Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Rehabilitation Care Line at the Cincinnati, OH VA Medical Center. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The major duties of the Physical Therapist (Supervisor, Service Care Line Manager or Service Chief) position include, but are not limited to:

a. Clinical Skills:

(1) Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas.
(2) Conducts comprehensive examinations, treatment planning and interventions, documentation, and follow-up evaluations within multiple settings and levels of care.
(3) Works with patients from a wide range of ages and backgrounds.

b. Advanced Skills:

(1) Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment that includes the ability to independently triage, assign, evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services. This includes prescribing and training on assistive technology devices and durable medical equipment; ordering imaging studies and regenerative rehabilitation; and the performance of highly specialized clinical procedures such as dry needling.
(2) Demonstrated skill in performance of examination and evaluation of individuals who have or who may develop impairments, functional limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while also considering the effects that are attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors. As such, clinicians at this level are thoroughly versed in the utilization of the International Classification of Function tool.
(3) Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate tests and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.

c. Administrative Functions:

(1) Ensures that the Cincinnati VA Medical Center staff within the PT/OT Program are kept informed as to changes in national, regional or facility policies and directives.
(2) Works closely with RCL Service Chief and AO to ensure that PT/OT staff have sufficient administrative support.
(3) Collaborates with the Medical Center COS and Associate Director for Patient Care Services to ensure PT/OT scopes of practice or credentialing and privileging relevant to PT/OT are evaluated and documented consistently and in accordance with VHA Directive 1100.20(1) and VHA Directive 1100.21.

d. Quality Management:

(1) Helps to develop a comprehensive plan of quality management for the RCL in collaboration with AO and other Section Chiefs.
(2) Assists the Service Chief in monthly service and performance reports to the Chief of Staff.
(3) Implements tracer methodology to ensure compliance with patient safety, documentation policies, and standards of care, security and privacy directives. Participates fully in reporting processes such as PATS-R, JPSR, and Secure Messaging.

e. Communication Skills:

(1) The Chief PT/OT demonstrates the teaching skills required to provide education to patients, family members, caregivers, employees, students, and coworkers.
(2) Communicates effectively with other internal and external health care providers. Maintains effective interdepartmental/section relations, cooperating to achieve Care Line, facility and VISN mission/goals.
(3) Performs competent written documentation of initial examinations, progress notes, and discharge summaries and oversees Peer Review for the Section.

f. Mentor

(1) May serve as Residency Faculty/Mentor as needed by the Residency Program Director and in this capacity:

(a) Maintains Board Certification in the specialty areas recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) or meets the 2,000 hours within a specialty area of practice and demonstrates a professional portfolio that supports his/her qualifications in the identified area of instruction.
(b) Demonstrates familiarity and training in the Resident Competency Evaluation Instrument and web portal navigation ability within Competency AI.
(c) Demonstrates skill in the utilization of the International Classification of Function (ICF) tool.

g. Continuing Education and Professional Development:

(1) The Chief PT/OT continually seeks to improve knowledge and skill by review of current literature, participation within in-service training, participation and presentations in the Interdisciplinary Journal Club, and attendance at continuing education programs. Works with the PT Supervisors and RCL Management to advance the knowledge and skills of the rehab staff in area of specialty.

h. Environmental Functions:

(1) The Chief PT/OT demonstrates awareness of safety hazards and takes appropriate corrective action.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc only per agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93505-0
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.
• 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.
• 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 medical evaluation.
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  • Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  • Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  • Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
  • 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 United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Licensure. Individuals 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.
• 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.
• 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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

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-14 Physical Therapist (Supervisor, Service Care Line Manager or Service Chief).

(a) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

1. Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas.
2. Skill in managing interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with a range of employees, discipline lead(s), and administrators.
3. Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into local policy development.
4. Ability to effectively supervise staff by providing clinical and administrative oversight. This includes ability to manage resources, evaluate employees and assign work.
5. Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, system reorganizations, etc.

Preferred Experience: 1 year of supervisory experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of a Physical Therapist are considered "medium duty" with regard to strength and endurance according to the Department of Labor. Medium work entails exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10-25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Positional tolerance is required as follows: frequent standing, walking, bending, sitting, crouch/kneeling, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day; sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp, and place papers, charts, and binders; reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling 1-10 pounds constantly, 10-25 pounds frequently, and 20-50 pounds occasionally.

Physical Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with examples that may include but which are not limited to the following: operating all aspects of a computer such as keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons; demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment for patient instruction; assembling equipment with use of hands tools such as screwdrivers and pliers; and treatment using specifically designed tools for soft tissue manipulation or exercise sessions.

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.