Physical Therapist - Inpatient - Per Diem

CH_050 Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca•Ithaca, NY

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Cayuga Health is hiring an inpatient Physical Therapist at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, New York. The role provides person- and goal-centered physical therapy, using evidence-based practice and clinical judgment to assess patient needs, plan and adjust interventions, and support safe, coordinated care. The therapist communicates with patients, families, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary team, and helps determine discharge destinations, support levels, services, follow-up needs, and equipment needs. This is a per diem, onsite position; shifts may vary to support departmental coverage needs. Local travel of 0% to 5% may be expected. The standard pay rate is $41.00–$57.00 per hour.

Requirements

Successful completion of an accredited physical therapy program; the program may be bachelor's, master's, or doctorate level.
Current New York State physical therapy license.
Current CPR certification.
Complete yearly mandatory safety trainings and e-learning courses.
Ability to move or lift patients with assistance.
Ability to perform repetitive hand and finger use, such as operating a computer keyboard.
Ability to sit, walk, or stand for long periods of time.
Ability to physically operate equipment used for the job.

Nice To Haves

Problem-solving skills.
Attention to detail.
Time-management skills.
Flexibility in prioritizing and adjusting workload.
Good written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

Review patient charts to determine appropriateness for physical therapy.
Select appropriate examinations and integrate findings into a comprehensive, person- and goal-centered plan of care.
Use evidence-based practice to guide clinical decisions and therapy intensity.
Assess patient responses to interventions and adjust interventions and plans of care as appropriate.
Communicate in a manner suited to the patient's age, learning style, cognition, and culture.
Educate patients and their families or caregivers using compassionate communication.
Communicate patient physical therapy needs and barriers to the interdisciplinary team to facilitate throughput.
Maintain professional communication with all team members, including during adverse, challenging, and crucial conversations.
Use the medical record and patient presentation to identify relative and absolute contraindications to physical therapy.
Assess patients and the environment for barriers to safe movement, and maintain expertise in safe patient handling equipment.
Progress interventions toward patient goals, reassess progress, and adjust plans of care.
Produce clear, defensible documentation supporting clinical decision-making.
Use clinical judgment to determine when immediate communication beyond documentation is needed for safe, coordinated care.
Assess the patient's life context and functional status to determine discharge destination, support level, additional services, and follow-up needs.
Determine appropriate equipment needs and provide caregiver training as appropriate.
Complete yearly mandatory safety training and e-learning courses.