This position is located in the Physical Therapy (PT) department of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services (PMRS) area in the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System. The duties and responsibilities of this position are carried out within the clinic, veteran home setting and in the community as required. The primary purpose of the work is direct patient care with the goal of maximizing the patient's functional ability.

Duties

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY Major Duties: 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. Responsible for providing assessment and treatment of outpatient veterans in clinic and veterans enrolled in home based primary care. Works effectively with treatment team members, veterans, and veteran's family/significant others, and other health care providers in coordinating the veteran's total care. Effectively communicates in the electronic medical record and/or verbal sources to promote positive communication, collaboration, and teamwork. Performing assessment and treatment for veterans 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 assessment, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of veteran populations. Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the veteran's preferences to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence. Develops and promotes new and existing treatment programs which apply current research findings. Knowledgeable about research in the practitioner's area of practice. Refers veterans to appropriate resources when the needs of the veteran can best be served by the expertise of other professionals or services. Educates current and potential referral sources about the scope of physical therapy services and the process of initiating physical therapy services. Uses screening methods appropriate to the veteran's performance context and communicates screening results and recommendations to the appropriate personnel. Establishes a baseline level of functioning including appropriate assessments and follows defined protocols when standardized assessments are utilized. Educates about the purposes and procedures of the physical therapy evaluation and treatment. Documents evaluation results, treatment plans, veteran response to treatment and education given in accordance with the facility policies including The Joint Commission requirements and Long-Term Care Institute requirements, as well as APTA guidelines. Initial evaluations will be documented in a timely manner in accordance with facility policy. Demonstrates the ability to provide a therapeutic, safe environment for adult and geriatric populations. Uses knowledge and understanding of the developmental tasks and the changing physical characteristics associated with these age groups in clinical practice. Ensures the intervention plan is documented within time frames, formats and standards established by VA policy and procedures. Included in the intervention plan are veteran-centered goals that are measurable, functional, relevant and appropriate to the veteran's needs, goals, and expected outcomes. Reviews and communicates the plan with the interdisciplinary team. Prepares and implements a discharge plan that addresses follow-up resources and identifies outcome measures between initial evaluation and discontinuance of services. Investigates possible environmental barriers within the facility and the veteran's home/discharge environment that has the potential of hindering the veteran's independence or decreases safety. Performs home visit evaluations to determine possible adaptations to the environment to increase the safety and independence of the veteran. Participates in the performance/quality improvement activities of the ICC. Maintains clinic/equipment cleanliness and equipment functioning, enforcing safety policies and procedures. Required to travel for clinical duties and therefore will be permitted to use government transportation and travel will be on government time. Is required to maintain a valid driver's license and not possess any major vehicle violations inhibiting the use of a government vehicle. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Eligible. Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. 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. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. 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. Licensure: Individuals must 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. 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). GS-11 (Entry Level) Grade Determinations: (a) Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 (Full Performance Level) Grade Determinations: (a) 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. References: 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-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work involves sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping and reaching. Lifting and carrying of occasional moderately heavy objects, such as assistive devices occurs regularly. Must be able to lift objects up to 35 pounds. Periods of time may be moderately demanding, to include assisting Veterans with impaired mobility and/or cognitive functioning. Intermittent complicated issues with Veterans and/or family members may periodically became stressful. Extended periods of computer processing duties. Employee must be able to work under the pressure of emergent conditions and tight deadlines. Work is performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common to client population.

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 Royal C Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital 2501 West 22nd Street Sioux Falls, SD 57105 US
• Name: Monique Carr
• Phone: 2163756197
• Email: [email protected]