PHYSICAL THERAPIST - CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Physical Therapist

The Physical Therapist provides evaluations/therapy in a variety of settings, assessing the gross motor area of development. The Physical Therapist will provide treatment plans and outcomes reflected in each child's Individual Family Service Plan, using therapeutic modalities and procedures to maintain/increase skills. The Physical Therapist also communicates with staff and families regarding results of the evaluation, treatment and progress, provides parent training, and makes suggestions for home programming.

Essential Functions

• The physical therapist may be asked to assist in evaluating children on an individual basis.
• The therapist will communicate the results of the assessment/screening as directed.
• The therapist shall assist in determining each child's adaptive equipment/orthopedic equipment and/or assistive technology needs. This would include but not be limited to specially adapted chairs and wheelchair inserts for proper positioning, orthotics, splints, braces, walkers, etc.

Therapy

• The therapist will conduct individual therapy when appropriate to maintain or enhance speech and language abilities, or training to improve/maintain feeding and pre-feeding skills; to provide the necessary program information to enhance these outcomes. The Physical Therapist will facilitate the growth of the child's parents as teachers by providing the resources and support necessary to adequately meet each goal.
• The Physical Therapist will provide the parents with a developmental model of learning which will help them to clarify and realize their own child's needs.
• In community settings, the Speech-Language Pathologist would allow for the general wellbeing and safety of the children.

Communications

• The therapist should have the ability to deal effectively with other staff, agencies, and community programs, as well as children and their parents/guardians.
• The therapist shall keep daily progress notes, make quarterly reports on, and maintain records of, evaluations, homevisits, etc.
• The therapist shall be responsible to turn in their timesheet every other week (on Friday by noon), and their mileage and attendance sheet on the last day of each month.
• The therapist writes a discharge summary for all children who are transitioning to the school system when turning three.
• The therapist may be asked to participate in case conferences, staff meetings, parent group meetings when requested.
• The therapist will be asked to participate with other team members in writing quarterly reports.
• The therapist should attend appropriate workshops and conferences to increase professional effectiveness and to meet the 30-hour minimum requirement by First Steps.
• The therapist should serve as a resource person for information on gross/fine motor, positioning for play and eating, mobility and ambulation training; to improve muscle strength and ranges of motion; and to provide the necessary equipment for proper positioning, ambulation, play, etc.

General Responsibilities

• The Physical Therapist will be responsible for the health and safety of children served at all times.
• The Physical Therapist will be expected to serve as role model for persons served.
• The Physical Therapist will be expected to serve as an advocate and to protect the rights of children served at all times.
• The Physical Therapist will be expected to participate in training as required by their supervisor or for all LOGAN staff.
• The Physical Therapist may be assigned other duties by your supervisor as deemed necessary for the betterment of the program. This may include presenting at in-service training, participation in EI committees, program planning, student supervision, etc.
• The Physical Therapist should plan instructional activities, as well as activities in the community.
• The Physical Therapist will furnish all required monthly statistics on a timely basis.
• The Physical Therapist should respect the confidentiality and cultural diversity of the child and his/her family at all times, according to LOGAN policies.
• The Physical Therapist may be asked to serve on a LOGAN committee that addresses the internal operations of the agency.
• The Physical Therapist will provide evaluations in a variety of settings to determine program needs of infants and toddlers.
• The Physical Therapist will participate with all First Steps staff and other community agency personnel in developing appropriate outcomes for Individual Family Service Plans.
• The Physical Therapist will also provide reports and written programs to families and other professionals following First Steps guidelines.

Qualifications

Education: A licensed registered Physical Therapist in the State of Indiana.

Experience: One year of experience working with the pediatric population is preferred by not necessary.

Job knowledge:

• The ability to communicate with other appropriate staff, supervisor, and agency personnel.
• The ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with children and families within this format.
• The ability to provide developmental outcomes for each child and demonstrate activities and strategies to their families and or caregivers.
• The ability to be creative in exploring new and innovative ideas.
• The ability to work independently and use sound judgment.
• The duties described above are indicative of the skills, knowledge, abilities and normal task assignments of this job. Additional duties requiring similar or lesser skills may be added at any time without the necessity for altering the description or re-evaluating the job.

Abilities, interests, aptitudes or licensure: They are currently registered/licensed with the Health Professions Bureau of Indiana. Will hold a valid driver's license and have the ability to drive to and from each visit, therapy session, or Individual Family Service Plan site, and have a reliable form of transportation. They are currently enrolled in the state of Indiana as First Steps provider. The ability to lift a child three years of age and under, weighing up to approximately 50 pounds with adaptive equipment.

Contact Responsibility

Fulfilling the responsibilities of this job may result in contact with body fluids. LOGAN will provide Hepatitis B vaccine at no cost to employees in this job classification upon request.