This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Incumbent is a licensed physical therapist who is responsible for administering specialty physical therapy programs to adult and geriatric patients referred from all areas of the medical center but may spend a majority of his/her time working in the area of geriatric clinical management, including specialty programs for the geriatric population including, but not limited to, wheelchair seating and power mobility clinic and amputee clinic. Duties will include: Incumbent plans and carries out the full range of specialty treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex, and procedures involved require the application of skills and knowledge, particularly as related to geriatric patients. Incumbent must coordinate and employ multiple treatment approaches simultaneously to accomplish complex treatment objectives. Incumbent has had specialized training in Geriatric assessment and treatment. Incumbent demonstrates ability in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment programs for geriatric adult and adult patients with special attention to the needs of the elderly. He/she provides feedback and instruction to all associated health care team members as appropriate and as needed. Incumbent completes evaluation and treatment in a timely fashion; chart review will allow the incumbent an opportunity to assess appropriateness of the referral and possible contraindications for treatment. Incumbent's evaluation includes a medical history and results and interpretation of the appropriate tests and measurements performed. Incumbent utilizes evaluation data to plan and implement comprehensive patient treatment programs for the geriatric population, immediately involving patient in the goals setting and treatment processes as feasible. Incumbent modifies treatment plan according to evaluative findings on an ongoing basis to meet short- and long-term goals. Incumbent demonstrates a full professional and current understanding of the theories of physical therapy treatment and their proper application, particularly those specialized techniques related to the geriatric population. Incumbent recognizes even subtle responses or adverse reactions to treatment, initiates effective action immediately, and advises other health care team members as indicated. Incumbent involves the patient, family, significant others, and pertinent health care staff in the treatment process by ongoing communication through demonstration, instruction, team conferences, and chart documentation as appropriate to each patient's treatment goals. Incumbent assesses patient's learning needs, and plans and implements appropriate patient education programs, involving the patient, family, and significant others in the instructional process. Incumbent demonstrates knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in the geriatric clinical specialty area of physical therapy that may include, balance training, and fall prevention, vestibular rehabilitation, anodyne treatment for peripheral neuropathy, proper dosing for strength and aerobic conditioning and group treatments for geriatric strength training and balance. Incumbent has skills to perform and interpret specialized evaluative procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in physical therapy. Incumbent provides instruction to patient and family in education and modifications as appropriate to their roles and level of understanding of the aging process. Incumbent exercises the highest degree of independence and professional judgment in planning and carrying out treatment programs to meet complex treatment objectives for this population. Incumbent exercises originality in solving problems not covered by guides, making innovative adaptations and modifications of treatment plans and procedures in order to meet the complex and highly varying needs of patients, and advises all other health care team members and students in this regard for chronic conditions of geriatric patients. Incumbent may serve as an instructor in multidisciplinary group education classes for patients with diagnoses typical in the geriatric population including but not limited to Diabetes and COPD as needed. Incumbent is able to evaluate for, measure and order an appropriate manual or specialty wheelchairs with assistance as needed from prosthetics, vendors, and fellow staff members, as needed. Incumbent serves as a connection between the Puget Sound Regional Amputee Clinic and Alaska VA Veterans with amputation needs. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad-Hoc, as determined by service and agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education and experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below (TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED): (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. 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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool. Licensure: Individuals 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. LICENSURE REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION. Loss of Credential. A PT who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-13 Physical Therapist (Geriatric Clinical Specialist) 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the all following KSAs. Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. 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. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area. Preferred Experience: Experience with wheelchair mobility and seating assessments and amputee clinic/patient care. References: VHA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G12, Qualifications for Physical Therapists. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs), light carrying (under 15 lbs), use of fingers, both hands required, walking (2-3 hours), standing (2-3 hours), hearing (aid may be permitted), working closely with others, working alone.

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 Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Michelle Yahne
• Phone: 503-220-8262 X53055
• Email: [email protected]