Covenant Health

Senior Physical Therapy Assistant

PRN/OCC, Variable Hours & Shifts

Fort Sanders Regional Overview:

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is a 444-bed hospital recognized for pairing clinical expertise with advanced medical technology to deliver exceptional care. As a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center, we provide leading-edge treatment for stroke recovery. Our facility also offers specialized services in bariatric surgery, robotic surgery, minimally invasive spine procedures, and advanced orthopedic care.

Fort Sanders Regional is part of Covenant Health, East Tennessee’s largest nonprofit health system and a Becker’s “Top 150 Places to Work in Healthcare.” Covenant Health includes nine hospitals and nearly 150 service locations, offering employees a comprehensive benefits package with tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, certification bonuses, and leadership development programs.

Covenant Health Therapy Centers Overview:

Covenant Health Therapy Centers provide exception physical, occupational, and speech therapy and individualized care. We are dedicated to patients receiving 1 on 1 care with their therapist to get patients better, faster. Covenant Health Therapy Centers consist of 12 outpatient therapy clinics in East Tennessee. The Downtown clinic is adjacent to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Downtown Knoxville. Our core services include: orthopedic and sports medicine, neurological rehab, general deconditioning, manual therapy, balance therapy and many areas of specialized treatment.

Position Summary:

Under supervision of a licensed physical therapist, implements treatments; monitors patient progress; modifies or progresses treatment plans as per goals set by the therapist as defined by State Practice Act. Responsible for additional job responsibilities which may include program development and staff orientation/ training.

• Clinical practice – Administers treatment programs, including specialized treatment
  • Adheres to the "Definition and Utilization of the Physical Therapist Assistant" as stated in the current American Physical Therapy Association policy.
  • Monitors patient progress and makes recommendations to the physical therapist in accordance with patient needs and evidence based practice.
  • Documents patient progress in medical records for assigned patients.
  • Provides input for patient care and discharge planning with other health professionals.
  • Meets established targets for passive/active treatment ratios
  • Involves patient and family in treatment, education and goal setting. Coordinates with other medical personnel regarding patient’s progress, needs and discharge planning.
  • Demonstrates knowledge and competency including providing for age-specific needs of the population served.
• Serves as a resource person for staff on an ongoing basis
  
  • Provides 4 hours education/mentorship time per year. This includes:
    • Peer counseling/Mentorship
    • Community lectures/Volunteer
    • In-services/Case studies
• Participates in development, implementation and evaluation of standards of care and evidence based practice. This includes:
  • Evidence based practice protocols
  • Clinical outcomes analysis and communication to team
  • Participates in the development of new policies
  • QI/QA
• Maintains and updates patient documentation in accordance with professional, departmental, organizational, and payer guidelines and timeframes. Maintains established targets for compliance with chart audits.
• Meets established target for:
• Quality/outcome measures
• Service/patient satisfaction measures
• Financial/productivity measures
• Growth/patients-per-day measures
• Demonstrates leadership including, but not limited to:
• Participates in development and implementation of new and current programs
• Participates in training, orientation and supervision of support staff
• Participates in orientation of new licensed staff
• Acts as Clinical Instructor for ate least one student per year as available
• Participates in peer evaluations for competency assessment
• Assists with continuing education courses hosted by Covenant Health
• Participates in professional organization/meetings (TPTA, APTA)
• Volunteers for Covenant Health activities such as the marathon, golf tournament, sports physicals, employee education, etc.
• Complete partnering activities per established targets per month.
• Physician office visits
• Community lectures/volunteer
• Case Manager visits/marketing
• Provide in-services
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives, and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education:

Graduation from an accredited Physical Therapist Assistant program.

Minimum Experience:

Two (2) years’ experience with at least one (1) year experience in the specialty area

Licensure Requirement: 

Must have and maintain Tennessee Physical Therapist Assistant licensure. CPR required.