Physical Therapist

Physical Therapist

The school physical therapist, as a member of the educational team, supports the education of students suspected of and/or diagnosed with disability in their least restrictive environment. The school physical therapist develops, implements and coordinates a physical therapy program within the local educational agency (LEA); providing screening, evaluation and intervention services. Skilled provision of physical therapy prevents injury (acute or chronic) of both students and educational staff.

Working with students with disabilities and serious health impairments, the physical therapist is expected to analyze risk, problem solve effectively and demonstrate a high level of professional judgment when recommending and providing services, making environmental modifications and training staff to manage physical needs at an appropriate level of supervision. Direct supervision may be exercised over support personnel and must be provided to physical therapy assistants at least every 30 days. Consultation with educational and community personnel is also an essential component of the physical therapist's roles/responsibilities.

The physical therapist, though working as a team member serving students, is autonomous in applying principles of physical therapy and responsible for working within the North Carolina Physical Therapy Practice Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other legal mandates.

Responsibilities & Duties

1. Adhere to professional, ethical and legal standards of practice.

2. Provide direct supervision of physical therapy assistants in accordance with North Carolina's Physical Therapy Practice Act (currently, at least every 30 days).

3. Develop, implement and coordinate the physical therapy program within the LEA, including philosophy, vision, departmental procedures and goals.

4. Evaluate students using appropriate tests, skilled professional observation and supplementary information from other agencies and records.

5. Interpret assessment findings and appropriately convey information to parents and school teams.

6. Participate with the school team to develop Individualized Education Programs and Section 504 Plans. Assist team in planning for student exit when PT services are no longer needed to access educational environment.

7. Develop and implement intervention strategies.

8. Develop physical management plan for daily classroom routines and train staff in its safe implementation.

9. Plan for transition from school to community, preparing student to function independent from therapy service when targeted outcomes are achieved.

10. Evaluate and report on student progress.

11. Communicate and consult with school staff, parents, administrators, physicians, community and other professionals.

12. Serve as resource to parent, school team, staff and administration on disabling conditions and their effects on education.

13. Collaborate with community based therapists and other healthcare providers for effective coordination of service.

14. Assess need and recommend assistive technology necessary for function at school.

15. Contribute to planning safe transportation of students with disability.

16. Participate with improving school accessibility and planning environmental modification.

17. Develop Individual Educational Programs and implement appropriate intervention strategies for students on her/his caseload, adhering to professional, ethical, and legal mandates and standards of practice, as well as collaborating with parents, school staff, administrators, and professionals within the community to ensure the needs of students are delivered.

18. Assist school staff and parents with transitions between educational levels (e.g., preschool to elementary) and programmatic levels (e.g., neighborhood school to center-based program) as students move along the continuum of services.

19. Participate regularly in Medicaid billing as directed by district

Minimum Education, Experience and Requirements

Bachelor's Degree Physical Therapy or higher. Current NC licensure in Physical Therapy is required.

Minimum 1-2 years of pediatric physical therapy experience in a school setting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Provide consultation regarding emergency evacuation of students with disability.

1. Monitor and review IEPs, evaluations, and CECAS data to facilitate consistency and quality of services throughout the district.

2. Provide technical expertise as needed, and assist with student assessments during the initial evaluation and reevaluation process.

3. Good interpersonal skills, consistently treats all individuals with dignity and respect and demonstrates appreciation for individual and cultural differences. Accepts suggestions/constructive criticism in a professional manner from co-workers and administration.

4. Ability to work independently and efficiently, including the ability to research and gather information from varied sources.

5. Working knowledge and proficient level of experience with Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

6. Ability to learn, interpret and explain departmental and systems procedures and policies.

7. Ability to communicate effectively; possess excellent oral and written communication skills (grammar, spelling, etc).

8. Ability to perform at a high level, as a team player, in a team environment.

9. Ability to relate well to diverse groups of people. Able to work with a variety of people regardless of backgrounds and cultures, in a variety of settings encountered in the school.

10. Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.

11. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

12. Ability to remain calm and professional in environment with shifting proprieties.

13. Knowledge of principles, theory, methods, therapy strategies, assessment instruments, current trends, and effective research-based practice in field of pediatric physical therapy.

14. Knowledge of current federal and state legal mandates, including procedural policies, compliance issues, confidentiality requirements, and relevant government agencies involved.

15. Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written forms.

16. Assist families and students with access and scheduling for wheelchairs, orthotics and any other assistive technology needed for a student to access the educational environment.

17. Maintain equipment in assigned schools and return to designated facility when no longer in use.

18. Consult with transportation as needed to meet specific needs of students at assigned schools

19. Seek out professional development (managerial and PT) to augment skills

20. Demonstrate flexibility in response to changes in work schedule/work situation. Willing to accept new/additional responsibilities

Physical Requirements

Must be able to lift 50 lbs to move objects; and assist with student lifting, classification consistent with light work.

Disclaimer

The statements of the job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this category. The description does not contain an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills and other requirements necessary of employees to perform in this position. Signature Date