FLSA Status: Nonexempt

Original Date: March 2018

Last Revision: June 2023

FOR PRN EMPLOYEES ONLY

JOB SUMMARY: Provides comprehensive therapeutic patient care for neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients to ensure positive patient outcomes, as needed. Educates the patient and health care providers to assure continuity of the patient care plan. Interacts with other departments and members of the medical team in developing and implementing interdisciplinary patient care plans to ensure comprehensive medical care. 

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited physical therapy school required. M.S. or D.P.T. preferred. Previous hospital experience preferred.

LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION: Licensed to practice Physical Therapy in the State of North Carolina with current licensure, active member of APTA encouraged, but not required. CPR certification required every two years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

1. Provides patient care assessment and treatment. Ensures patient evaluations and treatments are comprehensive, functional and according to the Standard of Practice. Provides sound professional judgment in interpreting the evaluation results and establishing an acceptable treatment plan with realistic goals.
2. Maintains accurate patient documentation. Completes written patient evaluations, progress notes, and discharge notes per policy. Ensures accurate and timely documentation of patient/family education, charges and departmental statistics, and ICD-9 codes as appropriate.
3. Meets department financial and productivity standards. Understands the budgeted expectations. Maintains productivity standards. Adjusts individual schedules to meet the needs of the patient and department.
4. Participates in process management to optimize quality and efficiency of services. Identifies quality and operational opportunities.
5. Promotes professional development and education of other health care workers and provides representation on committees. Conducts in-service training programs to provide state-of-the-art information to health care workers and enhances safety. 
6. Supervises physical therapy and physical therapy assistant students to develop their clinical skills and ensure the delivery of quality patient care. 
7. Communicates in a professional and timely manner with patients, physicians, staff, and all external customers.
8. Provides appropriate patient care in accordance with age/developmental guidelines. Demonstrates age/developmentally specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for the patients served. 
9. Adheres to the general hospital standards to promote a cooperative work environment by utilizing communication skills, interpersonal relationships and team building.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:

Contact with patients, family members, visitors, coworkers and medical staff under a wide variety of circumstances

Ability to communicate on a professional level with physicians, nurses, and other health care providers and provide quality care for patients

Ability to communicate with patients of all age groups and significant others appropriate to the level of comprehension.

Has knowledge, clinical skills, and understanding of the patient throughout the entire span of life

Flexible

Team oriented

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Clean, well-lit comfortable climate; however, occasional conditions with high moisture content

Moderate noise environment

May make home visits

Subject to electro-mechanical hazards

Subject to stressful conditions 

Occasionally handles emergency or crises situations

Exposure to unpleasant patient elements, body fluids

Frequent exposure to bloodborne pathogens and airborne pathogens, may be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases

Possible exposure to chemicals used in cleaning 

Required personal protective equipment eye protection, face protection, gown, mask, lab coat and sterile and non-sterile gloves, shoe covers

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: