Pediatric Physical Therapist

Chattanooga

Description

Special Kids Chattanooga’s mission is to serve Jesus Christ by caring for His children who have special healthcare needs. Special Kids has operated in Murfreesboro, TN since 1998, as a not-for-profit Christian healthcare company. The organization is now focused on serving children with special healthcare needs in the greater Chattanooga community. Our overarching goal is to support each child in overcoming obstacles to achieve improved quality of life. We aim to accomplish this goal by providing access to quality, compassionate care for any child in need of occupational, physical, speech, and feeding therapy and providing continuity of care through a unique coordinated multi-disciplinary approach. Full-time (36 hours) with benefits, continuing education dollars, holidays and paid time off.

Summary

Provides physical therapy services to children from birth to age 21 with a variety of diagnoses and developmental delays by performing the following duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assesses and evaluates patients’ functional limitations and creates a plan of care to address gross motor issues, equipment needs, and family goals.
• Tests and measures patients’ strength, motor development, sensory perception, functional capacity, and cardiopulmonary efficiency, and records findings to develop/revise treatment programs.
• Able to administer active and passive manual therapeutic exercises to improve and maintain function; therapeutic massage; electrical modality treatments such as electrical stimulation; hot and cold packs; and traction to relieve neck and back pain.
• Measures patient's joint range-of-motion, muscle strength via manual muscle testing, length and girth of body parts, and vital signs to determine effects of specific treatments.
• Evaluates, fits and trains patients in the use and care of orthotic braces, prostheses, and assistive devices such as crutches, canes, walkers, and wheelchairs; adjusts devices as necessary; makes recommendations to orthotist.
• Instructs, motivates, and assists patients to: perform various physical activities; learn and improve functional activities such as pre-ambulation, transfer, ambulation, and daily living activities.
• Confers with members of physical therapy staff and other health team members, individually and in conference, to exchange, discuss, and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, and coordinating treatment programs.
• Instructs patients and families in treatment procedures for best carryover in multiple environments.
• Maintains accurate and timely patient reports and documentation in electronic medical records.
• Reviews individual files to obtain background information prior to evaluations to determine appropriate tests to administer and to ensure that all necessary information is collected.
• Administers, scores, and interprets evaluation reports in order to develop and modify an individualized treatment plan.
• Reviews treatment plans, and assesses individual performance to modify, change, or write new goals; observes patients during treatments and compiles and evaluates data on patients' responses to treatments and progress.
• Consistently maintains high patient care productivity.
• Maintains an awareness of the patient attendance policy, enforcing it impartially and consistently at all times.
• Acts as a consultant to educational, medical, and other professional groups as well as fellow staff members.
• Collaborates with other disciplines to incorporate physical therapy goals into daily activities.
• Researches and implements new physical therapy techniques.
• Refers patients for other services, whether internal or external, as warranted and appropriate.
• Attends meetings and conferences and participates in other activities to promote professional growth.
  
  

Education And/or Experience

Master’s or Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy with related experience and/or training. Work experience preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Active and unencumbered Tennessee State PT License required; American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider certification with skills testing required; membership in APTA recommended; HIPAA certification encouraged.

Computer Skills

To be successful in this job, an individual should have basic computer skills and the ability to learn new software and web-based applications such as electronic medical records. Experience with electronic medical records systems preferred.

Values

• Compassion
• Willingness
• Courage
• Faith