Physical Therapist - Acute Care - PRN

Duke University Health System; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a compassionate team at a leading healthcare provider where your skills in physical therapy will make a real difference. This role involves providing essential therapy services to patients, collaborating with families to create personalized care plans, and contributing to a supportive environment that prioritizes health and wellness. As a valued member of this dynamic team, you will engage in meaningful interactions with patients, ensuring their needs are met through expert care and education. Embrace the opportunity to grow professionally while making a positive impact on the lives of others in the community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or certification in physical therapy required.
• Current Physical Therapist license in North Carolina is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Provide physical therapy services to patients with various impairments.
• Collaborate with patients to develop and update care plans.
• Maintain documentation that meets departmental standards.

Skills

Clinical reasoning

Patient care planning

Collaboration with patients and families

Documentation

Patient education

Team productivity optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in physical therapy

Master's or Clinical Doctorate in physical therapy

Job description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke Regional Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which ranks as the number four hospital in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area, according to U.S. News and World Report for 2023-2024. Duke Regional Hospital is the second largest of Duke Health's three hospitals and offers a comprehensive range of medical, surgical, and diagnostic services, including orthopedics, weight-loss surgery, women's services, and heart and vascular services.

Occ Summary

Provide physical therapy services to patients/clients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, or other causes; provide prevention and wellness services, including screenings and health promotion. The senior serves as a resource person for the team and the department: participates in orientation of new staff therapists, physicians and other health personnel. The senior participates in teaching activities for physical therapy and other health-related students. The physical therapist works within practice guidelines as defined by North Carolina state law.

Work Performed

1. Demonstrate sound clinical reasoning in synthesizing complex evaluation data, identifying diagnoses, and developing comprehensive plans of care.
2. Collaborate with patients and families to create and update appropriate plans of care, setting measurable short- and long-term goals and establishing discharge plans, all tailored to the individual's age, lifestyle, and needs.
3. Understand and integrate the role of physical therapy in the context of the patient's total needs, environment, and age-specific considerations.
4. Exhibit age-appropriate competency skills relevant to the patient's individual conditions.
5. Follow established intervention protocols and adjust the plan of care as needed.
6. Discharge patients when goals are achieved or when services are no longer medically necessary, with provisions for follow-up or continuing care as required.
7. Maintain competency in evaluations specific to your area of practice.
8. Consistently meet patient care productivity standards as defined for the role.
9. Work collaboratively with supervisors and peers to optimize team productivity.
10. Effectively utilize support personnel (aides, senior aides, assistants) as available and appropriate.
11. Actively participate in patient coverage across all divisions within the department as necessary.
12. Assess the learning needs and capacities of patients and caregivers, initiating education in a timely manner based on readiness, emotional status, and length of stay.
13. Use appropriate educational methods and materials, monitor patient response, and adjust education plans accordingly.
14. Ensure patients and families understand when and how to access further interventions.
15. Complete timely, legible, and efficient documentation that meets departmental and professional standards.
16. Deliver clear, concise, and relevant oral reports.
17. Accurately perform required data collection within the specified time frame.
18. Consistently meet peer review standards.
19. Provide clinical education for students, taking 1-2 students for long-term clinical rotations (for therapists with >1 year experience). Adjust supervisory techniques based on individual student needs.
20. Participate in outreach and learning activities as requested, which may include in-services, generating referrals, and interacting with volunteers or visitors.
21. Contribute to research activities aimed at enhancing clinical outcomes.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Ability to push-pull, lift-carry, and transfer patients.

Level Characteristics

See Clinical Ladder administration document.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree or certification in physical therapy, with Master's or Clinical Doctorate in physical therapy preferred.

Experience

None beyond required education, although more experience may be preferred at times.

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications

Current Physical Therapist license in North Carolina.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.