Summary This position is located in the Physical Therapy section at William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital and will primarily provide direct patient care at the Madison East CBOC. The assistant will provide evidenced based skilled interventions including, but not limited to, therapeutic exercise, therapeutic modalities, gait training, transfer training, manual treatment, neuromuscular re-education, self-care and management training, patient/caregiver's education and group therapy. Responsibilities Major duties include but are not limited to: Responsible for the provision of direct treatment of patients under the direction of a licensed Physical Therapist. Make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently treat patients who seek physical therapy services Maintain consistent and timely documentation of patient encounters in the electronic medical record in accordance with accepted PTA practice, facility and Rehabilitation Service policies and procedures. Assess the need for and the patient's ability to use assistive devices and adaptive equipment. If appropriate, issues it to patients, and trains them in the proper use of the device(s). Resolve problems that interfere with delivery of physical therapy care. Function autonomously in carrying out patient education, treatments, and applying physical therapy procedures for which competency has been established and in accordance with state laws or local facility regulations and APTA documents. Able to effectively communicate with health care providers involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis at the William S. Middleton VAH. Adheres to infection control programs and maintains full competency in the use, pre-cleaning and/or reprocessing of reusable medical equipment (RME) per PM&R Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and manufacturer's instructions. Assure the cleanliness, maintenance, repairs, and successful operation of all Physical Therapy equipment and treatment areas. Complete educational activities and competencies to maintain state licensure and any additional certification(s) as required by the certifying/licensing agency and the VA. Assist with the scheduling of outpatient appointments to facilitate care in a timely manner. Work Schedule: M-F 8:00-4:30 PM 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 PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 trial period. 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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. Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: (1) Associate degree from an accredited community college, junior college, college or university in a physical therapy assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education; OR (2) Graduate of foreign physical therapy assistant degree programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs. OR (3) Graduate of military physical therapy assistant programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the NPTE for PTAs. Licensure. Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a PTA in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. (1) Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess state licensure, may be appointed, pending licensure, as a graduate PTA on a full-time temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(a)(1)(B) and not to exceed two years in accordance with the timeframe in 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). (2) Non-licensed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until licensure is obtained. (3) Temporary appointments of non-licensed PTAs may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. English Language Proficiency. [PTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).] 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). All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series [or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard] on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held , including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher-grade levels. (3) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Grade Determinations: Physical Therapy Assistant GS-5 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Physical Therapy Assistant GS-6 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade[GS-05].Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of evidence based physical therapy practice.(b) [Ability to perform] physical therapy data collection and use of objective measures in order to carry out patient plan of care.(c) [Ability to modify treatment approaches, within the scope of the established treatment plans, to reflect patients' changing needs.(d) Skill in promoting physical therapy services by providing training and interventions within the assigned areas. Physical Therapy Assistant GS-7 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade [GS-06].Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(a) Ability to perform in depth chart review to implement treatment plans.(b) Ability to independently use objective measures to assess progress, in accordance with the plan of care for complex patient cases.(c) Knowledge of contemporary physical therapy practice.(d) Ability to consult with the PT to assess progress, modify treatment and set discharge plan. Physical Therapy Assistant GS-8 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade [GS-07]Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Ability to independently implement treatment plan using knowledge of techniques related to the patient's disability and needs. (b) Ability to independently provide varied and multifaceted physical therapy interventions based on the established care plan (e.g., therapeutic exercise, balance, body mechanics, flexibility, strength, gait training, neuromotor development, physical agents, functional training, etc.). (c) Knowledge of physical therapy data collection and assessment techniques in order to perform specific interventions and to monitor and capture progress of the patient/client. (d) Ability to instruct patient on varied interventions to provide materials to enhance compliance with home programs. (e) Ability to modify treatment techniques based on the learning needs and perceptions of the patient. (f) Ability to identify critical changes (e.g. vital signs, pain, mobility and alertness) in patient conditions to determine their medical and functional status. (g) Ability to work with PTs and other interdisciplinary healthcare team members to evaluate patient information for planning, modifying and coordinating treatment programs and discharge planning. 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-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-08. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
