Physical Therapist - Acute Care (PRN)

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Looking for the flexibility of PRN work without sacrificing clinical complexity, professional growth, or purpose? Vanderbilt Health is seeking an experienced Acute Care Physical Therapist to join one of the nation's leading academic health systems.

Whether you're maintaining your acute care expertise, supplementing your current role, or seeking a schedule that better fits your lifestyle, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while caring for some of healthcare's most medically complex patients.

• Minimum availability of 2 shifts per month
• 1 hard-to-staff day every 6 months

PRN therapists provide available training dates in 8-hour blocks, allowing for a more flexible onboarding process that accommodates varying schedules rather than requiring a traditional consecutive Monday through Friday commitment.

As part of Vanderbilt Health, you'll work at a Level 1 Trauma Center and the nation's largest transplant center by volume, collaborating with nationally recognized physicians, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals.

Our Acute Care Rehabilitation team provides services throughout Vanderbilt University Hospital, including:

• Trauma Services
• Transplant Services
• Burn Center
• Emergency Services
• Women's Health/OB
• Neurosciences
• Cardiovascular Services
• Medical and Surgical ICUs
• Specialty Medicine Services

You'll join one of the region's largest acute care rehabilitation teams, working alongside approximately 130 rehabilitation professionals dedicated to exceptional patient outcomes.

Together, the team manages more than 140 new rehabilitation consults daily and provides care for over 550 patients each day.

As a PRN Acute Care Physical Therapist, you will:

• Perform evidence-based evaluations and treatment interventions for hospitalized patients with complex medical and surgical diagnoses.
• Develop individualized treatment plans that promote mobility, safety, functional recovery, and independence.
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, and other healthcare professionals.
• Educate patients and caregivers regarding mobility strategies, equipment recommendations, fall prevention, and discharge planning.
• Apply strong clinical reasoning to assess patient progress and modify treatment plans as patient needs evolve.
• Document care in accordance with hospital, regulatory, and professional standards.
• Contribute to a culture of clinical excellence, teamwork, and compassionate patient-centered care.

Therapists are empowered to utilize advanced clinical reasoning and play a meaningful role in patient care decisions.

Gain exposure to trauma, transplant, critical care, neuroscience, burn, cardiology, specialty medicine, and surgical services.

Work alongside highly respected physicians, nurses, therapists, and healthcare professionals committed to exceptional outcomes.

Be part of a health system recognized for innovation, research, education, and evidence-based practice.

Help patients regain mobility, maximize independence, and safely transition to the next level of care.

• Licensed Physical Therapist (or license-eligible) in Tennessee
• Acute care or hospital-based experience preferred
• Strong clinical reasoning and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams
• Commitment to exceptional patient-centered care

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

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This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.

If you're seeking a PRN opportunity that offers both flexibility and purpose, Vanderbilt Health provides the opportunity to care for complex patients, collaborate with exceptional colleagues, and make a meaningful difference with every shift.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.
• Treatment Planning & Goal Setting (Novice): Demonstrates sufficient proficiency in developing a plan of care that incorporates treatment interventions focused on meeting objective goals. Develops and documents patient focused short and long term goals that are functional and measurable. Identifies the need for and referral to other services, as needed.
• Rehabilitation Therapist Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with physical deficits including impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function by obtaining information pertinent to the assessment and administering and scoring standardized tests and objective measures of deficit areas. Selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance to the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Able to modify treatment plan as needed to demonstrate provision of skilled therapy services including progression of treatment throughout course of care, and revision of treatment interventions of goals not met. May supervise and direct certified athletic trainers (PT only), physical therapist / occupational therapist assistants, technicians and volunteers and students. Selects and follows correct protocol for care and utilize evidence based treatments. Has completed at least one year of clinical experience in treatment implementation.
• Physical/Occupational Therapist Patient Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

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Core Accountabilities: