Physical Therapist

Summary

The Physical Therapist is assigned to the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service and serves those patients as dictated by the New York Harbor Health Care System. The staff Physical Therapist utilizes the application of goal oriented, purposeful activity in the assessment and treatment of individuals whose function is impaired by physical illness or injury, psychiatric and/or emotional disorder, congenital or developmental learning disabilities or the aging process.

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Duties

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Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Clinical Duties:

- An incumbent is a licensed physical therapist who can perform at minimum all duties at the full performance level. He/she is responsible for administering physical therapy programs for Veterans.

- Incumbent provides evaluation and treatment in a timely fashion; chart review will allow the incumbent an opportunity to assess the appropriateness of the referral and possible contraindications for treatment.

- Incumbent's evaluation includes a medical history and results and interpretation of the appropriate tests and measurements performed. Tests are frequently complex and may need to be adapted because of multiple physical disabilities or present medical condition.

- Incumbent utilizes evaluation data to implement comprehensive Veteran treatment plans, involving the Veteran in a goal-setting process, if feasible. Follows established protocols, ethics and guidelines of the Physical Therapy Section and the profession.

- Incumbent plans. and carries out the full range of treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex and procedures involved require the application of highly specialized skills and knowledge. Incumbent modifies treatment plan according to evaluative findings on an ongoing basis to meet established goals. He/she recognizes even subtle responses or adverse reactions to treatment, initiates effective action immediately, and advises other health care team members as indicated.

- Incumbents must coordinate and employ several treatment approaches simultaneously to accomplish complex treatment objectives.

- Incumbent demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment of physical therapy and their proper application through which the use of therapeutic physical rehabilitation and reconditioning procedures are implemented.

- Incumbent demonstrates knowledge of and compliance with all emergency and disaster procedures.

- Incumbent identifies his/her continuing education needs, attends continuing education programs and reads professional literature for the purpose of maintaining or improving knowledge and skills for work performance.

- Incumbent maintains current working knowledge of available technology and equipment.

- Incumbent involves the Veteran, family members, caregivers, and pertinent health care staff in the treatment process by maintaining effective communications.

Administrative Duties:

- Incumbent is responsible for the care, upkeep, and sanitation of equipment in the assigned work environment. He/she organizes and maintains clinical and administrative space in order to optimize safety, infection control and efficiency. Organizes work related matters, schedules patients efficiently and completes assigned tasks in a timely manner

- Solves problems independently not covered by guidelines without supervision; assists other physical therapy staff members in the modification of treatment plans and serves as role model for other physical therapy staff members/students.

- Incumbent assesses the equipment needs of the department and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials.

- Incumbent schedules Veterans for treatment, considering priority and frequency of care and coordinates schedules with other members of the treatment team. Flexibility of schedule must be maintained to allow for unscheduled Veterans and unforeseen circumstances.

- Incumbent follows the VHA Outpatient Scheduling Processes and Procedures, and delegates these duties appropriately to medical support staff. This may include ensuring the rules for scheduling new consults are followed, entering return to clinic orders for follow up appointments and following procedures for communicating no-shows, Veteran cancellations, and clinic cancellations.

- Incumbent delegates duties to assistants and other support staff and performs any necessary follow-up as appropriate.

- Incumbent complies with all policies and procedures regarding documentation and coding of Veteran care.

- Incumbent demonstrates knowledge of computer skills for completion of documentation and other responsibilities as required. Documents in core computer evaluations, ongoing patient treatment plans and performance via accurate and timely note-writing, record keeping and charting procedures based on established protocol by DVANYHHS and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service

- Incumbents attend and participates in all mandatory departmental staff meetings and training sessions. Incumbent plans and presents in-service education programs, when requested and/or as needed to the PT section, PM&R staff, and other services, as appropriate.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework : Not Available

Functional Statement # : 00407A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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 :

• 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.

(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 non- profit 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.

• C. 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.
• D. Loss of Credential . A PT who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists.
• F . Physical Requirements . Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• G . 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.
• H. 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.

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).

GRADE REQUIREMENTS:

A. Creditable Experience

(1) Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice. To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice. The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following:

• (a) Active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board. Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination.
• (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis.

(2) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level.

Grade Determinations : GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level)

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:

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

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Assignment. At the full performance level, PTs are responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions to inpatients and outpatients received through healthcare provider referrals and patient self-referrals. Guided by differential and movement diagnoses, PTs perform 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 personal and environmental factors. PTs interpret findings from examination, diagnostic studies/medical tests and, during evaluation, select appropriate clinical tests and measures, and then integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. PTs establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate intervention to treat and/or refer to another provider for further consultation when needed. They determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences for meaningful level of function in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes. Physical therapists select appropriate equipment needed to substitute for loss of function or to substitute for limited function of individuals they treat. Staff PTs at this level practice autonomously, making recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as clinically indicated during ongoing assessment of patients under their care. The staff PT may also develop and provide individualized clinical training experiences for physical therapy students in facilities with established clinical experience rotations. PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any/all areas where physical therapy services are deemed necessary, and/or may serve as the sole PT at a less complex facility. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments as deemed appropriate given the needs of a facility on an occasional basis, where the amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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