Physical Therapist - Safe Patient Handling Program Manager

Clarification from the agency

This position is ONLY open to current, permanent VA Sheridan Health Care System Employees and VA Employees Nationwide. ***If you are NOT a current federal employee, please apply to the public announcement CBSU-13048967-26-GH.*** NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

• Participates in planning, design, & construction phases of all projects so that all projects in spaces Veterans use include VA medical facility SPHM Program Coordinator input incorporating VHA Design guides.
• Completes, leads, & updates ergonomic assessments to implement appropriate SPHM technology to prevent hazards identified across all areas that provide patient care.
• Performs comprehensive rounding throughout the VA medical facility using the SPHM template within the Performance Logic Application to monitor facility performance measures.
• Investigates employee & patient safety & health incidents related to patient handling, providing recommendations & tracking these injuries by unit, area, hospital-wide, & across the continuum, in collaboration with the worker's compensation program personnel, facility safety, OSHA record keeper, & facility patient safety manager.
• Ensures that patients are screened before mobilization & that methods chosen for mobility are safe, effective, & appropriate for individual needs across the continuum of care.
• Selects & coordinates the acquisition of SPHM-related equipment & supplies with appropriate stakeholders within the healthcare system across the continuum.
• Establishes & maintains highly effective relationships at all levels of the organization, working in collaboration with VA medical facility stakeholders on resource availability for programmatic support.
• Provides expertise to all individuals & workgroups that handle & mobilize patients or provide or approve patient equipment.
• Monitors VA medical facility compliance with Directive 1611 & initiates appropriate corrective action if non-compliance is identified. As determined by the facility director, report to the VA medical facility committee at least twice yearly.
• Establishes procedures delineating local responsibilities related to local VA medical facility SPHM program alignment, implementation, & sustainment.
• Makes decisions that affect staff & other resources with a wide latitude of control.
• Uses independent judgment to evaluate, plan, & direct the SPHM program to ensure proper coordination of care with the local facility inclusive of regional/national stakeholders such as The Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (GARF), & the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations as appropriate.
• Communicates with transparency, clarity, & integrity while providing opportunities & resources for the VA facility to schedule, providing employees with SPHM education & training, & maintaining competence for all personnel directly involved with handling & mobility of Veterans.
• Ensures a process is in place for new VA medical facility employees to participate in SPHM orientation. Ensures VHA employees receive ongoing education or competency/proficiency evaluation to maintain competence in their roles and responsibilities.
• Leads & mentors SPHM unit/service peer leaders on all shifts in all areas that provide patient care to train staff & recognize hazards at the unit or service level.
• Trains SPHM peer leaders at least once per year, providing training resources & references & periodic opportunities for interaction. Monitor that SPHM peer leaders are provided with time to check equipment and train employees.
• Translates evidence into practice throughout the organization. Collaborate with all services throughout the continuum as appropriate to lead, coordinate, & monitor a comprehensive SPHM program that meets the performance criteria.
• Advances one's knowledge through the continual application of evidence-based research. Meet at least quarterly with SPHM Program Coordinators in VISN.
• Reports annually on performance metrics requested by the national SPHM program through a national SPHM survey. Meet monthly with National SPHM Program Coordinators.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm (some evening hours for training may be required)
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61478-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English.

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.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the education requirements if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors 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.

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.

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.

Grade Determinations:

GS-13 Physical Therapist (Program Coordinator)
Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs.

Assignment at the GS-12 include but are not limited to independentlyproviding 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. 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

1. Ability to apply advanced knowledge of contemporary physical therapy within specialty area to provide clinical guidance, training or education for internal and external stakeholders.
2. Ability to serve as a consultant within the assigned program area for intra-agency and interagency planning and to provide service coordination to optimize program continuity, efficiency and effectiveness.
3. Knowledge of and skill in management, administration and/or education methodologies. This includes the ability to monitor and track data, utilize available resources effectively, evaluate program quality, and generate reports for local, and/or VISN and/or VACO leadership.
4. Ability to develop and coordinate treatment and/or educational programs within a concentrated field or specialty area, such as, but not limited to, amputee, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, student clinical education/residency programming, polytrauma/traumatic brain injury.
5. Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships within department and with other departments or affiliated programs.
6. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team.

Preferred Experience: Two years of program management experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The physical requirements to perform the essential functions of this job, considering physical, mental, and
emotional capacities, without endangering their safety and health or co-workers' safety and health, are in VA Directive 5019 and Handbook
5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• License
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please 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
• License
• Other (1)
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Next steps