Job Summary

This position is located at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, IL. The primary function is direct patient care of patients status acute and chronic injuries during inpatient stay, acute inpatient rehab, and outpatients in the Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center (SCI/D) for the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) Service Line. Serves as the subject matter expert in seating and positioning as well as spinal cord impairments.

Job Description

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 and Experience. Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist OR Doctorate degree in physical therapy NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelor's 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 CPATE 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 Untied 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 on 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 U.S. 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. 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). - Please see the Additional Information Section for more information. Grade Determinations: GS-13 Requirements: To qualify at the GS-13 level, applicants must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-12) and hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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 or 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. AND Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or Completion of a fellowship program; or An additional advanced degree in a related field. AND In addition to the GS-12 requirements, applicants must have one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-12) and demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities at the GS-13 level: Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification through the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), with seating and wheeled Mobility assessment, experience with neuro population specifically spinal cord injuries and disorder. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), Heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), Pushing, Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (8 hours), Standing, Repeated bending (4 hours), Both legs required, Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Specific visual requirement (Read without strain character), Ability to distinguish shades of color, and Hearing (Hearing aid permitted)