Summary
The Physical Therapist provides a wide range of Veteran services in the Physical Therapy Section of the Extended Care/Rehab Service Line at VA Black Hills Health Care System in Fort Meade, SD. The Physical Therapist will serve as the Physical Therapist at the Fort Meade and Rapid City Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) sites. Coverage may include Hot Springs site as needed.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This is a PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT and is open to Federal employees from agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs and All US Citizens. If you are a current permanent VA Nationwide employee, you should apply under the internal announcement CBSY-12565101-24-MN.
Duties
Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Primary function is direct patient care through the use of tele-health and outpatients within the Fort Meade and/or RC CBOC setting.
- Treatment duties include varied and extensive evaluations, treatment and documentation, as well as patient/family education.
- Must have knowledge, skills and ability to interact with and provide treatment to patients from young adulthood through geriatric age and be able to fulfill their age specific needs. The population served includes adults and geriatric patients (with physical, cognitive, psychiatric disabilities) who are referred for rehabilitation services in inpatient, outpatient and home settings.
- Plans and modifies the treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition. This individual will be expected to supervise physical therapy assistants when applicable depending on assignment.
- This individual will be required to travel as needed for clinical duties but will be permitted to use government transportation as available and travel will always be on government time.
- May serve in the capacity of the multidisciplinary pain team as physical therapist presence.
- As needed, will conduct vendor work based training on modalities (pain, gait, etc.) with evidence provided from reputable sources (including VA information, RCTs, systematic reviews, etc). (This would be in conjunction with the multidisciplinary pain team PT if hired in the future).
- Will perform appropriate trials for modalities with appropriate patients (based on diagnosis and/or symptoms), and must be based on objective response (i.e. functional outcome measure MCID improvement, and/or 20% or > reduction in opioid utilization, and/or reduction in pain disability score by 25% or >, or as otherwise stated in the central VA SOP on electrotherapy.
- Spends the majority of his/her time working in the telehealth and/or outpatient providing independent examination in this environment. Inpatient and home coverage as needed.
- Demonstrates treatment competency that qualifies him/her to perform patient treatment procedures on a multidisciplinary team or on a specific service.
- Function within a scope of practice to perform diagnostic tests and changes treatment pending notification of referring practitioner in case of adverse patient response.
- Demonstrates ability to make autonomous clinical decisions and at times may be in a Direct Access environment.
- Establish goals and discharge plans based on evaluation findings and planning with the treatment team, patient, family, and/or significant other.
- Develops and carries out physical therapy treatment to meet the individual rehabilitation objectives. Conduct treatment interventions one on one with individuals or in group settings.
- Assess the need for other services and refers as necessary based on evaluation and medical history.
- Assess the need for and the patient's ability to use adaptive equipment required to increase the patient's function, independence and safety. As necessary, orders the appropriate equipment, issues it to patients, and trains them in the proper use of the device(s).
- Independently solves problems not covered by the manuals, adapts and modifies treatment plans, activities and procedures, without supervisory guidance, to meet complex and challenging needs of the patients in rehabilitation.
- Provides and arranges in-service training lectures on various treatment techniques, discusses patient designed treatment plans.
- Evaluates, revises and develops training materials, aids, methods and plans, being free to explore basic theories and principles of physical therapy, with students and other REC staff to include therapies, nursing and other ancillary staff.
- Provide patient and family education programs relating to each patient's functional strengths and weaknesses.
- Provide clinical training and supervision to physical therapy/physical therapist assistant students. Assist other staff members in identifying needs and designing and implementing programs for assigned services as needed.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Ad-hoc only, per Supervisor's discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Must pass pre-employment driving physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
(a) Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part .)
(b) Education and Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
- Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
- Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
- Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
- NOTE: 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.
(c) Licensure: Individuals must 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.
GS-11 (Entry Level) Grade Determinations:
(a) Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-12 (Full Performance Level) Grade Determinations:
(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:
- 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.
References: https://www.va.gov/OHRM/QualificationStandards/HT38/0633-PhysicalTherapist.pdf
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11 or GS-12.
Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- *Highly Recommended* Write to the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) on a separate document - KSAs are found under qualification/grade requirements in the announcement.
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12565102.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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