Physical Therapist

Responsibilities:

• Evaluates and assesses the patient's abilities and limitations.
• Establishes plan of treatment and goals based on the referral and evaluation of functional skills, joint mobility, gait, developmental reflexes, muscle strength, tone, and coordination, sensation tests, and other measures to ensure rapid patient recovery.
• Implements therapy according to the established plan, utilizing appropriate procedures, equipment and techniques within the scope of physical therapy.
• May participate in wound management through wound debridement, dressing changes, exercise, stretching, and splinting.
• Recommends adaptive equipment, completes the equipment justification forms and arranges for the delivery of equipment.
• Re-evaluates patients, assesses their progress and makes recommendations regarding discharge.
• Consults and co-treats with other patient care team members to discuss patient progress, set objectives for patient treatment and integrate physical treatment with other activities.
• Educates the patient and/or caregiver about the findings of the evaluation, established goals of the physical therapy program, plan of treatment, home programs, injury prevention and other related information.
• Evaluates home or work environments and makes physical barrier modification or ergonomic recommendations.
• May assist with departmental program development and training physical therapy students.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.
• Demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills.
• Current knowledge of safety issues needed in the treatment of patients, especially regarding body substance precautions and body mechanics to protect self, patients and personnel working with therapists.
• Ability to participate in rotations of work area, weekends and week-day hours and assigned holidays.
• Ability to follow ethical guidelines outlined by the American Physical Therapy Association.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on the assigned unit.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care as described in the department's policies and procedures manual.

University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics, a part of The University of Utah, is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran's status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.