Full Time Physical Therapist

sluhn; Bethlehem Township (PA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke's Health Network is seeking a Physical Therapist to evaluate, diagnose, and manage patients, designing individualized treatment plans to maximize function and wellness. The role includes skilled interventions, patient education, and collaboration with families and care teams.

The position also involves supervising PTAs and PT/PTA students, contributing to program development, quality improvement, and department initiatives to enhance patient care across the network.

Qualifications

• Doctoral, Master’s or Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy or PT certificate.
• BLS certification from the American Heart Association.
• Licensed to practice physical therapy in the United States (as applicable)

Responsibilities

• Performs comprehensive initial evaluations and develops treatment plans to improve movement and reduce pain.
• Provides skilled interventions tailored to patient needs using appropriate techniques and equipment.
• Collaborates with patients to set short- and long-term goals.
• Maintains confidentiality and communicates with patients, families, and other providers.
• Manages patients by direct or indirect treatments and referrals as appropriate.
• Documents diagnosis, prognosis, plan of care, and progress in medical records.
• Educates patients and families about prognosis and care options.
• Supervises Physical Therapy Assistants, students, and observers as assigned.
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives and ongoing professional development.

Education

Doctoral/Masters/Bachelor's in Physical Therapy

BLS certification (American Heart Association)

Job description

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.

The Physical Therapist evaluates, diagnoses, and manages patients with physical impairments and functional limitations to maximize the patient's functional abilities. The Physical Therapist will design and implement individualized treatment plans that address the specific goal and needs of each patient, as well as educating patients and their families on how to prevent or manage their conditions to promote optimal health and wellness.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Performs comprehensive initial evaluations to identify functional deficits and develops a treatment plan to improve their ability to move, reduce or manage pain, restore function, and prevent disability
• Provide skilled interventions that are tailored to the patient's needs and preferences, using appropriate techniques, modalities, and equipment
• Collaborates with patients to create short and long-term goals
• Communicate effectively and respectfully with patients, families, and other health care providers, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity
• Manages patients to improve their ability to move, reduce or manage pain, restore function, and prevent disability through means of direct or indirect treatments or referral to another provider as appropriate
• Establish and update diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care based on the best available evidence and clinical reasoning
• Reviews and records information in the patient's medical record and history, including evaluative findings, treatment plan, responses to treatment and any changes to the patient's status
• Educates patients and family members about prognosis and care options.
• Assists in developing and implementing department programs
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, continuing education activities, and professional development opportunities
• Monitor and document patient's progress, outcomes, and satisfaction with services provided
• Shares clinical knowledge and new techniques to improve patient care
• Supervises Physical Therapy Assistants as assigned
• Supervises PT and PTA students and observers as assigned
• Maintains confidentiality of all materials handled within the Network/Entity as well as the proper release of information.
• Complies with Network and departmental policies regarding issues of employee, patient and environmental safety and follows appropriate reporting requirements
• Adhere to the ethical, legal, and regulatory standards of the physical therapy profession and the health care organization
• Demonstrates/models the Network's Service Excellence Standards of Performance in interactions with all customers (internal and external).
• Demonstrates Performance Improvement in the following areas as appropriate: Clinical Care/Outcomes, Customer/Service Improvement, Operational System/Process, and Safety.
• Demonstrates financial responsibility and accountability through the effective and efficient use of resources in daily procedures, processes and practices.
• Complies with Network, departmental policies regarding attendance and dress code.
• Demonstrates competency in the assessment, range of treatment, knowledge of growth and development and communication appropriate to the age of the patient treated.
• Attend meetings as designated or requested.
• Accurately bills patient's accounts for services rendered.
• Provides in-services to PT department staff and others.
• Participates in QI data collection/planning.
• Attends multi-disciplinary meetings as applicable.
• Cleans and orders supplies, as assigned by facility director, for daily operations.
• Other related duties as assigned, e.g. peer record review

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to sit for up to ninety minutes at a time. Able to stand for thirty to forty-five minutes consecutively. Must be able to use hands/fingers to manipulate dials on machines.
• Must have the ability to occasionally stoop/bend, squat, crouch, kneel and reach above shoulder level.
• Must have the ability to lift/move patients up to 50 lbs., push/pull patients weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Must be capable of tactile sensation as it relates to feeling for muscle spasms, texture and skin temperature.
• Must have the ability to hear as it relates to normal conversation.
• Must be capable of seeing as it relates to general vision, depth perception, and peripheral vision.

EDUCATION:

• Doctoral Degree, Masters or Bachelor's degree from an accredited physical therapy program or physical therapy certificate.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart