Career Center

Summary

This Physical Therapist position is in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at the VA Boston Healthcare Systems - located at the Jamaica Plain location. Incumbent provides direct patient care in the Outpatient Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab. This position is a full-time position at 40 hours per week.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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
• Note: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelor's or master's degree
• In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate - master's - and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs
• Effective 2002 - CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree)
• Effective 2015 - professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students
• Accreditation Requirement: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university
• The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs
• Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org
• 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
• 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 Determinations: GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) (a) 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: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• (c) 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)
• Preferred Experience: 1 year of experience working with elderly patients with multiple - complex medical problems
• High level of autonomy combined with ability to work collaboratively on a team of interdisciplinary professionals
• Knowledge and understanding of the highly specialized evaluation and diagnostic tests and procedures required in pulmonary rehabilitation
• Established skills in developing and coordinating exercise treatment plans with other professionals
• Capacity to assess a wide variety of patients who have diverse and multiple disabilities
• Reference: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G12For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work involves standing - stooping - lifting (frequently greater than 50 pounds) - sitting - pulling - assisting patients in transferring from various devices (bed - W/C - floor - motorized vehicles - mats etc.)
• Additionally - moving patient and supplies and pushing patient in their manual or motorized W/C's
• Additionally - the PT is required to work at a computer workstation to complete his/her documentation of incidents involving a patient and the progress in the patient's overall PT Program.

Duties

• Incumbent serves as a Physical Therapist assigned to the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) of the VA Boston Healthcare System (VA BHS)
• The position requires a licensed physical therapist (PT) - with at least 1 year of relevant clinical experience - who works independently with general guidance from the Physical Therapy Supervisor and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medical Director and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Medical Director
• The position will have an assigned duty station at the Jamaica Plain Campus but will be required to travel to West Roxbury and Brockton Campuses
• The primary responsibility of this position is to develop and provide services for the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in addition to general PT Services for PMR
• The function of this position is to develop and participate in the implementation of life-long wellness - exercise and conditioning programs that will promote - restore - and preserve optimal physical functioning - health - well-being and quality of life of Veterans within the VA BHS
• This position will function as conduit between PMR Service to Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs
• Duties may include - but are not limited to: Working with complex patients with chronic medical diseases and multiple comorbidities
• Responsible for developing and administering Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs to adult and geriatric patients
• Incumbent coordinates - develops - and oversees PT Program which will include - but not limited to - areas such as consult/referral management - clinical evaluation - introduction to exercise/fitness
• patient education groups
• patient educational series including podcasts and telehealth
• gym/equipment programs
• individual and group exercise programming
• Work Schedule: Jamaica Plain: 8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• Weekend/Holiday rotation at West Roxbury
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: FS -F03273 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not required Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Preferred Experience: 1 year of experience working with elderly patients with multiple - complex medical problems
• High level of autonomy combined with ability to work collaboratively on a team of interdisciplinary professionals
• Knowledge and understanding of the highly specialized evaluation and diagnostic tests and procedures required in pulmonary rehabilitation
• Established skills in developing and coordinating exercise treatment plans with other professionals
• Capacity to assess a wide variety of patients who have diverse and multiple disabilities
• Notifications: This position is not part of a Bargaining Unit
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
• Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• Selectee may be required to work at any VA Boston Healthcare System campus or CBOC - as needed
• This position is in the Excepted Service.