Physical Therapist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 68,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

The VA Augusta Health Care System in Augusta, Georgia seeks a licensed Physical Therapist to serve in the Therapy department/SCI Service, working with patients who have spinal cord injuries or diseases. The role focuses on improving quality and efficiency of care while using ethical resource practices.

GS-11 entry to GS-12 full performance level; responsibilities include assessment and treatment, clinical decision-making, supervision of PTAs and students, with outpatient clinic opportunities.

Qualifications

• Must meet one of the education/experience combinations listed above.
• Must hold a full, current, unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia.
• CAPTE accreditation is recognized; verification may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessment and treatment intervention.
• Plan and modify treatment based on patient response and condition changes.
• Oversee Physical Therapy Assistants and students on clinical affiliations.

Skills

Assessment leading to treatment

Autonomous clinical decisions

Clinical evaluation

Diagnosis in PT

Treatment planning

PTA supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy

Master's degree in Physical Therapy

Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy

Job description

This position is for a physical therapist in the Therapy department/SCI Service line at the VA Augusta Health Care System in Augusta, Georgia.

The physical therapist works with patients who have spinal cord injuries or diseases.

The goals are to improve the quality and efficiency of care while being ethical and responsible with resources.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Licensure: Applicants 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.
  • NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetency or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

GS-11 Physical Therapist (Entry).

Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment. PTs at this level are responsible for providing assessment and treatment intervention. PTs plan and modify treatment based on a patient’s response to intervention and/or change in medical condition. PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any physical therapy program area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required or may serve as the sole PT such as in an outpatient clinic. Licensed PTs may provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegate nonpatient care duties to non-licensed staff. PTs that are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed PT.

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:

• 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: 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 in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements:

This work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients.

See https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.