Physical Therapist

Physical Therapist Positions

Shall provide board certified physical therapy services on site in accordance with the specifications to beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Northern California Health Care System, CA.

Full-time (1.0) Physical Therapist positions available at:

• Fairfield VA OPC
• McClellan VA OPC
• Martinez VA OPC

Education/Training

Mandatory:

• VA Privacy & Information Security Awareness & Rules of Behavior (TMS) – 1.5 hrs.
• Privacy & HIPAA Focused Training (TMS) – 1.5 hrs.
• CPRS (TMS) – 2.0 hrs.

License Requirements

Current license to practice medicine in any State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. All licenses should be full and unrestricted licenses. No history of a license restricted, suspended, revoked, voluntarily revoked, voluntarily surrendered pending action or denied upon application will not be considered for the purposes of this contract.

Certifications Mandatory

• Board certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
• Currently certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or equivalency.

Credentials

• Occupational Therapist(s) should possess requisite credentials enabling the granting of privileges. (refer VHA Handbook 1100.19)
• Approval needed by the Professional Standards Board, Medical Executive Board and Medical Center Director before providing services.

Technical Proficiency

• Technically proficient in the skills necessary to fulfill the government's requirements, including the ability to speak, understand, read and write English fluently.

Minimum Qualifications/Experience

• Minimum of one year of inpatient rehabilitation experience for inpatient rehabilitation.
• The Physical Therapist must have a minimum of one year of experience in outpatient PT setting.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Direct Patient Care: 80% of the time involved in direct patient care.
• Review patient medical records to assess for appropriateness of PT intervention, noting any potential risks or contraindications to treatment and to assist in guiding the evaluation process.
• Perform comprehensive evaluations with using standard and nonstandard methods for evaluating complex patients with an emphasis on assessing a patient's medical status. Document independent evaluations and results according to departmental and medical center standards.
• Evaluate to address rehabilitation potential, behavior, motor skills and psychosocial at an age-appropriate level. Identify barriers to learning. Develop and implement strategies to overcome them to ensure accurate patient evaluation.
• Independently develop appropriate treatment plans and goals with emphasis on subacute and long-term medical rehabilitation; performs a full range of PT treatment procedures, modifying the treatment according to the patient's response to PT intervention.
• Recognize adverse reactions to treatment and initiates effective action immediately.
• Modify treatment plan according to patient response to best meet established goals. Documents progression and/or modifications according to Departmental and Medical Center Standards.
• Discuss patient performance in PT, current status, and continuing goals regularly with physicians and other team members. Work effectively with treatment team members and other health care providers in coordinating the patient's total care.
• Ensure appropriate patient referrals and discharge planning in concert with the Physical Therapy and Medical Center staff.
• Measure, fit and instruct patients for the use of complex adaptive equipment and assistive devices. Justify medical need for all adaptive equipment and assistive device requests.
• Practice all infection control and safety standards
• Administrative: 20% of time not involved in direct patient care.
• Maintain and submit productivity and other required reports in a timely manner.
• Assumes responsibility (under the direction of the Chief of Physical Therapy) for program development and refinements within specialty area of subacute-care and long-term rehabilitation. This is to include the development of subacute-care and long term-care guidelines and protocols.
• Interdisciplinary Team Meetings: Participate in continuous interdisciplinary team activities and meetings with committee participation as required by the VA Chief, Physical Therapy, or designee.
• Staff Meetings: Attend staff meetings as required by the VA Chief, Physical Therapy, or designee. (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service All Staff Conference Call: Meets every month on the 2nd Tuesday of the month for 30 minutes.)

QA/QI Documentation

• Complete the appropriate QM/PI documentation pertaining to all procedures, complications and outcome of examinations. Completion of required clinical and medical record documentation, including the use of computerized patient record system, where applicable. Document all evaluations and recommendations in electronic patient record; writing notes and/or orders. Note types may include pre-op notes, progress notes (detailing urgent management), admission history & physical, transfer notes, death notes, restraint notes, and procedure notes.

Patient Safety Compliance and Reporting

• Follow all established patient safety and infection control standards of care. Contract Physical Therapist(s) shall make every effort to prevent medication errors, falls, and patient injury caused by acts of commission or omission in the delivery of care. All events related to patient injury, medication errors, and other breaches of patient safety shall be reported immediately using the ePER (Electronic Patient Event Reporting) system as required under VANCHCS Policy 00Q-20. At the time of submission of the ePER, a copy should be forwarded to the VA Chief, Physical Therapy or designee. Follow-ups with VA should be provided as required or requested.

Other Mandatory Requirements

• Copies of current Continuing Medical Education (CME)/Certified Education Unit (CEU)