John J. Pershing VA Medical Center (JJPVAMC) is a Level-3 Complexity medical center compromised of a 38-bed Community Living Center (CLC) and 10 acute medicine beds. The CLC provides long term care, short-stay continuing care, short-stay rehabilitation, short-stay skilled nursing, respite, and end-of-life care. Primary Care, Urgent Care, Ambulatory Specialty Care, Mental Health, and Community Health/Home Care are offered by this facility. The main medical center is in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Duties

The Physical Therapist selected will independently perform patient evaluations, using appropriate standardized and non-standardized tests and independently develops and implements physical therapy treatment programs for both routine and complex patients. Physical Therapist is able to modify treatment programs when appropriate. Physical Therapist recognizes contraindications and appropriateness of treatment prescribed by referring provider and consults with referring provider if these are in question. The Physical Therapist works in conjunction with other Community Living Center rehabilitation therapist(s) to assure the following is accomplished: Initial and ongoing assessments of the Veteran's functional status Evaluation of the Veteran's home for the structural modifications needed to make the home environment safe and accessible Initial and ongoing assessments of safety in the home environment Determination of need for home medical equipment (HME) Teaching and monitoring the safe use of HME devices to patients and caregivers Reporting equipment problems to the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service Teaching body mechanics to the caregiver to minimize risk of injury Establishing a therapeutic program for the Veteran and caregiver to maximize or maintain the Veteran 's functional status, and monitoring the response Supervising rehabilitation therapy students assigned to CLC or Acute Care Collaborating with the interdisciplinary team regarding patient needs for consultation with rehabilitation or other services Able to work independently and effectively with other members of the team, patients, and families/caregivers of patients. Manages time independently in order to allow adequate time for patient care, administrative tasks, clinical recordkeeping and patient care conferences with the goal of patient care being top priority. Actively participates in performance improvement projects and completes associated assignments as required. Actively participates in Physical Therapy peer review process, as assigned. Participates in or coordinates program development for the CLC Rehabilitation Component or for the greater CLC/Acute Care Treatment Team. All documentation, to include consultations/evaluations, progress notes, treatment notes, discharge notes, treatment plans, and client education, is completed on all patients in accordance with Station policies (VA, PM&RS, PT) for content and timeliness. Inpatient Physical Therapist provides thorough written documentation of patient status, progress with therapy, therapy plan, and patient response to treatment. Physical Therapist works and consults with patient and significant others/caregivers to establish short and long term goals as well as discharge plans. Actively participates in his/her own ongoing professional development, maintaining an appropriate level of education as required by the Missouri Division of Professional Licensure for Physical Therapy and APTA standards. Attends section in-services as well as hospital wide in-services as indicated. Attends and completes mandatory in-service training as required by VA, PM&R, and PT policies. Capable of providing training and supervision to part time and/or full-time physical therapy student affiliates and able to provide necessary guidance and direction to physical therapy students, volunteers, and/or CWT workers assigned to CLC/Acute Care. Able to serve as a resource to new graduate physical therapists in inpatient wards regarding patient care issues. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 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. 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). 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: 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. Preferred Experience: Inpatient and or Skilled Nursing Facility References: See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, appendix G12. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing a weight of 35 pounds in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Program Directive 2010-032. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

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 John J Pershing VA Medical Center 1500 North Westwood Boulevard Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 US
• Name: William Mott
• Phone: (443) 540-2159
• Email: [email protected]