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

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY The VA New Jersey Healthcare System is recruiting (1) Full-Time Physical Therapist in the Extended Care Service/Rehabilitation Medicine and Services Care Line. This position is located with the Home Based Primary Care Program (HBPC) Lyons Campus and Newton CBOC location(s). This Physical Therapy (PT) position carries the primary responsibility for providing in-home Rehabilitation Therapy assessments, home assessments, treatment planning and admin., and management of rehabilitation in the home for patients within 50 miles of the VA New Jersey HCS catchment area. The Physical Therapist will provide in-home services to veterans that present with a wide variety of multiple, complex chronic illnesses and/or profound disabilities to improve or maintain functional levels and encourage independence in the home. Travel is provided or reimbursed by the VA. Major Duties include, but are not limited to: Program development, schedule coordination, caseload development, consult/referral tracking and care coordination with multidisciplinary team members. Responsible for developing or recommending treatment programs that are highly suited and especially adapted to the individual needs of patients. Conduct test measurements, initiate occupation therapy patient assessments and document this in the medial records. Act as a consultant on physical therapy procedure code of ethics and state by-laws governing the practice of Physical Therapy in the State of New Jersey. Assist with in-service training. Make home visits to assess Veterans home needs for adaptive equipment, home modifications and the need for additional safety training. Serve on appropriate committees and teams as a physical therapy representative when indicated. Provide a safe work and home visit environment by adhering to safety control guidelines, policies and procedures. Report any unsafe conditions. Observes all safety precautions while treating patients. Utilize and educate on proper body mechanics. Order/recommend use of adaptive equipment and supplies to assure quality and efficient patient care. Train Veterans and their care provider(s) on equipment to assure safe and appropriate use. Notify medical team of need for consult placement to other specialties as appropriate. Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 PM EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator Group for questions/assistance. Learn more Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice. To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice. The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following: (a) Active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board. Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination. (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis. (2) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level.

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. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA physical therapist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of physical therapist in VHA must meet the following: a. Citizenship. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, necessary personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned. b. Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist, OR (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience a physical therapist, OR (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE:Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students. 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. For this position, applicant must submit transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) at the time of application. (4) 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. c. 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. For this position, applicant must be licensed and must submit license at the time of application. 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). More information under "Additional Information". GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Grade Determination. In addition to the basic requirements for appointment above, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. For the GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) (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: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. 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. Preferred Experience: 5 years experience as a Physical Therapist. Experience at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center preferred. References: VAHandbook5005,PartII,AppendixG12, dated February 7, 2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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 VA New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: Yaneth Ferrer
• Phone: 718-584-9000 X6569
• Email: [email protected]