Physical Therapist

Job Summary :

Evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal, vascular and neurological diagnoses, with treatment specific to the patient. Education and preventative care to patients, patients' families, hospital associates and the community. Liaison between patients and family, physicians, nursing, and Social Services, etc. Serves the needs of patients, families, physicians through the effective and efficient delivery, education and coordination of physical therapy services.

Job Description

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Use common sense and special clinical skills to care for the sick or handicapped with regard to the patient's age and diagnosis. Provides high quality patient treatment. This includes evaluation, treatment planning and implementation, patient/family education and instruction, provision of safety procedures, and communication with those indicated given the patient, (ie. patient, family, physician, other hospital associates, etc). Carries through all duties deemed necessary to maintain high level of quality of care and efficiency as defined by department manager. Ages of patients treated range from pediatric to geriatric.
2. Operates equipment related to patient care, (ie. ultrasound, electrical stimulation units, mechanical traction, exercise equipment, wound care equipment, hospital beds, etc.).
3. Directs patients in care and use of assistive devices, braces, orthotics, prosthetic, exercise equipment, and orthopedic devices.
4. Directs and aids patients in mobility and strengthening exercises, muscle reeducation, gait and activities of daily living training, and functional training.
5. Adapts conventional physiotherapeutic techniques to meet the need of patients unable to comprehend verbal commands or voluntarily carry out a regimen of therapeutic exercise.
6. Documents patient care following requirements defined by HFAP and departmental policy and procedure.
7. Participates in continuous quality improvement process as it relates to patient care, including but not exclusive to evaluation and peer review of patient care quality. Displays excellent guest relations with all patients, customer and co-associate correspondence and displays excellent telephone etiquette.
8. Communicates effectively with intra- and interdepartmental associates as it relates to patient care and customer relations. Supports hospital's mission and value statement, strategic plan and vision and department service statement and department philosophy.
9. Directs and supervises activities of aides, students, and volunteers.
10. Assists with departmental functions deemed necessary by Director of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy.
11. Participates in providing educational material to departmental staff on a rotating basis. Responsible for continuing self-education in areas of interest and those pertinent to the diagnosis treated in the clinic.