POSITION SUMMARY:
The staff Physical Therapist is directly responsible to the
Clinical Coordinator and/or his or her designee, and has the responsibility for
overall direction, utilization, supervision, instruction, and evaluation of
professional and supportive staff, volunteers, and students in their area of
the Rehabilitation Department.
ESSENTIAL
FUNCTIONS:
Supervision
To supervise the activities of the
entire department including:
- Scheduling patients for
treatment and evaluations.
- Preparation of reports
and records by department personnel.
- Maintaining inventory of
materials and supplies for the department.
- Use of volunteers who
may assist in the department.
- Staff and Student
training program.
Evaluations
- To be responsible for the evaluation of patients
referred for Physical Therapy through HomeCare, Nursing Home, and/or In/Out-patient.
- To be responsible for completions and submission
of all reports pertaining to the evaluation.
- To see that all referral sources are advised of
department action with the case referred.
Treatment
- To practice Physical Therapy consistent with the
APTA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and Standards of Practice
Policy.
- To maintain a patient treatment schedule
consistent with the needs of the department/facility.
- To confer with the person or persons most
closely associated with the active management of the patient and to keep them
informed of any additional patient needs, treatment modification, and/or
progress.
- To treat patients and functions as a Staff
Therapist as necessary.
- To treat patients of all ages (e.g. infants,
children, adolescents, adults, geriatrics, elderly), race, creed, gender, and
disability without bias or prejudice. Demonstrates knowledge and skills
necessary to provide care appropriate to the ages of the patients served within
the department.
- Respects and understands the patient’s right to
treatment and right to involvement in treatment decisions.
- Practices ethical responsibility based on the
cultural, ethnic and religious beliefs of the patients served and applicable
law.
Records and Reports
To be responsible for the
preparation and submitting of department/facility reports, assuring
confidentiality of all records, including:
- Evaluation reports/summaries.
- Discharge reports/summaries.
- Progress reports to referring physicians and
agencies.
- Current progress notes on all patients.
- Special reports requested by the Administration
and/or his designee.
- Daily attendance records and summaries of same.
Meetings and Conferences
To attend regular department
meetings.
- Report and discuss activities and needs of
department.
- Discuss patient’s needs and progress.
- Discuss reports and records.
- Discuss expansion in terms of the future goals
and needs.
- To see that all department routines and
procedures and carried out as outlined.
- To keep abreast of new techniques and trends in
the field of Physical Therapy.
- To attend conventions, meetings, or special
courses whenever possible, and to share with department/facility personnel
information gained thereby.
- To prepare and give talks to community groups as
requested.
- To maintain good public relations with all
community records.
Delegation of Responsibility
- To delegate portions of the above listed duties
to department personnel which have the best experience in specific areas.
New Personnel
- To assist with recruitment of applicants for
positions.
- To orient new personnel to the program and
procedures.
Department Personnel
- To evaluate, and report at regular intervals,
the work of other employees, students or volunteers within the department.
Planning
- To plan for future improvement in procedures and
organization of the department.
- To assists Clinical Coordinator in planning of
any new programs to be developed within the department.
Policies and Procedures
- To keep current and adhere to policies and
procedures as enumerated in the Policy and Procedures Manual of the department.
- To actively participate and adhere in all
policies and procedures as enumerated in the risk management program.
- To review any procedures with department
personnel as necessary.
MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE,
SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Qualifications
- Graduate
of an approved school of Physical therapy with a preferred minimum of two
(2) years department/facility experience.
- Must
have, or be eligible for the State Licensure or Registration.
Registration must be obtained within one (1) year, or per state law.
- Work
experience
- Must
be a graduate of an American Physical Therapy Association approved
school; current state licensure is required.
- None,
two (2) years preferred.
- Education/Certifications/Licenses
- Physical
Therapy license in Iowa
- Must
maintain state of Iowa continuing education requirements.
- Must
have verification card of current instruction in CPR.
- Valid
Iowa Drivers License.
- Performance
Requirements
- Responsibility for interpreting and carrying out
the prescription of the physician; good public relations; protection of
confidential data; economic use of time, equipment, and supplies; safety and
welfare of patients and employees and treat direct access patients.
- Must know the principles and practices of Rehab
Services; be familiar with the Code of Ethics of each discipline;
department/facility policies, procedures, and regulations; layout of the
department/facility; be aware of inter and intra departmental communications;
supervision and management techniques.
- Must be able to apply the theory of Physical
Therapy, have the ability and competency to operate the equipment of his or her
position; perform technical procedures, speak intelligently and in a
professional manner before others; supervision and management skills.
- Must be able to instill confidence in patients,
doctors and personnel; determine proper procedures and methods and evaluate
results; must make decisions on his or her own; adapt to emergency situation;
alert to changes in the patient’s condition; alert to all activities of the
department.
- Must have coordination of sight and body
movements in various applications of procedures; techniques of assisting and
handling patients; ability to handle the machines of the profession.
- Communication
Skills
- Has
a major role in fostering good public relations
- A
high degree of accuracy is required in carrying out prescriptions; in
receiving and translating information in charting and reporting.
EQUIPMENT/TOOLS:
- Operate office equipment
such as computers, printers, copy machine, calculator, facsimile, and
scanners.
- Ability to understand oral
and written instructions regarding set-up, operations of equipment,
preparations of patients for treatment and other related activities.
- Must be able to apply the
theory of Physical Therapy, have the ability and competency to operate the
equipment of his or her position and profession.
WORKING
CONDITIONS:
Good physical stamina in this department/facility; fairly
strong, energetic, much walking, standing, writing, stooping, carrying,
talking, seeing, bending, handling, color vision, speed; healthy back is
necessary; able to be on feet most of the day.
Able to walk, stand, stoop, lift, balance, sit, kneel, hear,
reach, pull, talk, see, turn, carry, push, handle, write. The degree to which
any of these is done depends on the techniques being used.
Thoughtful of others, gentle, courteous, patient, neat,
well-groomed, healthy, friendly, average intelligence, good memory, tactful.
Should have ability to organize his or her time in order to treat the maximum
number of patients in the allotted working day.
Conducts self with professional dignity, pleasant, tactful.
Maintains optimum physical and emotional health; understands the importance of
good human relations; able to motivate others; broad interest; possess strength
of all extremities and back; initiative and good judgment; flexibility;
enthusiasm; thoroughness.
Works inside under normal temperature conditions with
adequate light, in a well-ventilated, clean area; some areas are limited in
space, usually works around others; sometimes moderate noise.
No unusual hazard risks. May be exposed to muscular strain
in supporting, lifting, and assisting patients.
Conditions of work may involve exposure to communicable
diseases and on-the-job injuries.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals
with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Vision must be correctable to view computer screens and read
printed information. Specific vision
abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color
vision, peripheral vision and ability to adjust focus.
Hearing must be in the normal range for telephone contacts
and other conversations.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and
requirements for this job. It is not
intended to be a complete statement of duties, responsibilities or
requirements.
