The primary functions of this position are direct patient care, and program development, guidance and monitoring of care.

Duties

Functions of the position include the following and not limited to: LYMPHEDEMA Serves as a consultant for all health care providers regarding lymphedema management, especially within the rehabilitation service line. Educates/orients staff regarding physical/occupational therapy in general and specifically as it relates to lymphedema management. Mentors physical/occupational therapy staff and orients physical/occupational therapy students in lymphedema management. Guides the work of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team members who are participating as clinicians. Insures that all new cases are assigned to a physical therapy and/or occupational therapy if collaborative treatments are indicated. Organizes, and attends multidisciplinary care team rounds and program planning meetings. In conjunction with the Chief of Rehabilitation, maintains and updates standard orders. Frequently reviews and updates relevant assessment and treatment protocols and programs; manages the ordering and issuing of patient/program equipment including working closely with the facility-wide telehealth program and the PM&R tele-rehabilitation clinical specialist.- Provides a minimum of one (1) in-service education program per year to the Physical/occupational therapy departments. Plans, implements and reports on performance improvement activities relating to lymphedema management. .Maintains, updates lymphedema physical/occupational therapy monitoring data. Provides consultation and teaching for lymphedema management research projects. CLINICAL According to department policies, incumbent is authorized to perform complex examination and treatment of patients representing a wide scope of ages, and, as well as offering diagnoses, and rendering varied modalities inherent in their profession. Patient Evaluation- Demonstrates the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide and guide treatment appropriate to patients across a range of complexities. Patient Treatment- After initial evaluation of patient, formulates progressive treatment plans and goals, and is responsible for implementation, modification, and documentation of the treatments. Interdisciplinary Relationships- Communicates with, consults and works cooperatively with other medical, surgical and rehabilitation disciplines, to provide comprehensive patient care. Patient-Family Counseling/Education- Consults with patients and their families through patient/family education, training and advising them in the nature of the patient's disease and associated disability to optimize functioning in the community base residential site, Documentation includes completion of consultation, initial notes, testing results, progress notes, discharge notes and treatment plans, patient education in accordance with policies for content and timelinessclusive of making recommendations for home structural adaptions when indicated. Age Specific- Incumbent demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the adult patients served. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) 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. GS- 13 Physical Therapist (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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the all following KSAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 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 References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/99 FEBRUARY 7, 2018 PART II APPENDIX G12 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: This position frequently requires moderate to heavy lifting. Normally such lifting will involve, but not be limited to assisting with transfers or gait training of the client in the physical therapy clinic. Part of this position will involve sedentary work involving computers and communications.

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 Corporal Michael J Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 3900 Woodland Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104 US
• Name: Natasha Sudler
• Phone: 302-290-6874
• Email: [email protected]