Physical Therapist

Description:

The incumbent serves as a Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) under Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is designated as a Level 1a facility, The incumbent is responsible for providing in-home evaluations, planning, recommending and coordination of other pertinent VA or rehabilitation services in the home for the enrolled Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) patient population.

Requirements:

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 . The basic requirements for employment as a VHA physical therapist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of physical therapist in VHA must meet the following:

a. Citizenship . Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens,
necessary personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 without regard to the citizenship requirements
of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United
States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned.
b. 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 postbaccalaureate 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.

(4) Foreign Graduates . Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non4profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool.

b. 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.

GS-11 Physical Therapist (Entry):
(a) Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.
(NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement above.)
(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

GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level)
(a) In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a
valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below:
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.

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 is GS-12.

Preferred Experience: Home Health care or Home-Based Primary Care experience.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work require light lifting (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), the use of fingers, reaching above shoulder, both hands required, walking (3 hrs.), prolong standing (6-8 hrs.), crawling (.25 hrs.), kneeling (.50 hrs.), repeated bending (2 hrs.), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.