This Supervisory Physical Therapist position is located in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMRS) Service at the Hampton VA Medical Center, which is a Complexity Level 1 C facility. The clinical duties and responsibilities and administrative duties are carried out within the Hampton VA Medical Center and associated CBOCs and future clinics in the Southside area.
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: 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. 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.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). 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. 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). Grandfathering Provision. 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-13 Supervisory Physical Therapist 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. 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Ability to effectively supervise, direct, and manage a diverse physical therapy staff. 4. Skill in forging positive interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution. 5. Ability to analyze clinically appropriate data effectively to optimize quality, performance, and productivity within the section. 6. Ability to set priorities, delegate tasks, and solve problems in order to meet multiple deadlines and identify/address organizational problems. 7. Ability to manage advocacy roles and planning activities within the VA and the greater rehabilitation community. 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-13 to GS-13. 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.
The Supervisory Physical Therapist duties include, but are not limited to the following: The Supervisory Physical Therapist is responsible for ensuring timely and appropriate consult management, supervising treatments and providing oversight of key clinical and training programs, including the technical and administrative oversight of the Physical Therapy staff. The position is required to apply evaluation methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of functional impairments and patients including the following areas: acute care, rehabilitation, long term care (including Community Living Center and Spinal Cord Injury units), and outpatient settings including but not limited to the specialties of Dry Needling, Pelvic Floor, Geriatrics, Pain Team, Polytrauma and Cardiopulmonary. Responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures to address focused clinical needs and the overall services delivered including the completion of documentation. The incumbent is also responsible for Clinical and administrative oversight and direction of the kinesiotherapy department for a varied of patient population presenting varied and complex medical conditions. Services may include: Acute Care including Intensive Care Units, General Medicine, Surgery, Neurology, Orthopedics, Spinal Cord Injury and Disease, Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury, General Rehabilitation, Outpatient Service, Restorative and Intermediate wards, Domiciliary, Inpatient (medical, surgical and mental health wards), Long Term Care, Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Center and the Polytrauma Network Site, inpatient, outpatient and subacute services (face-to-face and virtual visits via WC or other virtual care means), and specialized programs such as COVID-19 subacute rehab. Develops and provides oversight of new programs to improve access of quality of care for Veterans such as, but not limited to the Complementary and Integrative Medicine programs and Dry Needling. Planning work schedules to ensure an even flow and distribution of work, explanation of work requirements and assignment work, setting deadlines and priorities, recommending methods to improve work quality and productivity, reviewing the work of staff supervised, directs training for employees, advising employees of the performance requirements of their positions, keeping staff informed of their progress in meeting said requirements, and preparing and issuing formal evaluations of employee performance. Must possess advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas, and the ability to use these resources to guide the staff in providing clinically appropriate treatment interventions. Use their knowledge of contemporary physical therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge and provide clinical guidance to Staff and Specialty Physical Therapists within the department. Demonstrates knowledge and skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites. Provides oversight of resources directly related to Physical Therapy and makes prioritization recommendations to the service chief as it relates to development and implementation of departmental budget (including overtime and compensatory time recommendations), position management, space allocation and equipment (maintenance and acquisition). Conducts and directs special studies and analyzes complex problems relating to manpower requirements, space and equipment use, etc. Recommends solutions and takes responsibility for their implementation. Prepares and submits progress and other reports as required. Provides supervision of key clinical and training programs including the overall technical oversight of the TA (Therapy Assistant's), Physical Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Specialists and PT Coordinators whom they administratively supervise. Meets the needs of the internal and external customers while supporting VA missions. Communicates and treats customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Acts as Clinical Instructor for affiliating schools for Physical Therapy, Physical Therapy Assistant and Kinesiotherapy. Educates other facility personnel in the scope of PM&RS services and programs involving a variety of heath care specialties. Maintains active state licensure. Completes all VAMC mandatory training in a timely manner and encounter information in accordance with national Veterans Affairs and local Hampton VA Medical Center guidelines. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday-7:30am to 4:00 pm. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized