Travel Contract

Acute Care Physical Therapist
Merced, CA
Host Healthcare
5x8 hrs, Days
Referral Bonus

$2,219/week

Overview

  • Start Date03/02/2026
  • Shift Breakdown5x8 hrs
  • ShiftDays
  • Duration13 weeks

Pay

Estimated total pay
$2,219/week
Details
  • Gross pay
    $2219.47/wk
  • Regular pay
    $55.49/hr
  • Benefits

    • Referral bonus
    • School loan reimbursement
    • Vision benefits
    • Wellness and fitness programs
    • Company provided housing options
    • License and certification reimbursement
    • Life insurance
    • Medical benefits
    • Mileage reimbursement
    • Pet insurance
    • Discount program
    • Employee assistance programs
    • Guaranteed Hours
    • Health savings account
    • Holiday Pay
    • 401k retirement plan
    • Continuing Education
    • Dental benefits

    Description

    Physical Therapist Travel Opportunity - Merced, California

    Position Overview

    • Seeking an experienced Physical Therapist for a travel contract.
    • Minimum 2 full years of experience required.
    • Must hold an active California PT license and BLS (AHA) certification.

    Contract Length

    • 13 weeks

    Facility & Unit Information

    • Hospital with 189 beds including:
      • ICU: 20 beds
      • Telemetry: 34 beds
      • Medical 5th floor: 34 beds
      • Surgical 6th floor: 34 beds
      • Medical 7th floor: 34 beds
      • Mother and baby units: 33 beds
    • Average hospital census: 150 patients
    • Off-site outpatient center for PT/OT/ST located 2.5 miles away (8-minute drive)
    • Home health services provided by OT and ST at outpatient center

    Certifications & Licenses

    • BLS (AHA)
    • California PT license

    Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

    • Cerner B (upgraded version)

    Therapy Team Structure

    • Therapy leadership includes:
      • 1 lead inpatient therapist
      • 1 therapy supervisor
      • 1 Director of Rehab Services
    • Therapy staff includes:
      • Outpatient: 3 aides/licensed staff, 1 PTA, 1 COTA, 2 OTRs
      • Inpatient: 5 aides/licensed staff, 2 PTAs, 2 OTRs, 5 PTs (including 2 travelers), 3 PD PT inpatient, 2 PD PT outpatient
      • Speech Therapy: 2 STs including 1 traveler

    Work Schedule & Shifts

    • Standard shifts: 8 hours
    • PT travelers may work 10-hour shifts, including split weekend schedules (e.g., Wed-Sat or Sun-Wed)
    • No holiday shifts required

    Dress Code

    • Burgundy polo or long sleeve shirt
    • Black pants and shoes

    Patient Care & Environment

    • Telemetry beds: 34 (all floors capable)
    • Ventilator patients: typically 2-4, up to 6 at times
    • Hospitalists, residents, and telemedicine intensivists available in ICU
    • Respiratory therapy and pharmacy services available 24/7
    • Wound care therapists on inpatient unit: 3 (2 PTs, 1 PTA)

    Floating & Cross-Discipline Support

    • Floating between inpatient, outpatient, and home health for OT and ST
    • ST primarily outpatient with geriatric and pediatric caseloads; Vital Stim experience preferred
    • PT focused on inpatient acute hospital care

    Orientation & Training

    • General department orientation with skills checklist
    • Assigned clinician support during orientation

    Patient Population & Common Diagnoses

    • Inpatient: adult and geriatric patients with orthopedic, neurological, medical, and pulmonary complications
    • Outpatient: pediatric to geriatric diverse population
    • OT hand therapy is a significant component
    • ST pediatrics is a significant component

    Additional Notes

    • JCAHO certification for Stroke; NIH certified
    • Early mobility program including vent early mobility level 2
    • Location highlights: 1 hour to Yosemite, 2 hours to Monterey Bay, San Francisco, and Sierra Nevada range
    • Local population approximately 70,000+

    Employer

    Host Healthcare

    4.8rating(1034 reviews)

    222 nurses recommend working with Host Healthcare

    5.0rating

    Pros

    Cassie Jo is an absolute ROCKSTAR. She is on top of everything, insanely quick to respond, always ready to remedy any confusion or errors, such an incredible nurse advocate—will go to bat for you in the blink of an eye—as organized as anything I’ve ever seen, and just genuinely kind, caring, and compassionate. I seriously cannot say enough incredible things about her. She is the best and I am so thankful for all of her help, guidance, knowledge, organization, reassurance, skill, and friendliness.

    Cons

    absolutely NOTHING.

    Recommends working with Host Healthcare

    2 nurses found this helpful

    Anna Beth K
    Anna Beth K
    Pediatrics (RN)
    Review of Cassie Marchi on Feb 4, 2026
    Was this helpful?
    View all reviews
    About
    At Host Healthcare, we provide a truly comfortable experience as you explore your travel nursing, therapy, or allied career. We make your travel healthcare journey easy by taking care of all the details, so you don’t have to.We are on a mission to help others live better and we do this by helping the healers of the world be as comfortable as possible. With access to tens of thousands of travel nursing, therapy, and allied jobs in all 50 states, our responsive and friendly recruiters find your dream position based on what’s important to you.During your assignment, get access to premium benefits, including Day 1 medical that continues up to 30 days between assignments, 401K matching, travel reimbursements, dedicated housing support, and more. We also offer 24/7 support from our team and access to our on-staff clinicians so you can feel comfortable and confident throughout your entire assignment.Travel comfortably with Host Healthcare.
    Response timewithin an hour
    Travel jobs$1,030–4,409/week
    Jobs on Vivian8
    View more details

    About Merced, CA

    As a Travel Physical Therapist in Merced, CA here's what you should know:
    Cost of Living
    • Merced's cost of living is lower than the national average, making it an affordable place to live.
    • Wages may be slightly lower to match the lower cost of living.
    Weather
    • Summer average high is around 95°F, and the winter average low is around 38°F.
    Furnished Housing
    • Short term rentals are available but may require some searching as they are not as abundant as in larger cities.
    Transportation
    • Merced is car-friendly, but public transportation options are limited.
    Demographics
    • Merced has a diverse population with a wide age range.
    • Common health issues may include respiratory conditions due to air quality.
    • There is a growing population of travel nurses in the area.
    Things to Do
    • Merced offers a variety of restaurants, especially with diverse cuisines.
    • It has a thriving arts scene with galleries and theaters.
    • Outdoor activities include hiking, biking, and water sports on nearby lakes.
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