Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open only to current employees of the Robert J. Dole VAMC and CTAP eligibles.

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This is the full performance level position that services the Robert J. Dole VAMC and/or CBOC and involves independent travel to Veterans' homes within the identified area. The Physical Therapist (PT) performs evaluation and treatment responsibilities in outpatient, inpatient, and acute rehabilitation despite primary focus in home setting. The incumbent should be experienced in this area and able to provide high-level care in a home setting environment.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Communicates effectively within a multidisciplinary service to provide quality care with compassion and a commitment to excellence.
• Carries primary responsibility for providing in-home physical therapy assessments, and the planning, and administration and management of rehabilitation in the home for patients of the RJDVA and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) Home Based Primary Care Program (HBPC).
• The physical therapist provides in-home services to patients with a wide variety of multiple, complex chronic illnesses and/or profound disabilities.
• Be required/responsible to operate a government owned/leased motor vehicle to properly carry out their assigned duties. Incumbent must possess and maintain a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate to be medically qualified to operate appropriate motor vehicle safely.
• Independently develop, implement and evaluate therapeutic rehabilitation programs within the framework of HBPC, in GEC Service. Considers the populations served by the medical center when assessing and validating the knowledge, skills, and ability of clients to fulfill therapy goals and interventions.
• Performs a yearly home assessment with each enrolled Veteran per HBPC directive.
• Evaluate the need for additional services and use professional judgment to initiate consultation with other professionals to provide such services.
• Community Responsibility - Will aide with providing education to all internal and external stakeholders as it relates to physical therapy and rehabilitation.

TRAVEL REQUIRED (75%)
DRIVING REQUIRED


Work Schedule: M-F 8am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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.

Experience and Education: 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: 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.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Licensure: Individuals must 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.

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:GS-12

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level and demonstrate all the KSAs below:

• 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 of 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.

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 - 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is to GS-12.


Physical Requirements: Physical Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according to the Department of Labor. Medium Work entails: exerting 20 - 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting of to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.)


Examples of the medium strength required by physical therapists are as follows:


a. Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day.
b. Sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp and place papers, charts, and binders.
c. Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling: 1 - 10 pounds constantly, 10 - 25 frequently, and 20 - 50 pounds occasionally. Specific examples include:
i. Picking up, carrying, and placing folders, charts, books and binders.
ii. Setting up equipment for patients such as weights or durable medical equipment.
iii. Lifting and carrying adaptive equipment ranging in weight from negligible to 50 pounds.
iv. Pushing and rolling equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs and supply carts.
v. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation and transfers, from minimal assistance to dependent transfers, which may be up to 50 pounds.
vi. Performing passive range of motion exercises that require the movement of patients' extremities in all planes of motions.


2. Physical Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with examples as follows:

a. Operating all aspects of a computer - keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons.
b. Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment for patient teaching.
c. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdrivers and pliers.
d. Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of exacto knife, scissors, and ability to mold plastic, foam or plaster.

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, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.