Summary The Program Coordinator Physical Therapist is assigned to the Physical Therapy Department within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Hampton, VA, which is a Complexity Level 1C facility. Incumbent has the ability to use professional knowledge effectively and must possess initiative, tact, resourcefulness, and good judgment in exercising authority. Responsibilities Physical Therapist (Program Coordinator) duties include, but are not limited to the following: Responsible for completing neuro-musculoskeletal evaluations and treatments. Required to apply evaluation methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of functional impairments and patients. Serves as the subject matter expert on Pelvic Floor / Genitourinary Rehabilitation and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients with pelvic floor /genitourinary conditions in this complex 1C Medical Center. Demonstrates advanced knowledge and expert clinical practice skills in providing evaluation and treatment across the continuum of care. Utilizes advanced knowledge and expertise to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on changing needs, goals and performance of patients. Applies their advanced training in pelvic floor / genitourinary technology to their practice. Identifies pelvic impairments and functional limitations and improves them by designing, implementing and modifying physical therapy treatment plan, as well as, consulting with an interdisciplinary team to provide the most appropriate interventions or recommendations for further testing. Establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers via written, telephone, electronic and personal communication on a regular basis. Exercises expert professional judgement to establish appropriate discharge planning recommendations to endure safe discharge from inpatient or outpatient pelvic floor / genitourinary rehabilitation programs. Assists Supervisor / Physical Therapy Rehab Program Manager in planning, developing and sustaining various treatment programs specifically related to but not limited to Pelvic Floor / Genitourinary PT to meet patient needs, as requested by PM&RS supervisor.. Assist with orientation of new Physical Therapy staff. Provides consultation and teaching for pelvic floor / genitourinary physical therapy research projects. Establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis at the Hampton VA Medical Center. Resolves problems that interfere with delivery of Physical Therapy service. Conducts record keeping related to patient care documentation and quality improvement (QI) data collection as specified by the Supervisor, Physical Therapy Department. Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment that includes the ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am -4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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. 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). Creditable Experience Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice. To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice. The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following: (a) Active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board. Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination. (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 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 11 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. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. PTs at this level have experience that demonstrates advanced practice skills and judgment across one or more areas of physical therapy. The individual may be assigned broad administrative responsibility. The individual is assigned a major content specialty area to include assessing, planning, evaluating and delivering care within a special clinical program or component of a Rehabilitation Service, which usually involves multiple disciplines. See the definition for specialty areas in paragraph 2. i, that includes Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain, Amputation, Spinal Cord Injury and clinical education programs. PTs provide administrative direction and decisions related to the program. The Physical Therapy Program Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of multiple professionals from a variety of disciplines for optimal clinical care and educational programming. He/she implements programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, policy and external accreditation requirements. He/she monitors outcomes, participates in strategic planning and implements strategies for program improvement particularly in assigned content specialty area. The Program Coordinator supports the rehabilitation service and serves as a point of contact providing guidance to facility leadership on matters related to specialty content area. He/she collaborates with Clinical Specialists and with Rehabilitation Service leaders to assist with administrative processes to obtain resources and equipment for operations of content specialty area. He/she assists with developing local policy for new or emerging practices and technologies. References: VA handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G12 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: : Given the probability of patient treatment, the work requires above-average agility and dexterity, heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; use of fingers, both hands required; reaching above shoulder; walking (8 hours); standing (8 hours); both legs required (1 prosthetic); far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1192.01, 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. Page If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
