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

Major Duties: General Skills (1) Responsible for the examination and treatment of patients referred from acute care, community living centers, domiciliary, and outpatient service areas as per the clinical direction of the Rehabilitation Supervisor. (2) Provides in-service and clinical training programs as assigned by the Rehabilitation Supervisor. (3) Designs, conducts, and evaluates education experiences for staff members, taking an active role in Journal Club, and seeks educational opportunities to enhance the Physical Therapy Section, RCL, and Medical Center. (4) Establishes and maintains contact with other key staff involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis at the Medical Center and VISN level. Clinical Skills (1) Conducts comprehensive patient examinations to identify rehabilitation problems and establish treatment goals utilizing the most recent evidence based Physical Therapy practice. (2) Conducts examinations, treatment planning and interventions, documentation, and follow-up evaluations within the acute care, community living centers, domiciliary, and outpatient settings, but may also support CBOC outpatient care, HBPC, and other settings prn. (3) Performs examination, treatment planning and intervention, and documentation as needed for support personnel and any assigned Staff PT. (4) Work with patients from a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Clinical Instruction (1) Works with students from affiliated programs using an evaluation instrument approved by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) with additional requirements based on state/affiliate concerns: Planning students' caseloads and patient assignments. Observation and documentation of all aspects of students' performance. Assists students as needed with complex treatment procedures. Provides timely and appropriate verbal/written feedback to students. Conducts formal interim and final evaluations. Provides for additional educational experiences such as surgical observation, in service training, and attendance at administrative and interdisciplinary meetings. Provision of specialty content area training as needed. Communication Skills (1) Provide education to patients, family members, caregivers, employees, students, and coworkers. (2) Communicates effectively with other internal and external health care providers. (3) Performs competent written documentation of initial examinations, progress notes, and discharge summaries. (4) Participates in interdisciplinary care planning conferences. Continuing Education and Professional Development (1) Continually seeks to improve knowledge and skill by review of current literature, participation within in-service training, presentations in Journal Club, and attendance at continuing education programs. (2) Continuing education and training will include coursework directed toward the development and improvement of clinical instruction, data collections and reporting techniques, and utilization and reporting of outcome measures in specialty area(s). Administrative Functions (1) Conducts record keeping related to patient care documentation and quality improvement (QI) data collection as specified by the Rehabilitation Supervisor. (2) Oversee appointment scheduling for assigned patients as needed in coordination with the Medical Support Assistant (MSA) and per Advanced Clinic Access (ACA) guidelines. (3) Performs other tasks as assigned by the Rehabilitation Supervisor that are consistent with the mission of the Section, RCL, and Medical Center. (4) Responsible for timely Functional Independence Measure (FIM) data entry as per download deadlines and within timeframes established for documentation. Maintains biannual FIM training. Work Schedule: Tuesday - Friday, 8:00am-5:30pm, Saturday, 8:00am-12:00pm. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. 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. (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (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. 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. 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. Loss of Credential. A PT who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists. Grandfathering Provision. All licensed PTs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the Grandfather provision may apply. Applicable to current, permanent VA employees only. Physical Requirements. Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required. English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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: 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. Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/99 FEBRUARY 7, 2018 PART II APPENDIX G12 Physical Requirements: Work includes regular and recurring physical exertion in standing, bending, kneeling, reaching, gripping and walking. Moderate to heavy lifting is required to assist patients and operate equipment. Sitting is required in meetings and for conducting administrative work. Above average agility may be desirable in defending oneself (or others) against physical attack/abuse. Work may require good physical health, normal use of arms and legs and good visual and auditory acuity.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Martinsburg VA Medical Center 510 Butler Avenue Martinsburg, WV 25405 US
• Name: Arvin Combs
• Email: [email protected]