This position is assigned to the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services (PM&RS) department within the Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) and serves as a Cardiopulmonary Clinical Specialist Physical Therapist.

Duties

The duties include, but are not limited to: The incumbent has the responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in a content specialty area and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty areas of cardiopulmonary physical therapy that are beyond the general practice of physical therapy. He/she must demonstrate advanced skills and techniques for Veteran's who have cardiac and pulmonary disorders of varying degrees of complexity. With this background he/she modifies programming to ensure positive outcomes and efficacy of treatment, provides professional oversight and consultation for staff therapists and monitors and evaluates clinically appropriate treatment programs with great autonomy. The incumbent is responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions in the outpatient setting as well as through the Home-Based Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program via telehealth, received through healthcare provider referrals. They will 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 The Cardiopulmonary Specialist Physical Therapist's primary function is direct patient care. The incumbent has advanced knowledge of contemporary physical therapy across multiple areas of practice and the demonstrated ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide clinical guidance to Staff Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, and Physical Therapy Students and other healthcare providers. The clinician viewed as a clinician, whose skills are beyond entry-level competence, functioning beyond the full performance level and whose skills demonstrate the ability to perform with a high degree of autonomy in patient care and exercising independent problem-solving skills. The incumbent is assigned responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in the content specialty area and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area. He/she has advanced knowledge and demonstrate expert clinical practice skills in providing assessment and treatment interventions across the continuum of care. He/she utilizes advanced knowledge and expertise to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs, goals, and performance of patients. The incumbent works under the guidance and in collaboration with the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program Coordinator and will assist with the triaging of Physical Therapy, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Pulmonary Rehabilitation referrals/questions related to Cardiopulmonary care to ensure consults/patient referrals are handled in the most expeditious manner based upon acuity of need. He/she teaches and mentors physical therapists and other medical center staff in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation care. The incumbent reviews and makes recommendations on supply and equipment acquisition specific to the field of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The provider carries out duties and responsibilities in-person and via virtual modalities throughout the Montana VA Health Care System, as indicated. He/she involves the patient, family/significant other and medical team in treatment planning and goal setting through ongoing communication. The incumbent plans and implements a comprehensive treatment regimen designed to maximize functional potential of the patient, using a myriad of treatment modalities and procedures, including but not limited to neuromuscular facilitation, muscle re-education, electrical stimulation, sensory integration techniques, positioning, application of assistive devices and joint protection techniques, and works toward established goals. He/she demonstrates independent problem-solving skills that allow for frequent modification of treatment plans in response to subtle, but significant changes in the condition of the patient. The employment of innovative treatment techniques is used to obtain the best outcome. The coordination of multiple treatment approaches simultaneously is needed to accomplish complex treatment objectives. Critical assessment of treatment outcomes will be regularly performed. The provider assesses for and requests prosthetic/orthotic equipment as needed and can make modifications as necessary. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 08:00 AM to 04:30 PM Compressed/Flexible:Not available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 436--57874-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy. Licensure. Must have 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. 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). All licensed PTs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-0633 occupational series as PTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance Gourney) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. (2) PTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard. (3) PTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard and must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) If PTs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and one of the following: 1- Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or 2. Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or 3.-Completion of a fellowship program, or 4- An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, to meeting the required specialized experience, the candidate must demonstrate the all following KSAs. 1- Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. 2- Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy (see paragraph 2i). 3. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. 4- Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. 5.. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area (see Definitions, paragraph 2. i.). Preferred Experience: Experience in outpatient Pulmonary Rehab and Cardiac Rehab References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/99 PART II APPENDIX G12 Physical Requirements: The incumbent must demonstrate the ability to walk, to get to other hospital locations on a daily basis, standing, repeated bending, reaching overhead, and pushing Veterans and objects for up to four hours a regular shift, prolonged sitting, moderate lifting and carrying of 15-44 pounds. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Fort Harrison VA Medical Center 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: Sokhan York
• Phone: 801-584-1284 X3119
• Email: [email protected]