Physical Therapist - NICU

Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Nashville, TN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Provides physical therapy services to patients with impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, or other causes, under occasional guidance. Collaborates with the health care and educational team to meet patient-care, outcomes, and system-improvement objectives.

The Physical Therapist works in the Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, providing evidence-based evaluation and treatment for premature infants, medically fragile newborns, and high-risk neonatal patients. The role focuses on neurodevelopmental assessment and intervention, positioning and developmental support, feeding-readiness collaboration, family and caregiver education, discharge planning, interdisciplinary treatment planning, and monitoring developmental outcomes.

The therapist collaborates with neonatologists, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, respiratory therapists, lactation specialists, and families. The position is part of a specialized pediatric rehabilitation team serving neonatal and pediatric populations across settings including neonatal intensive care, acute care pediatrics, neurology, trauma, orthopedics, and complex medical care. The role also includes assessment, treatment planning, documentation, patient and family education, and applying evidence-based interventions while monitoring progress toward goals.

This is a full-time position with Monday-Friday, 8-hour shifts, flexible start times, no weekends, and no call. An annual holiday rotation schedule applies.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Physical Therapy program.
• Current or eligible Tennessee Physical Therapy licensure.
• Minimum of 2 years of Physical Therapist experience.
• Pediatric, acute care, or neonatal experience.
• Bachelor's degree listed under position qualifications.
• Tennessee Physical Therapy License certification listed under position qualifications.

Nice To Haves

• NICU Physical Therapy experience.
• 3-5+ years of clinical experience.
• Experience in a Level III or Level IV NICU.
• Developmental care training.
• Experience treating medically fragile infants.

Responsibilities

• Analyze formal and informal assessment information relevant to patient care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to establish plans of care, coordinate and implement care delivery, and anticipate patient needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Apply evidence-based interventions, re-evaluate performance, and assess patient progress toward goals.
• Promote successful return to home, community, and school or vocational environments.
• Provide evidence-based evaluation and treatment services for premature infants, medically fragile newborns, and high-risk neonatal patients.
• Perform neurodevelopmental assessment and intervention, positioning, and developmental support.
• Collaborate with the care team on feeding readiness.
• Educate families and caregivers.
• Participate in discharge planning, transitions of care, interdisciplinary treatment planning, and developmental outcomes monitoring.
• Document patient care using appropriate templates and approved abbreviations, meeting institutional quality and timeliness standards.
• Communicate assessment findings, treatment interventions, diagnoses, and disease-process information to patients, families, and the care team.
• May supervise, direct, educate, or train assistants, technicians, volunteers, and students.

Benefits

• The role offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include health, disability, retirement, and/or wellness offerings.
• Support for professional growth and continuing education.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level