Join our team of specially trained inpatient physical therapists who work with patients to facilitate safe discharge and to provide ongoing treatment to medically complex patients. We see patients on every ward of Tufts MC to treat a wide range of conditions including stroke, heart failure, heart surgery and transplants, trauma, orthopedics, and spine surgeries. Our physical therapy team provides guidance in developing clinical reasoning skills to allow for each therapist to make individualized, clinically informed treatment plans for our diverse patient population.

Tufts MC is a Comprehensive Stroke Center, Level 1 Trauma Center, and has a large cardiomyopathy program that provides mechanical circulatory support for heart failure patients. Our inpatient physical therapists work with a multi-disciplinary team to provide services that support our high medical acuity and medically complex patients’ overall treatment programs.

We are seeking a self-motivated Staff Physical Therapist who is responsible for evaluating, developing, and implementing specific treatment programs for individual patients according to the principles and practices of physical therapy. The position involves regular contact with patients and members of their families, referring physicians, nurses, social workers, and all allied health and support personnel within TMC.  The staff member will act as a liaison with other disciplines for problem-solving issues that arise related to clinical therapy services.

Job Profile Summary 

​This role focuses on assessing the needs of patients who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities and delivering therapy services to improve their developmental, physical or cognitive impairment.  In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Physical Therapy duties: Provides services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. Examines patient's medical history, evaluates their physical abilities, determines their potential to respond to therapy, and develops treatment plans.  A professional individual contributor role that may direct the work of other lower level professionals or manage processes and programs.  The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education.   An experienced level role that applies practical knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience.  Works independently with general supervision, problems faced are difficult but typically not complex, and may influence others within the job area through explanation of facts, policies and practices. 

Job Description 

Minimum Qualifications: 

1. Bachelor's degree
2. Graduation from an approved school of Physical Therapy
3. Physical Therapy (PT) License
4. Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification 
5. One (1) year of experience as a Physical Therapist

Preferred Qualifications: 

1. Advanced Degree (Masters or Doctorate). 

2. Two (2) years of clinical experience.

Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list.  Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. 

1. Assesses, re-assesses & treats a variety of diagnoses with a high degree of professional competency & efficiency to ensure quality patient care; Able to evaluate & treat pediatric, adolescent, geriatric & the general population. 

2. Assesses & re-assesses patient pain and develops appropriate treatment plan to assist patient in attaining maximum functional outcomes. 

3. Interacts professionally with patient/family and involves patient/family in the formation of plan of care; formulates a teaching plan based upon identified learning, cultural and psychosocial needs. 

4. Sets realistic short and long term goals and plan of care related to patient’s physical therapy needs within the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems.  

5. Communicates clearly and appropriately to patients, families, physicians, staff and all other customer groups. 

6. Supervises and educates students and evaluates the student’s performance.   

7. Maintains and completes proper and timely documentation in the medical record for all patients treated to promote communication to physicians and to ensure proper reimbursement. 

8. Contributes to the department to ensure that the operations are efficient and cost effective; adheres to billing guidelines, charges, insurance limitation & all other departmental operations. 

9. Prepares department for Joint Commission surveys and participates in CQI activities.  Performs other related duties as assigned and/or necessary to assure appropriate patient care. 

10. Attends intra-departmental rounds, team meetings, and case conferences and staff meetings.  Independently remains up to date with required continuing education.

11. Meets organization’s attendance & punctuality requirements to ensure proper coverage and quality service to patients, visitors and co-workers. 

12. Follows established organizational precautions and procedures in the performance of all job duties to ensure a safe work environment for self and others. 

13. Works directly and collaboratively with the interdisciplinary health care team, the patient, and the patient’s family to promote maximum level of patient safety and independence in discharge planning. 

Physical Requirements:  

1. Prolonged, extensive, or considerable standing, walking, and transferring patients. 

2. Regularly lift and/or move 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. 

3. Requires manual dexterity using fine hand manipulation to operate computer keyboard, dexterity to provide quantitative testing and manual treatment techniques to a wide variety of patients. 

4. Visual acuity that allows for frequently uses computer screen and reports 

5. The employee in this position frequently communicates internally and externally; must be able to exchange accurate information via phone, email and/or in person. 

Skills & Abilities: 

1. Demonstrates interpersonal skills including communication, teamwork, and willing to work one-on-one or a group basis. 

2. Ability to work independently, to be self-motivated and well organized. Ability to function well in very busy situations. 

3. Responsible and reliable. 

4. Demonstrates flexibility and able to adjust to changes at a moment’s notice. 

5.  Maturity to operate effectively within a multi-disciplinary setting. 

6. Able to work effectively with a wide variety of patients with acute and long term disability. 

7. Ability to read/write and communicate in English. 

8. Must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to assess the needs of patients of all different age populations in order to provide care appropriately.  

9. Able to visually and audibly assess injury and functional status of patients and patient’s subjective complaints. 

10. Knowledge of physical modalities, therapeutic exercise and other treatment skills.   

11. Ability to observe and evaluate treatment effect and adjust plan of care as appropriate. 

12. Demonstrates proper time management skills to attain department productivity while assuring quality patient care.