Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Videos

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY

Major Duties:

• Independently develops, implements, and evaluates therapeutic rehabilitation programs within the framework of HBPC or in the inpatient/outpatient setting at OGJVAMC. 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.
• Assesses the goals, living skills, physical abilities, and related needs for each patient referred for in-home assessment and assessment at the facility.
• Completes safety assessments after falls to include recommendations relevant to the Veteran's home environment, health/disease status and available resources.
• Performs a comprehensive in-home environmental and functional assessment initially and follow-up assessments when clinically indicated or at minimum annually, that will include identifying functional deficits (Barthel Index, Katz, FIM, or other functional assessment tool), fall risk, home safety risks, assessing and planning for emergency preparedness, planning and implementing intervention using evidence based practice guidelines, and monitoring and evaluating a patient's progress, preferable in person. Performs evaluation and ongoing patient management for patients are OGJVAMC.
• Evaluates the patient's home, on admission and annually and as clinically indicated, to identify the need for structural modification and adaptive equipment to improve the safety and accessibility of the home environment.
• Develops a treatment plan directed toward achieving maximum level of functioning within the home, consulting with other clinicians as indicated, and developing the plan in collaboration with the patient, caregiver and other involved HBPC disciplines.
• Implements the treatment plan by providing direct patient care; procuring necessary equipment/ adaptive devices; instructing and training the client and caregiver concerning exercises, activities of daily living, rehabilitation techniques, and equipment/adaptive devices; and recommending community referrals. Provides follow-up assessments after equipment has been provided to assure correct use and understanding of the equipment.
• Reassess patients' levels of functioning and home environment, revising the treatment plan as indicated.
• Evaluates the need for additional services and uses professional judgment to initiate consultation with other professionals to provide such services.
• Evaluates the home for positional changes to promote the patient's safety and independence.
• Participates in the HBPC Performance Improvement Program, including completing assessment and documentation required by performance measures applicable to the PT's role.
• Is an active participant in 4 East, Community Living Center (CLC) or HBPC interdisciplinary team meetings. This involves providing up-to-date assessments and progress toward functional goals.
• Serves as content expert in ordering complex and specialized medical equipment.
• Practices safe home care, recognizing the potential risks associated with various home and communities and adjusts visit times to assure to personal and client safety. Provides the team with weekly visit schedule.
• Participates in HBPC disaster and emergency planning. Incorporates plan into home therapy visits, re-enforcing the plan developed for management of disasters.
• Shall follow all policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and requirements and be good stewards of the environment through pollution prevention, waste minimization and resource conservation. When applicable, shall consider environmentally preferable and recycled products in all purchasing.
• 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.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 09988F, 09989F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
• Must pass pre-employment 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

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• 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. OR,
  • (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR,
  • (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.
• 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. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non- 4 profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S.
• Licensure: 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.
  • NOTE: 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.
• Loss of Credential: A PT who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists.

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).

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-11 Grade Requirements:
Education, Experience, or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Grade Requirements:
Education, Experience and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level and hold a valid unrestricted state license.

AND

GS-12 KSAs: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: This position frequently requires moderate to heavy lifting. Normally such lifting will involve, but is not limited to, assisting with transfers or gait training of the client in the physical therapy clinic.

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.