Physical Therapist Clinical Specialist (Full-Time)

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

Provides physical therapy treatment and education to inpatients and outpatients. Assists in the education and development of departmental and other hospital staff.

A day in the life of a Physical Therapist Clinical Specialist at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Performs physical therapy assessment and evaluations, on a daily basis, on-going re-assessment and administers physical therapy treatment to patients in conjunction with a licensed care practitioner authorized to prescribe treatment.
  
• Implements, on a daily basis, treatment modalites which may include exercise, heat, light, ultrasound, water, electricity, massage, gait raining, balance training and other rehabilitation techniques.
  
• Provides, on a daily basis, for patient and family education programs and assistance in exercise programs and assistance in understanding and participation in physical therapy goal setting.
  
• Uses, on a daily basis, multidisciplinary approach in executing patient treatment. Coordinates with Case Management, Nursing and Physicians to participate in patient's timely discharge and continuation of treatment upon hospital discharge.
  
• Provides In-service programs for Physical Therapy Staff.
  
• Organizes Journal Club for Rehab In-service program.
  
• Serves as Clinical Resource for Junior Staff.
  
• Provides In-service programs for Nursing Staff and other Ancillary Staff on equipment use, transfer training and body mechanics.
  
• Monitors equipment use for safety and wear and tear in the department.
  
• Ensures delivery of excellent customer service resulting in positive and improving patient satisfaction scores for department and Medical Center.
  
• Guides, on a daily basis, departmental support personnel.
  
• Prepares, on a daily basis, schedules for inpatients and outpatients.
  
• Attends hospital and department in-service program as required.
  
• Assists the Director in developing and implementation of a Quality Improvement Program in Physical Therapy.
  
• Performs educational in-service for both department and hospital staff.
  
• Attends continuing education programs outside the hospital to maintain professional competence.
  
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Masters Degree in Physical Therapy with Clinical Specialist Certification through the APTA or Doctorate in Physical Therapy from an Accredited Physical Therapy Program with two years clinical experience.
• Prior acute care and outpatient experience required.
• Requires ability to read and concentrate frequently to check accuracy of reports, correspondence, computer records, etc.
• Requires ability to read, understand, analyze and interpret policies and procedures.
• Requires ability to deal with stress of dealing with public, frequent interruptions, and working on more than one task concurrently.
• Requires flexibility in order to respond to changes in priorities, special project assignments, and emergency situations.
• Apply principals of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions in order to provide effective patient care.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification.

Working Conditions:

• General Office Conditions
• Extensive employee and outside contacts.
• High Stress
• Works indoors in a well lighted and ventilated area.
• Possibility of cuts or minor burns from instruments and equipment
• Some direct exposure to contagion, but risk is minimal when proper safety precautions are observed.
• Possibility of strains due to moving patients (or objects)
• Requires substantial standing, walking, stooping, and lifting.
• Willingness to work with the realization that errors and incompetency may have serious consequences to patient
• Long periods of sitting with frequent standing or moving to other areas to retrieve or return documents, and make copies.
• Requires periods of keying on computer terminal to input information.
• Requires constant verbal communication in person or using the phone.
• Requires frequent reading of correspondence, reports, material, etc.
• Frequently lifts objects from 10 - 150 lbs.
• Frequently lifts with assistance objects greater than 150 lbs.
• Frequently carries objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Frequently pushes objects up to 500 lbs with assistance from others.

If you feel the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!