Physical Therapist II

Physical Therapist

Under general supervision and using clinical expertise, evaluates the physical therapy needs of inpatients and outpatients in a hospital or California Children's Services (CCS) setting. Develops, implements, and documents treatment plans and goals to meet patient needs and acts as a clinical resource specialist to other therapists.

The Power of WE: Together, we can make a greater impact. Bringing better care and expanding healthcare services across the community.

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) is the second largest public health care system in California and includes four acute care hospitals, 14 clinics and 60+ specialty and sub-specialty services. Our mission is to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare and excellent service to everyone in Santa Clara County.

Because we serve patients throughout multiple hospitals and clinics, you may have to work at different sites. We will meet any obligations we may have when this occurs.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center - SCVMC is a full-service tertiary acute care teaching hospital with 699 licensed beds providing a wide range of specialized services, including Rehabilitation, Burn, Trauma, and NICU. SCVMC was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #6 Rehabilitation Hospital in the nation and #1 in the West and designated as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hip Fracture, and Pneumonia.

O'Connor Hospital - O'Connor Hospital (OCH) is a 358 licensed bed acute care facility offering a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and specialty programs to residents of Santa Clara County. It was founded in 1889 as one of the first hospitals in the county. OCH has grown significantly over the past five years in both its inpatient volume and its Emergency Department visits. Along with these volume increases other ancillary and clinical departments like imaging, lab, pharmacy, and respiratory have seen growth as well.

St. Louise Regional Hospital - Since 1989, St. Louise Regional Hospital (SLRH) has been caring for the residents in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient medical specialties. SLRH has 93 beds, is a Designated Primary Stroke Center, and is the only acute care hospital in the area. Located in Gilroy, SLRH maintains a CALSTAR 2 emergency helicopter base on the premises.

Regional Medical Center Regional Medical Center (RMC) is a 258-bed hospital that is the main emergency healthcare provider for East San Jos, treating a wide range of critical and life-threatening conditions for more than 60 years. Since the SCVH integration of RMC effective 4/1/25, RMC has expanded the critical services including Level II trauma, Thrombectomy capable Stroke Center and STEMI care, and has been seeing an increased number of emergency visits and inpatient volume.

Typical Tasks

Patient Care

• Performs complex patient care tasks under minimal supervision with advanced skills in clinical reasoning, problem-solving and treatment interventions;
• Examines, evaluates, and tests individuals with mechanical, physiological and developmental impairments, functional limitations, and disability or other health and movement-related conditions;
• Determines diagnosis of physical impairments or movement-related functional limitations, prognosis, plan of therapeutic intervention and frequency/duration of intervention;
• Designs, implements and modifies therapeutic interventions to alleviate movement-related impairments, functional limitations and disabilities, including but not limited to: therapeutic exercise; movement-related functional training; gait training; manual therapy including soft tissue and joint mobilization; therapeutic massage; airway clearance techniques integumentary protection and repair techniques; debridement and wound care; and physical agent, mechanical and electrotherapeutic modalities;
• Integrates examination, evaluation, movement-related diagnosis, prognosis and intervention in a manner designed to maximize outcomes, and modifies treatment accordingly;
• Evaluates for, recommends, applies and, as appropriate, fabricates movement-related assistive, adaptive, protective, prosthetic and supportive devices and equipment, and trains patients in their use;
• Provides patient and family/caregiver education and training;
• Performs indirect patient care duties that may include: communicating/coordinating care with patients, families/caregivers, and other professionals; discharge planning; documenting all elements of patient management; participating in patient care conferences; reviewing medical records; charging for patient care; referring to other professionals or resources;
• Works to prevent injury, impairment, movement-related functional limitation or disability including the promotion and maintenance of fitness, health and quality of life for all age groups;
• Performs the tasks listed above for an assigned caseload of patients;
• Serves as consultant in an area of clinical specialty to staff therapists;
• May act as a clinical liaison in specialty clinics.

Clinical Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Therapy students and interns, Therapy Technicians, students and volunteers as assigned, and conducts clinical competencies for same;
• Provides clinical guidance to other Physical Therapists in areas of expertise;
• Assists Physical Therapist III with training of staff therapists, assistants and students;
• Leads other therapists working on special projects or who are assigned to satellite facilities;
• Provides orientation and training of new service personnel.

Administrative Tasks

• Prioritizes and schedules patient treatment as assigned;
• Assumes selected responsibilities of other staff during temporary absences;
• Assists in the day to day operations of assigned service;
• Assists with development and implementation of service policies, procedures, goals and objectives.

Professional Development

• Participates in internal and external professional and educational activities to enhance personal and professional growth;
• Participates in research as appropriate;
• Assists with program development as assigned;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
• Other related duties as assigned.

Employment Standards

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities: Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are acquired through two (2) years of clinical experience as a physical therapist in two (2) or more specialty areas relevant to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and/or in pediatric therapy. Special Requirements A valid license, or proof of application for licensing, from the Physical Therapy Board of California to practice as a Physical Therapist in the State of California. Knowledge of:

• Principles, methods, equipment and theory of the practice of physical therapy;
• Pathologies and injuries that result in physical impairment;
• Evaluation and treatment methodologies as applied to complex patients;
• Regulatory practice requirements;
• Basic business aspects of therapy services, such as utilization management, charging practices and regulatory compliance;
• Basic principles of clinical supervision and clinical instruction.

Ability to:

• Develop, implement and adapt treatment programs;
• Apply advanced clinical skills in treating difficult and complex cases;
• Evaluate patients and interpret clinical data and make clinical judgments;
• Clinically supervise, train and evaluate staff;
• Lead other therapists and aides;
• Instruct and provide consultation to therapists and other team members in designated clinical specialty;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with others;
• Communicate effectively with patients, staff, and other health professionals;
• Write clearly and concisely;
• Efficiently manage time and priorities;
• Demonstrate appropriate patient handling skills (assist, support, lift and transfer patients);
• Reach, grasp, manipulate and carry a variety of objects.

County of Santa Clara, CA