Physical Therapist - Home Based Primary Care

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Canton (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Physical Therapist for the Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) program in Canton, Ohio. The incumbent will evaluate patients in their home and community, determine functional status, and develop management plans.

Position requires appropriate licensure and education; non-licensed PTs may be considered temporarily under supervision.

Qualifications

• Completion of education requirements and licensure per VA standards.
• Experience in home health care is preferred but not required.
• Must maintain a non-restricted driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessment and treatment intervention.
• Plan and modify treatment based on patient response and condition.

Skills

Home health care

Interdisciplinary

Clinical decision making

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy

Master's degree in Physical Therapy

Doctorate degree in physical therapy

Job description

The Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program provides comprehensive interdisciplinary care to veterans with complex medical and psychosocial conditions within the home care setting. HBPC therapist complete evaluations to determine the patient's function and safety in their home and community.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• 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.
• Licensure. 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.
• The qualified individual will maintain a non- restricted driver's license.

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).

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:

(1) 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. 5

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

(4) 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.

Grade Determinations

(1) GS-11 Physical Therapist (Entry)

(a) Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

(b) 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.

(2) GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level)

(a) 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:

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Two years of successful therapy practice in the field of home health care or four years of inpatient medical experience
• Excellent interpersonal relationship skills
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to work independently and to make competent clinical decisions using critical thinking skills.
• Sound documentation, patient assessment skills, and interdisciplinary care planning
• Ability to be independent in the community.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities.

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:

• Incumbent must be able to physically perform heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over.
• Incumbent must have the use of: fingers, both hands required, both legs required (to include one prosthetic), vision as required for driver's license, hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability.
• Incumbent must be able to perform reaching above shoulder, walking (up to 8 hrs.), standing (up to 8 hrs.).
• Incumbent must be able to negotiate multiple flights of steps while carrying a treatment bag.
• This position requires operation of a Government-owned or leased motor vehicle to properly carry out assigned duties. A valid state-issued driver license is required, along with medica clearance by Personnel Health.