Summary

This Physical Therapist position is in the Sensory and Physical Rehabilitation Service (SPRS) Line at the VA Maine Healthcare System - located at the Togus - Maine location. This position is full-time at 40 hours a week.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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: 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: 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
• Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b 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
• The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction - foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US
• The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy
• FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services
• The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool
• 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
• Grade Determinations
• In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above - the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance): Education - Experience and Licensure
• In addition to the Basic Requirements - candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level - Experience includes but is not limited to: Providing assessment and treatment intervention
• plan and modify treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition
• general assignments in any physical therapy program area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required or may serve as the sole PT such as in an outpatient clinic
• Licensed PTs may provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant - and/or delegate nonpatient care duties to non-licensed staff
• PTs that are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed PT hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Candidates must demonstrate ALL of 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 7 well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs
• Creditable Experience: To be creditable - the experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics (KSAs) - also referred to as core competencies - and associated with the scope of physical therapy practice 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-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent stooping - bending - walking - handling of wheelchairs and lifting in conjunction with treatment of patients
• At times - there may be undue heavy lifting due to unforeseen circumstances such as preventing a patient from falling
• Dexterity and skill in safe machinery techniques are required.

Duties

• The purpose of this position is to provide physical therapy for patients with physical and/or functional disabilities limiting independence and self care and living skills
• The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assessments and interventions
• Duties may include - but are not limited to: Provides direct patient care as assigned delivering Physical Therapy services according to program requirements
• Screens patients for Physical Therapy services for appropriateness - types of services and rehabilitation potential
• Independently develops and implements Physical Therapy treatment using clinical judgment to modify the treatment as a result of changing medical conditions
• Evaluates a wide range of patients with complex disabilities to determine level of function using standardized and non-standardized tests
• Measures - fits and instructs patients for the use of complex adaptive equipment - assistive devices - functional mobility aids - and splints/braces
• Assists multidisciplinary medical team in coordination of patient's treatment and discharge planning
• Maintains patient attendance records and other statistics required by the service/ section/ program assignment
• Assists the development of Quality Assurance - Performance - Improvement - and/or Performance monitors
• Assists in the development of standards of care to ensure compliance with accrediting and professional organizations
• Supervises volunteers - and stay-in-school students in assisting with clinical and administrative duties
• Serves on SPRS and other local - regional - and national committees and teams as assigned
• Acts as clinical supervisor for professional or technical level students
• Provides clinical training for PT Practicum students in assigned program
• Assists in developing and upgrading student training program
• Provides in-service and clinical training programs to staff to promote and enhance professional development
• Educates health professionals - patients and family members of patients on the role of Physical Therapy - the Physical Therapy related needs of a patient - and expected Physical Therapy related outcomes of treatment
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• 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) Telework: Not Authorized
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F08407 - GS-11
• F08408 - GS-12 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
• Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• Current and former Federal employees must 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.