Staff Physical Therapists are responsible for providing assessment and treatment intervention. Work for the Home Physical Therapist is conducted primarily in the Veterans home setting with coverage provided in other Rehabilitation Clinics as assigned. Treatment skills include but are not limited to: modalities, manual therapy, gait and transfer training, therapeutic exercises and activities , adaptive equipment training.

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. 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: Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR 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. Grandfathering Provision: 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-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) Education, Experience and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements for this occupation , 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: 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 PT A Programs. Preferred Experience: Minimum 3 years experience as a Physical Therapist in the home care setting. References: VA Handbook 5005/99 Part II Appendix G12 Physical Therapist Qualification Standard GS-0633 Veterans Health Administration Promotion Potential: This vacancy is at the full performance level GS-12. Physical Requirements: Pre-placement and periodical physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical mental and emotional capacities with out endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. 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: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education CAPTE accredited university or college. The CAPTE is the only accrediting 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 .

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 West Haven VA Medical Center 950 Campbell Avenue West Haven, CT 06516 US
• Name: Karen Terebesi
• Phone: (203) 951-9651
• Email: [email protected]