Physical Therapist - Acute Care (PRN)

Montgomery College; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Part time

Job summary

Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, TN is seeking a PRN Acute Care Physical Therapist to join our renowned academic health system. You will provide evidence-based evaluations and treatments for hospitalized patients with complex medical and surgical diagnoses, while collaborating with physicians, nurses, and therapy colleagues to achieve optimal outcomes.

The role offers flexible scheduling within a leading clinical environment that values education, research, and patient-centered care.

Qualifications

• Licensed Physical Therapist or license-eligible in Tennessee.
• Acute care or hospital-based experience preferred.
• Strong clinical reasoning and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze patient information to determine rehab diagnosis and plan.
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, therapists, and case managers to coordinate care.
• Provide evidence-based evaluations and treatment within the plan of care.
• Educate patients and caregivers on mobility strategies, safety, and discharge planning.
• Document care according to hospital and regulatory standards.

Skills

Clinical reasoning

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Patient-centered care

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region. Organization: Acute Rehab PT/OT 3 Job Summary: JOB SUMMARY Provides physical therapy services to patients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes under occasional guidance. Actively collaborates with the health care/educational team to meet patient care, outcomes and system improvement objectives. . Physical Therapist - Acute Care (PRN) Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, TN PRN (As Needed) PRN Flexibility with Meaningful Clinical Impact Looking for the flexibility of PRN work without sacrificing clinical complexity, professional growth, or purpose? Vanderbilt Health is seeking an experienced Acute Care Physical Therapist to join one of the nation's leading academic health systems. Whether you're maintaining your acute care expertise, supplementing your current role, or seeking a schedule that better fits your lifestyle, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while caring for some of healthcare's most medically complex patients. PRN Commitment Minimum availability of 2 shifts per month 1 hard-to-staff day every 6 months Flexible Orientation Experience PRN therapists provide available training dates in 8-hour blocks, allowing for a more flexible onboarding process that accommodates varying schedules rather than requiring a traditional consecutive Monday through Friday commitment. Practice Where Expertise Matters Most As part of Vanderbilt Health, you'll work at a Level 1 Trauma Center and the nation's largest transplant center by volume, collaborating with nationally recognized physicians, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals. Our Acute Care Rehabilitation team provides services throughout Vanderbilt University Hospital, including: Trauma Services Transplant Services Burn Center Emergency Services Women's Health/OB Neurosciences Cardiovascular Services Medical and Surgical ICUs Specialty Medicine Services You'll join one of the region's largest acute care rehabilitation teams, working alongside approximately 130 rehabilitation professionals dedicated to exceptional patient outcomes. Together, the team manages more than 140 new rehabilitation consults daily and provides care for over 550 patients each day.

Your Impact

As a PRN Acute Care Physical Therapist, you will: Perform evidence-based evaluations and treatment interventions for hospitalized patients with complex medical and surgical diagnoses. Develop individualized treatment plans that promote mobility, safety, functional recovery, and independence. Collaborate with physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, and other healthcare professionals. Educate patients and caregivers regarding mobility strategies, equipment recommendations, fall prevention, and discharge planning. Apply strong clinical reasoning to assess patient progress and modify treatment plans as patient needs evolve. Document care in accordance with hospital, regulatory, and professional standards. Contribute to a culture of clinical excellence, teamwork, and compassionate patient-centered care. Why Acute Care Therapists Choose Vanderbilt Health Practice at the Top of Your License Therapists are empowered to utilize advanced clinical reasoning and play a meaningful role in patient care decisions. Diverse and Complex Patient Populations Gain exposure to trauma, transplant, critical care, neuroscience, burn, cardiology, specialty medicine, and surgical services. Collaborative Team Environment Work alongside highly respected physicians, nurses, therapists, and healthcare professionals committed to exceptional outcomes. Academic Medical Center Experience Be part of a health system recognized for innovation, research, education, and evidence-based practice. Make a Difference Every Shift Help patients regain mobility, maximize independence, and safely transition to the next level of care.

Qualifications

Licensed Physical Therapist (or license-eligible) in Tennessee Acute care or hospital-based experience preferred Strong clinical reasoning and communication skills Ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams Commitment to exceptional patient-centered care Ready to Make an Impact? If you're seeking a PRN opportunity that offers both flexibility and purpose, Vanderbilt Health provides the opportunity to care for complex patients, collaborate with exceptional colleagues, and make a meaningful difference with every shift.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Technical Capabilities

• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.
• Treatment Planning & Goal Setting (Novice): Demonstrates sufficient proficiency in developing a plan of care that incorporates treatment interventions focused on meeting objective goals. Develops and documents patient focused short and long term goals that are functional and measurable. Identifies the need for and referral to other services, as needed.
• Rehabilitation Therapist Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with physical deficits including impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function by obtaining information pertinent to the assessment and administering and scoring standardized tests and objective measures of deficit areas. Selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance to the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Able to modify treatment plan as needed to demonstrate provision of skilled therapy services including progression of treatment throughout course of care, and revision of treatment interventions of goals not met. May supervise and direct certified athletic trainers (PT only), physical therapist / occupational therapist assistants, technicians and volunteers and students. Selects and follows correct protocol for care and utilize evidence based treatments. Has completed at least one year of clinical experience in treatment implementation.
• Physical/Occupational Therapist Patient Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training.

Position Qualifications

Licensing: LIC-Physical Therapy License - Tennessee Work Experience: Relevant Work Experience Experience Level : Less than 1 year Education: Bachelor's This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth. Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled. PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. Great health care takes great people. We’re looking for like-minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt Health, where we value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and foster an environment where everyone can thrive.

Company Information

We’re the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and an expanding footprint across towns and communities throughout the region. We employ more than 43,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research and graduate medical education. Our employees also serve in critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fundraising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many other departments. Our growing academic health system has more than 2,100 licensed hospital beds at eight hospitals: Vanderbilt University Hospital Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Vanderbilt Health is the Mid-South's largest provider of specialty care, with hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region, and Tennessee’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for adults and children. We are one of the nation's busiest critical care centers, home to Middle Tennessee’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center for adults and children, and Middle Tennessee’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We are the nation’s largest transplant center, and last year we performed the most heart transplants than any center worldwide. Vanderbilt Health is an epicenter for biomedical research, winning over $1 billion in annual research awards from government, industry, foundations and donors. We are also a national leader in medical training and education, with the largest clinical training center in the Mid-South and the only training center in Tennessee for many adult and pediatric specialties. We’re honored to be consistently considered among the nation’s best hospitals for quality, safety and patient satisfaction. Three of our hospitals — Vanderbilt University Hospital, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital — have been awarded a Five-Star Quality Rating from Medicare. We support each other and encourage excellence among every member of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth opportunities, competitive compensation and benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in advancing health care. Our vision: The world leader in advancing personalized health Our mission: Personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities.