Clarification from the agency

Current permanent employees of VAMC Lebanon, NECPAC, and employees of VISN4 Contracting, OI&T, CBOPC and Veterans Canteen Service located in Lebanon, PA NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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The staff physical therapist is an independent health care professional who is responsible for evaluating referred patients and establishing and executing treatment plans that include a full range of treatment procedures and modalities. These treatment plans are designed to restore individual patients to their highest possible functional level and to enhance their adaptive capacities through the use of physical measures, activities, prostheses or assistive devices. The staff physical therapist also assists in the growth and development of the department and the profession through participation in educational activities. The staff physical therapist has the possibility of various locations for work assignments in the Lebanon VAMC facilities. Work assignments also include weekend and holiday coverage, on a rotational basis, per PM&RS policy.

Major Duties at the full performance level, may include but are not limited to:

Clinical

• Performs comprehensive patient evaluations.
• Responsible for providing comprehensive patient care for Physical Therapy patients.
• Develop and implement comprehensive patient treatment plans including objective, measurable goals, timelines for completion.
• Modifies treatment plan according to patient response to best meet established goals.
• Documents treatment progression and/or modifications according to departmental and Medical Center standards.

Education

• Provides orientation/training to medical staff to the physical therapy program.
• Assists in the training of physical therapy students, providing feedback about student's progress and performance.
• Keeps current of principles and techniques of physical therapy assessment and interventions through professional literature, in-service programs and continuing education.
• Completes the mandatory annual training/education required by the facility.
• Completes required continuing education to maintain current and valid licensure.

Administrative

• Participates in developing guidelines/protocols in treatment of various diagnoses and in developing new patient programs and evaluating existing programs.
• Maintains patient records and submits other data (i.e. billing/coding, MDS) as required by section, service and medical center.
• Submits requests for expendable supplies, additional equipment and maintenance items to the rehab supervisor.
• May be requested to serve on service level committee or as a PM&RS Representative on a medical center committee. Submits and responds to supervisory requests for information and data in an accurate and timely fashion.
• Performs other duties as required.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm (will be required to participate in a weekend/holiday rotation schedule per PM&RS policy.)
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS-11 06699F, GS-12 06700F
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 identification 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.

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

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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  (3) 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. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org.
• 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. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.
• Grandfathering Provision. 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). All licensed PTs employed in VHA 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 licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required 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) Employees grandfathered into the GS-0633 occupational series as PTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation.
  • (2) PTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this 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 this standard.
  • (3) PTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard and must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
  • (4) If PTs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

GS-11 Physical Therapist (Entry)
Education, Experience, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level)
Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of experience include: Providing assessment and treatment intervention. Planning and modifying treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition. Experience includes general assignments in any physical therapy program area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required or may serve as the sole PT such as in an outpatient clinic. May provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegate nonpatient care duties to non-licensed staff.

Education, Experience and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate ALL the KSAs below:

Demonstrated 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 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.

Preferred Experience.Knowledgeable and experienced Physical Therapist in both in-patient and out-patient Physical Therapy, strong communication skills, empathetic, professional, detail oriented, compassionate, use of evidence based practice, team player, organized, responsive to supervisor communication, able to complete documentation timely, collaborative with other departments, willing to participate in other clinics such as Prosthetics and Orthotics clinic or Aquatic PT and willing to participate in facility committees as needed.

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 in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting, 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, computers, phones, and reference materials. Many of the patients are bariatric. Incumbent must employ safe lifting techniques including the use of mechanical devices and avoid awkward postures while working with the veterans. Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling: 1-10 pounds constantly, 10-25 frequently, and 20-35 pounds occasionally

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.