Performs professional physical therapy services including initial assessments, and planning and administering physical therapy for patients with complex disabilities as prescribed by a physician. Incumbents instruct, assign work, and evaluate physical therapy students; or may be the only professional Physical Therapist at a facility with no higher level professional therapy supervision; or within residential facility, incumbents may provide services to one or more assigned units consisting of 80-150 residents as a professional member of an interdisciplinary team.

Under general direction, assesses and treats an expanded patient caseload including patients with such complex problems as burns, multiple disabilities, psychiatric or behavioral problems, acute multi-trauma and/or complex neurological impairments. Instructs, assigns work, and evaluates physical therapy students.

Assesses patient status, plans and implements treatment programs which include the use of physical agents, manual therapy and/or therapeutic exercise on patients with problems such as burn, multiple disabilities, complex neurological impairments, acute multi-trauma, or psychiatric or behavioral problems;

Instructs, assigns work, and evaluates physical therapy students;

Provides advice to individual therapists in area(s) of clinical expertise;

Assists in directing and coordinating physical therapy program;

Attends and participates in medical rounds and professional meetings with medical consultants;

Directs maintenance of orderly and safe environment for effective treatment; circulates through treatment areas assisting with patient problems;

Assists in maintaining a progressive treatment program for patients;

Introduces new patients to assigned therapists; inspects proposed treatment for accuracy of recording;

Writes evaluative reports on patients and therapists;

Under direction, consults with employers and providers regarding Labor and Industries standards; provides training in techniques and methods;

Under direction, performs ergonomic analysis, physical capacity assessments, hand evaluations, job analysis and/or job modifications as part of return-to-work process; prepares written reports summarizing findings and makes recommendations to assist return-to-work or for prevention of injury;

Under direction, provides training and consultation in ergonomics, job analysis, job modification, and provider program issues;

Performs duties of Physical Therapist 2;

Performs related duties as required;

May supervise or direct the work of others.

Knowledge of: skeletal, muscular, and neural anatomy; theories, practices, and techniques of physical therapy including electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, actinotherapy, manual and electrical muscle testing, functional ability testing, massage, muscle re education, therapeutic exercise, and other aspects of body mechanics as a means of therapy; equipment used in practice of physical therapy; evaluative report writing; methods of recording patient progress.

Ability to: plan and schedule patient treatment programs; establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, employers and other staff.

Current Washington State license to practice as a Physical Therapist.

A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized school of physical therapy or completion of a Physical Therapy program AND one year of experience as a Physical Therapist.

                                                                            OR

Equivalent education/experience.

New class, consolidates 6131 Physical Therapist III, 57320 Physical Therapist 2; adopted May 10, 2007, effective July 1, 2007.