Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent facility employees, current permanent VA Nationwide employees, and Federal employees of other Agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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• This position manages the delivery of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy services at the CBOC to Veterans with a wide variety of multiple and complex diagnoses. Appropriately plans work operations for the outpatient therapy programs, sets priorities, delegates tasks, solves problems related to work performed in the programs, and is accountable for the quality, performance, timeliness, and productivity of the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy services provided.
• Provides clinical guidance to staff physical therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapy assistants, and health technicians in the delivery of therapy services. This involves careful planning, coordination, and continuous assessment to guarantee the well-being and progress of the veteran involved in the CBOC Therapy Program.
• Analyzes clinically appropriate data to effectively optimize quality, performance, and productivity within both programs. Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, and evaluates the programs to ensure methods, deadlines, quality, and quantity standards are met.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skill in effective management and administration in areas of supervision, consultation, negotiation, and monitoring of program elements and subordinates across both disciplines.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skill in effectively managing a diverse, multi-disciplinary therapy staff. Demonstrates skill in developing positive interpersonal relationships and effective conflict resolution.
• Successfully collaborates with superiors, leaders from varied Care/Service Lines, other therapy supervisors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, health care disciplines, and subordinates to ensure efficient and effective delivery of quality therapy services throughout the CBOC and facility.
• Serves as a facilitator and/or negotiator in coordinating initiatives and consensus building activities among team members with widely divergent knowledge and skill levels, backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
• Develops, organizes, and administers Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs to provide treatment that meets the physical, mental, social, and functional needs of adult and geriatric outpatients referred from Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line providers, the Operative Care Line, and other approved providers.
• Independently assembles pre-evaluation data, interprets medical record information, reviews therapy referrals, and conducts examinations and evaluations of impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems, as well as functional and occupational performance deficits affecting activities of daily living, in order to develop and implement comprehensive treatment plans.
• Independently interprets findings from examination and evaluation, selects appropriate tests and measures, and integrates findings into the physical therapy and/or occupational therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations, considering the effects of unique psychosocial and environmental factors.
• Demonstrates knowledge and ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and/or occupational therapy practice, identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, and determine prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes.
• Develops individualized, patient-centered treatment plans with measurable short- and long-term goals and objectives, including scope, duration, and treatment. Recommends adaptive/assistive devices and modifies treatment techniques as needed, taking into account traction devices, surgical drains, catheters, immobilizing appliances, respiratory aids, or monitoring devices.
• On an ongoing basis, adapts and modifies treatment plans in response to the patient's reaction to treatment to better meet short- and long-term goals. Recognizes adverse reactions or significantly altered physical/mental status and reports to appropriate medical authority.
• Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to facilitate the multidisciplinary treatment process.
• Works effectively as part of the therapy team to provide effective and efficient physical therapy and occupational therapy services to the assigned patient group, and assists the larger team of co-workers in providing timely services as indicated.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm. Holiday work may be required. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 580-02433F
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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical 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/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
  • 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 progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR
  • Master's Degree or higher in Physical therapy.

• NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students.
• 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-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 toimmigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensedto use FSBPT's Coursework Tool.

• 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.
• English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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:

Supervisory Physical Therapist GS-13

Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of contemporary physical therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge to provide clinical guidance to Staff PTs within the department.
• Knowledge of human resources administration, including such functions as the ability to interview and select qualified applicants, monitor and evaluate performance, and maintain effective labor management relations within scope of responsibility.
• Ability to effectively supervise, direct, and manage a diverse physical therapy staff.
• Skill in forging positive interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution.
• Ability to analyze clinically appropriate data effectively to optimize quality, performance, and productivity within the section.
• Ability to set priorities, delegate tasks, and solve problems in order to meet multiple deadlines and identify/address organizational problems.
• Ability to manage advocacy roles and planning activities within the VA and the greater rehabilitation community.

Preferred Experience: 1. Recent outpatient supervisory experience: Experience supervising and managing an outpatient rehabilitation team that includes both physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) staff, with responsibility for workload distribution, performance management, staff development, and clinical oversight. 2. Outpatient rehabilitation operators: Experience overseeing therapy services in a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) or comparable outpatient setting, including staffing, scheduling, resource allocation, timely access to care, and coordination with other clinical services. 3. Clinic expansion, program development, and quality improvement: Experience planning and implementing clinic expansion projects, including space planning, equipment procurement, staffing plans, workflow development, and coordination with facilities and other stakeholders. Experience establishing or expanding outpatient therapy services and using performance data and patient outcomes to guide program improvements.

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 13.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
Current permanent VA employees of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
All other VA employees
Current Permanent Federal employees of other agencies
All other applicants.

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.