Physical Therapy Assistant
What you'd do
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Major duties
PTAs at this level apply advanced practice skills to treat complex patients, with a special emphasis on Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis serving local, regional and national areas, but to also include clinical duties serving other neurological conditions to meet the needs locally and where gaps exist. Performs direct patient care (face-to-face and virtual formats) within at least 50% of the time focused specifically on treatment and management of MS and Parkinson's Disease. Has experience, knowledge, and comfortability of patients served within the neurological clinical spectrum to include specific experience Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease. Some patient care duties outside of Neuro Rehab area may be assigned depending on clinical demand to include inpatient and outpatient services. Demonstrated ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to provide clinical guidance to other staff members in the department. Assists in the development, planning, and implementation of monitors of quality of care with respect to patients with neurologic diagnoses as part of the comprehensive health care services delivered to the patients within VA Puget Sound. Supports the clinical team in determining gaps in policy and clinical practice guidelines and work to close those gaps. Uses clinical reasoning and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to meet the needs of patients. Documents in a timely, concise manner, per section documentation and consult management requirements. Anticipates patient's needs and recognizes patient's ability to use a variety of stock, custom, and adaptive equipment to optimize functionality and independence. Supports, delivery and training in the use of patient specific equipment in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner, utilizing the processes related to the procurement of prosthetic equipment. Will integrate the latest research and evidence-based practices into program development, policy formulation, and clinical guidelines to ensure high-quality care. Utilizes data-driven approaches to evaluate and improve therapy services, considering factors such as geographic location and specific diagnoses to tailor interventions. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7 am - 3:30pm Telework: Ad Hoc Only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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: 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 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. 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. 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). Grade Determinations: Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-9 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate one of the following: A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area, and completion of 60 contact hours of selected continuing education coursework. This time must be within the past five years; or Advanced Practice Proficiency (APP) in the specialty area recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); or An additional academic degree related to the health care mission. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to mentor other staff in advanced clinical guidelines and best practices. Ability to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for healthcare providers in specialty practice areas regarding physical therapy care. Ability to present advanced knowledge in the therapeutic interventions and clinical practice guidelines with the healthcare team. Ability to interpret and apply clinical practice guidelines. Preferred Experience: Neuro rehab preferred experience to include MS and Parkinson's Disease Program and/or Project Development Experience F2F and Virtual delivery of care models 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-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-09. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking, standing, crawling, kneeling, repeated bending, 1 hour; Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Mental and Emotional Stability; Environmental Factors: Outside and Inside; Working alone;
Before you apply
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