Physical Therapist

Veterans Health Administration • Nevada, MO

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Physical Therapist provides clinical services to veterans enrolled at the Kansas City Veterans Medical Center and is assigned to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services. The role includes professional patient care, education and training, clinical consultation, supervision, and administration. The therapist applies physical therapy theories, principles, and methods to evaluate and treat patients with conditions affecting the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and integumentary systems, while considering relevant psychosocial and environmental factors.

As an independent care provider on the health care team, the Physical Therapist makes autonomous clinical decisions, examines and evaluates patients, establishes diagnoses within the scope of physical therapy, and develops individualized plans of care. The therapist determines prognoses and treatment goals in consideration of clinical findings and patient preferences, adapts treatment based on patient response, conducts timely re-evaluations, and documents findings, goals, equipment recommendations, progress, and discharge summaries in medical records. The position is full performance level GS-12. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Graduation from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program.
• A full, current, unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Meet one of the education and experience pathways: bachelor's degree in physical therapy and five years of progressively independent physical therapist experience; master's degree in physical therapy and two years of progressively independent experience; or a doctorate degree in physical therapy.
• For GS-12, one year of experience equivalent to GS-11, a valid unrestricted state license, and demonstrated ability to make autonomous clinical decisions, perform evaluations, interpret findings, establish diagnoses and interventions, determine prognosis, and provide clinical oversight of assistants and students.
• Comply with applicable pre-employment drug testing, background/security investigation, onboarding, identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of work experience in an outpatient clinical setting.

Responsibilities

• Independently evaluate and treat patients seeking physical therapy services and make autonomous clinical decisions.
• Perform examinations and evaluations for patients with actual or potential impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions affecting relevant body systems.
• Interpret examination and evaluation findings, select appropriate tests and measures, and integrate findings into a physical therapy plan of care.
• Establish physical therapy diagnoses and determine appropriate rehabilitation interventions, including referral to another provider when clinically indicated.
• Determine prognosis and establish meaningful treatment goals in consideration of examination findings and patient preferences.
• Design, adapt, and modify treatment programs to meet short- and long-term goals and respond to patient progress.
• Complete timely patient re-evaluations and revise goals as appropriate.
• Document initial findings, treatment goals, equipment recommendations, follow-up progress, and discharge summaries in patient medical records.
• Provide clinical oversight to Physical Therapy Assistants and students on clinical affiliations in Doctoral PT or PTA programs.
• Provide education and training, clinical consultation, supervision, and administration.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for qualifying prior federal or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree