Physical Therapist

Job description

Description
Position: Physical Therapist
Strength Level: Medium (DOT Standards)
Supervisor: Therapy Manager/ Director of Rehab
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Summary:
The Physical Therapist is a qualified, licensed professional who provides quality and efficient patient care to all ages of population in an outpatient rehabilitation program. A physical therapist will collaborate with occupational therapists and speech therapists when appropriate and supervise physical therapist assistants, physical therapy students and technicians as needed.
Essential Functions:
• Patient Care
• Lift minimum of 50 pounds
• Documentation and report writing
• In-service for staff, companies-patients
• Cleaning as needed

Marginal Functions:
• Ordering equipment
• Training of new PTs, PTAs, or other staff members

Education/Experience
• Must be a graduate of an accredited physical therapy school and hold a current, valid Texas license or eligible for such (in the case of a new graduate)
• Must have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in Physical Therapy

Confidential Data:
• Has full and complete access to patient records and financial information
• Conforms to all regulations and policies as outlined including HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability)

Orientation
• Orientation time frame of up to three months
• To be oriented by other physical therapists and the Director of Rehabilitation

Patient Care
• Evaluates new patients using the appropriate evaluative tools.
• Recognizes when patients need to be referred to a physician.
• Can gather information using verbal, auditory, sensory, visual, olfactory, and tactile sources
• Provides treatment in a safe manner using safe patient care techniques.
• Receives and interprets information from patients including movement, posture, body mechanics, skins conditions, changes in appearance, and gait to compare to normal standards.
• Can receive and interpret aural information from patients including notation of discomfort, pain, or emergent conditions
• Can read and interpret patient charts, professional literature, and notes from patients, family members, physicians, and other health care providers
• Designs individualized treatment programs to meet the needs of the patient and re-evaluate the program a minimum of one time per week.
• Instruct patients in a home exercise program when professionally deemed necessary
• Can make physical contact with patients in a non-threatening way
• Has knowledge of modalities and can use as needed
• Willing to learn about and use equipment introduced into the clinic
• Maintains a minimal waiting time of less than 10-minutes from the set appointment time
• Communicate with patients at each visit to answer questions, concerns, review information, and explain new program additions as needed
• Supervise and critique patients during their exercise program
• Makes recommendations for assistive devices and equipment when needed
• Participate in staff meetings with physicians, employers, patients, school systems, and staff as needed
• Reports equipment malfunction and does repairs as able
• Conforms to HIPAA regulations regarding patient/client information
• Must complete full CCUs and turn in for approval in allotted time frame
• Always maintains an active physical therapist license

Report Writing – Documentation
• Can document treatment plans, daily notes, progress notes, and any other necessary documents in an accurate and proper manner to remain in compliance with guidelines of medical/ legal standards or laws
• Evaluation and reports are completed and sent to the appropriate person in a timely manner
• Progress notes are completed in a timely manner, prior to patient’s doctor visits, or otherwise needed (every 2-4 weeks) and contain all necessary information
• Other reports are completed as required
• Completes daily notes in patient charts within 24 hours of treating the patient
• Documents clearly and legibly in the patient’s record, to physicians, and other required documentation as necessary
• Completes discharge notes within 2 weeks of notification of patient completing therapy
• Sets specific, objective, quantifiable, and appropriate goals on all initial evaluations during documentation in the patient chart

In-service for staff, companies, patients/ Continuing education
• Attends all in-services as required for staff
• Provides educational training and in-service training as needed
• Attends approved continuing education classes as required, occasionally followed by an in-service to staff

Cleaning
• Will clean mats and gym area as needed
• Will change pillowcases as needed
• Will fold linens as needed
• Will perform assigned cleaning duties

Requirements
Skills/Specialization:
• Knowledge of proper use of modalities and other equipment used
• Computer skills needed, including electronic documentation
• Previous experience preferred

DIRECTS WORK of OTHERS / Number of employees for work/ supervised
• 1 PT to provide therapy to a patient at a time, with assistance from technicians/ PTAs as available
• Assists with supervision of PT students, PTAs, PT techs, and volunteers.

Measurements (Not all inclusive)
• Boxes to shelves - weighing up to 18 pounds empty, for stacking
• Weights to load boxes – 5–10-pound weights
• Sacks of material - 20-50 pounds
• Reaching overhead, to the floor, horizontally
• Assistance with patient transfers

OSHA Category:
• OSHA risk category 1- High Risk

Number of Employees Supervised:
• Helps orient, train, supervise PTA’s, technicians, volunteers, and students

Physical requirements:
• Be able to perform CPR, walk, and balance well enough to assist patients with walking and transferring without injury to self or patient
• Must have manual dexterity to safely operate and adjust buttons and dials on therapeutic modalities and other equipment.
• Must be able to measure vital signs
• Must use proper body mechanics to sit, stand, walk, lift, carry, push, pull and transport patients on a variety of surfaces to reduce injury risk
• Must be able to safely and effectively position hands and apply mobilization techniques or palpate body surfaces and tissue

Standing--Frequent
Walking--Frequent
Reaching overhead, to the floor, horizontally--Frequent
Squatting--Occasional
Sitting-- Occasional to Frequent
Seeing-- Continuously
Hearing--Continuously
Speaking--Frequent
Writing--Frequent
Pushing--Occasional
Pulling--Occasional
Lifting at least 50#--Frequently
Driving--Occasional
Gripping--Frequently
Pinching--Occasional
Psychological Considerations:
• Ability to take initiative
• Able to communicate with doctors, patient’s family members, fellow employees, and employers in a respectful and professional manner.
• Ability to work under stressful conditions and at times under deadlines
• Willingness to do other tasks and duties as assigned
• Conducts self in a professional manner inside and outside of the clinic
• Employees have access to all patient information due to cross training and must conform to HIPAA regulations

Cognitive/Motor/
• Ability to read and write
• Ability to use a computer and type
• Ability to communicate clearly with patients, colleagues, physicians, other health care professionals, community, or professional groups in all the following manners: Orally, in writing, via computer, via telephone, and aurally
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to understand new techniques of treatment

Physiological Considerations:
• May be exposed to hazardous chemicals, fumes, and dust, loud noises, or potential falling objects on ergonomic evaluations which could affect respiratory functions, hearing, and possible injury.

Environmental Considerations:
• Most of the work is done indoors.
• May be exposed to blood and body fluids and contagious diseases: OSHA risk- HIGH
• May find the need to perform emergency care.
• May be subjected to unpredictable situations.

Reports to:
• Therapy Manager/ Director of Rehabilitation

Background Check: Job is contingent upon background check which includes the following:
• Criminal background check
• Drug test
• Current CPR
• Current immunizations
• Driver’s license check
• License verification