Clarification from the agency

This job opportunity announcement is open to current Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services (PM&RS) employees of the W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center only. NOTE: Please provide your most recent non-award SF 50 for consideration.

Videos

General Description (Continued): He or she is expected to carry out general duty assignments but primarily serves in the capacity of Coordinator of Clinical Education at least 25% of the time. This position supports the Medical Center including, Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), Community Living Center (CLC), Charlotte Health Care Clinic (HCC) and the Kernersville Health Care Clinic. The incumbent independently, and with supervisory input, plans, develops, and implements a comprehensive and engaging learning environment for students, residents, and staff. Possesses advanced knowledge of contemporary therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide clinical guidance to staff therapists within the service.

Clinical Specialists at this level are performing well beyond the full performance level. The therapist is responsible for maintaining comprehensive knowledge and skills for each therapy area.

Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. [The areas of recognized specialization include but are not limited to: cardiopulmonary rehabilitation; driver rehabilitation specialist; ergonomic specialist; geriatrics specialist; health coaching; assistive technology professional; functional capacity evaluation specialist; aquatic rehabilitation; amputee; and seating/mobility specialist. The clinical specialist is an advanced level practitioner with specialized knowledge and demonstrated clinical competence related to a particular diagnosis, patient population, or treatment area and has an increased depth and breadth of practice skills obtained through training and/or experience in specialty area. Participate in the professional development of colleagues as a preceptor and educator in the area of specialization. Demonstrate leadership within the area of expertise by refining programs and introducing new approaches for providing treatment in developing, initiating and refining treatment programs through current research and best practices of the profession. These individuals must demonstrate skills and techniques in a specialty area and/or specific population who have varying degrees of highly complex physical, psychological and/or physiological disorders.

Knowledge of contemporary and evidence based Kinesiotherapy practice:
a. Ability to serve as a consultant for healthcare providers regarding the delivery of care within Kinesiotherapy.
b. Ability to develop and coordinate clinical education programs with evidence of advanced experience in clinical education such as completion of a nationally recognized certification.
c. Ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with academic affiliates and the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA).
d. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff as well as to guide and evaluate the work of a multi-disciplinary team.

Responsibility and Supervisory Controls:
a. The PMRS Coordinator of Clinical Education spends 75% of his/her time working as a clinician. In this function, the incumbent reports to the Kinesiotherapy Section supervisor who provides clinical oversight and administrative support with consultation of the PM&RS Chief of Service and the OAA.
b. The employee is responsible for planning and carrying out his/her assigned duties, resolving conflicts that arise, coordinating his/her work with others as indicated and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives
c. The incumbent manages his/her clinical education responsibilities with administrative oversight through the Kinesiotherapy Supervisor and consultation from the OAA.

Functions:
1. General Skills:
a. The incumbent works autonomously as a staff Kinesiotherapist to complete clinical duties as assigned including developing and implementing physically therapeutic treatment; using judgment to modify treatment based on changing medical conditions or due to complexity of disabilities; working effectively with treatment team and other staff in coordinating patient's total care; and clinically supervising therapy assistants, aides and volunteers as assigned.
b. The Kinesiotherapist will function in accordance with:
i. Federal law
ii. The Standards of Practice for Kinesiotherapists and the Kinesiotherapy Code of Ethics as published by the American Kinesiotherapy Association (AKTA)
c. Clinical Education Coordinator Skills:
i. As the Kinesiotherapy Coordinator of Clinical Education, s/he serves to coordinate clinical education and training for Kinesiotherapy mainly, but may be asked by other discipline to assist in training of Medical/Nursing students, Residents and other trainees with the Salisbury VA Medical Center.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00AM-3:30PM EST
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

b. Education.(1) A bachelor's degree or higher from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program, with a concentration/emphasis in kinesiotherapy.
OR
(2) A bachelor's degree or higher with a concentration/emphasis in kinesiotherapy or exercise science related field and registered as a kinesiotherapist in good standing with the Council of Professional Standards for Kinesiotherapy Council of Professional Standards for Kinesiotherapy (COPSKT).
OR
(3) A master's degree or higher with a degree in exercise science, kinesiology, human performance or a related field, which has been approved by Council of Professional Standards for Kinesiotherapy (COPSKT) and a certificate verifying completion of a Center of Excellence (COE) Kinesiotherapy clinical training program. The completion of the certificate ensures that COPSKT has approved the degree program as part of the application process for the COE internship.

c. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of a foreign program must meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current registration to practice kinesiotherapy in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States or in the District of Columbia. They must have at a minimum, proof of a degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credentialing evaluation company).

d. Registration. All applicants must be registered in kinesiotherapy in good standing with the COPSKT.

e. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a Kinesiotherapist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements 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) Such employees ] may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or license/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.
(4) Kinesiotherapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status] under this provision,[and subsequently leave the occupation, will lose their] protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

English Language Proficiency. Kinesiotherapist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by [38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).]

GRADE REQUIREMENTS. In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade and assignment of candidates.

Kinesiotherapist, GS-13(1) Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12.

(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:
(a) meets multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
(b) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems operations operational problems to develop and implement solutions that results in efficient operations and use of data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
(c) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers to include conflict management.
(d) Ability to guide the staff in the utilization of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in a professional area, and to guide the staff in applying these tools.

Physical Requirements: Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.