The Physical Therapist provides a wide range of Veteran services in the Physical Therapy Section of the Extended Care/Rehab Service Line at VA Black Hills Health Care System in Fort Meade, SD. The Physical Therapist will serve as the Physical Therapist at the Fort Meade and Rapid City Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) sites. Coverage may include Hot Springs site as needed. The position will have a primary function including VA Virtual Connect (VVC) - telehealth for patients.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Primary function is direct patient care through the use of tele-health and outpatients within the Fort Meade and CBOC setting. Treatment duties include varied and extensive evaluations, treatment and documentation, as well as patient/family education. Must have knowledge, skills and ability to interact with and provide treatment to patients from young adulthood through geriatric age and be able to fulfill their age specific needs. The population served includes adults and geriatric patients (with physical, cognitive, psychiatric disabilities) who are referred for rehabilitation services in inpatient, outpatient and home settings. Plans and modifies the treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition. This individual will be expected to supervise physical therapy assistants when applicable depending on assignment. This individual will be required to travel as needed for clinical duties but will be permitted to use government transportation and travel will always be on government time. May serve in the capacity of the multidisciplinary pain team as physical therapist presence. As needed, will conduct vendor work based training on modalities (pain, gait, etc) with evidence provided from reputable sources (including VA information, RCTs, systematic reviews, etc). Will perform appropriate trials for modalities with appropriate patients (based on diagnosis and/or symptoms), and must be based on objective response (i.e. functional outcome measure MCID improvement, and/or 20% or > reduction in opioid utilization, and/or reduction in pain disability score by 25% or >, or as otherwise stated in the central VA SOP on electrotherapy. Spends the majority of his/her time working in the telehealth and/or outpatient providing independent examination in this environment. Inpatient and home coverage as needed. Demonstrates treatment competency that qualifies him/her to perform patient treatment procedures on a multidisciplinary team or on a specific service. Function within a scope of practice to perform diagnostic tests and changes treatment pending notification of referring practitioner in case of adverse patient response. Demonstrates ability to make autonomous clinical decisions and at times may be in a Direct Access environment. Establish goals and discharge plans based on evaluation findings and planning with the treatment team, patient, family, and/or significant other. Develops and carries out physical therapy treatment to meet the individual rehabilitation objectives. Conduct treatment interventions one on one with individuals or in group settings. Assess the need for other services and refers as necessary based on evaluation and medical history. Assess the need for and the patient's ability to use adaptive equipment required to increase the patient's function, independence and safety. As necessary, orders the appropriate equipment, issues it to patients, and trains them in the proper use of the device(s). Independently solves problems not covered by the manuals, adapts and modifies treatment plans, activities and procedures, without supervisory guidance, to meet complex and challenging needs of the patients in rehabilitation. Provides and arranges in-service training lectures on various treatment techniques, discusses patient designed treatment plans. Evaluates, revises and develops training materials, aids, methods and plans, being free to explore basic theories and principles of physical therapy, with students and other REC staff to include therapies, nursing and other ancillary staff. Provide patient and family education programs relating to each patient's functional strengths and weaknesses. Provide clinical training and supervision to physical therapy/physical therapist assistant students. Assist other staff members in identifying needs and designing and implementing programs for assigned services as needed. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc only, per Supervisor's discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: (a) Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) (b) 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. (c) 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. 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 GS-11 or GS-12. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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 VA Black Hills Health Care System 113 Comanche Road Fort Meade, SD 57741 US
• Name: Megan Noe
• Phone: (724) 285-2259
• Email: [email protected]