Therapy Assistant

Full Job Description

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Hampton VA Medical Center (VAMC), Physical Medicine and Rehab Service (PM&RS), located at the North Battlefield VA Outpatient Clinic (NBVAOC).

The incumbent serves as a Therapy Assistant. The position combines direct patient care activities with support functions for the Physical Therapist.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/03/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Work as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective, or educational therapy; or experience gained as an assistant or aid in patient care, social work, or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses directly related to the occupation.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience and two years of education beyond the high school level in a program directly related to this occupation.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Client Orientation - Anticipates and meets the needs of clients; achieves quality end-products; is committed to improving services.

Communications and Media - Knowledge of production, communication and dissemination of information and ideas to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Database Administration - Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for automating, developing, implementing, or administering database systems.

Flexibility - Is open to change and new information; rapidly adapts to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.

Self Management - Sets well defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: This position requires the incumbent to perform bending, stooping, lifting, pushing, pulling, standing and walking on a daily basis.

Incumbent must pass a physical through the Employee Health Department at this facility.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

MAJOR DUTIES include but are not limited to: Ability to apply a practical knowledge of therapeutic methods and techniques in order to perform the work of this position.

Performs a variety of clerical tasks including creating and maintaining logs, recording data, generating meeting agendas, coordinating departmental in-services, answering the telephone and other office support tasks.

Schedules appointments and records cancellations in patient scheduling system, documents scheduling attempts, documents no-show appointments, and prints therapist schedules.

Checks in patients and notifies providers of patient arrival. Schedules virtual visits and explains process of how to connect to virtual appointments to Veterans.

Generates various electronic documents including but not limited to meeting agendas, monthly newsletters, emails, log sheets, standard operating procedures (SOPs), patient education handouts, and memos.

Creates educational programs and handouts for patients with the approval of the therapy supervisor.

Updates Safety Data Sheets (SDS) books throughout the service to ensure accuracy and that certification sheets are sent to the safety office semi-annually.

Takes and records vital signs and communicates those readings to the PT/PTA, OT/OTA, KT, ST or Chiropractor.

Monitors Veterans while performing exercises and assists with counting repetitions and ensuring accurate performance of the exercises.

Provides summary information regarding how the Veteran tolerated and performed the exercises to the PT/PTA, OT/OTA or Chiropractor.

Explains the treatment activity and guides patients in techniques to be used.

The incumbent will serve as a chaperone for chiropractic and pelvic floor physical therapy rehabilitation visits and will be present in the treatment room during examinations, procedures, or treatments.

Develops, implements and oversees exercise group for Veterans participating in virtual and face to face group exercise programs such as but not limited to the MOVE (Motivating Overweight Veterans Everywhere) / BAM (Be Active and Move) program, GEROFIT, Cardiopulmonary Rehab and Improvement Through Movement including logging participation, as well as, documenting and assessing tolerance of said exercises in CPRS and VISTA.

Places requests for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tracks disbursement.

Tracks of inventory in OT, KT and PT supply closets and provides inventory updates to therapists and prosthetics supply clerks to ensure maintenance of stock.

Picks up and delivers adaptive equipment from prosthetics (i.e.

walkers, canes, shower chairs, hip/knee kits, elevated commodes, long handled shower heads, etc.) to inpatients in their hospital rooms or to outpatient clinics, as needed.

Maintains cleanliness of equipment and tools by sanitizing with gloves and cleaners/sanitizers.

Maintains clinic area ensuring that area is safe and clean; maintains equipment in good working order; informs appropriate staff when items need repair/replacement.

Coordinates and collaborates with Emergency Management Service (EMS) staff to ensure proper cleaning of clinics are conducted per quality management (QM) standards.

Knowledge of set-up of selected clinical equipment and devices to include the exercise equipment, bikes, treadmill, hi-lo mat tables, ultrasound, electrical stimulation units, TENS units, Pronex Cervical traction, weights, ankle weights, dowels, etc.

Sensitivity to changes in behavior or in the physical condition of patients, knowledge of treatment techniques and skill in motivating patients.

Insight and mature judgment to observe, assess and report to therapists on the progress and reactions of patients.

Knowledge of VA regulations concerning patient's rights, responsibilities, and confidentiality of patient information. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00a-4:30p Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Therapy Assistant/030590