Duties:

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Incumbent is responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions to inpatients and outpatients received through healthcare provider referrals and patient self-referrals to the Physical Therapy Section of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS).

This therapist will spend the majority of time working in the inpatient Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP) and the Intensive Evaluation & Treatment Program (IETP)/RENEW Program serving individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), multiple body injuries, and complex pain conditions in an interdisciplinary setting.

A portion of the services may be provided via telemedicine, and the work schedule may include weekends and holidays as needed.

Incumbent may perform ancillary assignments as deemed appropriate given the needs of a facility on an occasional basis, where the amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).

Guided by differential and movement diagnoses, therapist performs examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to a broad range of conditions impacting the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors.

Strong skills and experience in orthopedics, pain/headache management and vestibular conditions desired to meet the needs of these program populations with complex history of mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Clinical: Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services.

Demonstrates skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors.

Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.

Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated.

Education: Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs.

Provides clinical training experiences for physical therapy students, evaluating performance per APTA and academic guidelines.

Shares knowledge and expertise with the teams, physical therapy department, PM&R Service, medical center, and community through consultation, mentorship, in-services, and clinical training.

Completes educational activities and competencies to maintain licensure and certifications, fulfilling VA and other directives.

Administrative: Actively participates in program development to improve efficiency and quality of outpatient physical therapy care.

Represents outpatient physical therapy in developing policies, procedures, quality assurance monitors, and standards of care.

Attends PM&R service, Physical Therapy Department, as well as team educational and development meeting as indicated.

Research: Supports, develops, and/or participates in research activities impacting care, complying with VA Central Office and Department of Defense reporting requirements for treatment methods and research protocols.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday; business hours Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized