This position is located in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS), Physical Therapy Section within Jesse Brown Chicago VA Healthcare System which is a Complexity Level Ib facility. The Advanced Practice Physical Therapy Assistant ("APPTA') is responsible for the assessment, treatment, and coordination of care and services provided by PM&RS in the orthopedics and safe patient handling. The incumbent is expected to carry out general duty assignments.

Duties

Major Duties: Responsible for the provision of direct treatment of patients under the direction of a licensed Physical Therapist. The individual is assigned responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in safe patient handling and as a consultant to rehabilitation and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area of post operative rehabilitation and muscoluskeletal physical therapy. Assesses the need for and the patient's ability to use assistive devices and adaptive equipment. If appropriate, issues it to patients, and trains them in the proper use of the device(s). Responsible for assessing lift equipment. Resolves problems that interfere with delivery of physical therapy care. Functions autonomously in carrying out patient education, treatments, and applying physical therapy procedures for which competency has been established and in accordance with state laws or local facility regulations and APTA documents. Adept at modifying the treatment plan, therapeutic activities and interventions based on the changing needs, goals, and performance of the patient. Alerts the Physical Therapist overseeing the care of the patient when modifications are needed to the treatment plan when either the established goals or timeframes for achievement of those goals has been attained. Serves as a superuser for safe patient handling equipment and responsible for performing yearly staff competency and training. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm, compressed tour available Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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: U.S. Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English EDUCATION: Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: Associate degree from an accredited community college, junior college, college or university in a physical therapy assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education OR Graduate of foreign physical therapy assistant degree programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs. OR Graduate of military physical therapy assistant programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the NPTE for PTAs. Licensure. Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a PTA in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: GS-9 GRADE REQUIREMENTS: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate one of the following: A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area, and completion of 60 contact hours of selected continuing education coursework. This time must be within the past five years. OR Advanced Practice Proficiency (APP) in the specialty area recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). OR An additional academic degree related to the health care mission. GS-9 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: a. Ability to mentor other staff in advanced clinical guidelines and best practices. b. Ability to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for healthcare providers in specialty practice areas regarding physical therapy care. c. Ability to present advanced knowledge in the therapeutic interventions and clinical practice guidelines with the healthcare team. d. Ability to interpret and apply clinical practice guidelines. References: VA Handbook 5005/139, Part II, Appendix G23 Physical Therapy Assistant Qualification Standard, GS-0636. Physical Requirements: The employee works and functions in the medical center in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment.

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 Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Gemil Lewis
• Phone: 910-488-2120
• Email: [email protected]