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. Program 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

The duties and responsibilities of the Physical Therapist-Clinical Specialist (Geriatric) may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: Responsible for direct patient/client care Knowledge of the anatomical, biological, physical, cognitive, psychological, and psychosocial changes that occur with aging clients Interpret examination findings and appropriate intervention plans for aging individuals Knowledge of medications commonly prescribed for older adults, drug interactions and factors to consider when providing physical therapy interventions to older adults. Assessing elderly clients for positioning devices, enabling devices, environmental adaptation, and caregiver intervention with regards to risk reduction Develops, coordinates, and implements highly specialized treatment programs to relieve pain, restore or enhance performance, and maximize independence in functional abilities Demonstrates competence in objective assessment of acute and chronic pain conditions in older clients Demonstrates the ability to identify and assess barriers to communication due to hearing, sight, and speech impairments Demonstrates knowledge in current evidence of therapeutic exercises for all aging adults Demonstrates advanced manual therapy skills especially for management of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions including but not limited to the sprains, degenerative disease of aging spine, rotator cuff disorders, sciatic, hip, and knee conditions Documents all evaluations, treatment, progress, education, counseling and training in the client's medical record Demonstrates physical therapy competencies at the full performance level of clinical specialist physical therapist within the physical therapy scope of practice Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Available, upon Supervisor approval Functional Statement #: 71262F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Requirements

Qualifications

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 (1) of the requirements below: (Transcripts Submitted) (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 as a physical therapist. ~OR~ (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelor's 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. (5) 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 following provisions apply: Employees grandfathered into the GS-0633 occupational series as PTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. PTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard. PTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard and must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If PTs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Licensure. (Documentation Submitted) 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. Grade Determinations: GS- 13 Physical Therapist-Clinical Specialist (Geriatric) (a) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements and one (1) year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, the applicant must also meet one of the following: 1. Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; ~OR~ 2. Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; ~OR~ 3. Completion of a fellowship program; ~OR~ 4. An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area. Assignment. Clinical Specialists spend at least 25% or greater of their time working with specialized population(s) within their department. Physical therapists at this level perform assignments in specialty areas such as geriatrics, neurology, cardiopulmonary, orthopedics, spinal cord injury, amputee, wound care, chronic pain, electromyography, women's health or pelvic health, polytrauma, brain injury, lymphedema, vestibular, assistive technology, seating and mobility. The individual is assigned responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in the content specialty area and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area. Clinical Specialists have advanced knowledge and demonstrate expert clinical practice skills in providing assessment and treatment interventions across the continuum of care. He/she utilizes advanced knowledge and expertise to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs, goals and performance of patients. Clinical Specialists have advanced training in specialized technology related to their area of practice. He/she establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis. He/she exercises expert professional judgment to establish appropriate discharge planning recommendations to ensure safe discharge from inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs. If the medical center has a PT residency program, the clinical specialist may be on faculty for the program. Preferred Experience: Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist or 3 or more years working directly with the Aging Adult patient population. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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-13. Physical Requirements: Exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and /or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

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 James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: Shawn McKee
• Phone: 727-398-6661 X64304
• Email: [email protected]