Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) - Acute Care
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston Area Medical Center Memorial Hospital

Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA), Acute Care Hospital

Location: Charleston, West Virginia Employment Type: Travel/Contract Contract Length: 13 weeks Shift: Day, 5x8 hours, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday. The manager may shift schedules to Wednesday to Sunday or Tuesday to Saturday with the same hours. Hours: 40 guaranteed hours per week Weekends: Depends on the schedule chosen. Monday to Friday has no weekends. Orientation: Every other week on Mondays, starting in the department unit on the first day. Float: No float requirement On-Call: No on-call requirement RTO Restrictions: None. Must be included on the profile at submittal. Parking: Free parking garage for travelers

Required Qualifications

• Valid Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) license in West Virginia (active license in hand to start the assignment; a pending state license may be submitted)
• Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) experience: 1 year minimum
• Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) experience within the last year
• One completed travel assignment
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA only; certifications cannot be pending at start, though completion onsite is permitted)
• Experience in an acute care setting
• Valid driver's license (candidate will not be considered without it)

Preferred Equipment Experience

• Hoyer lift, lower extremity prosthetics, sliding boards, soft/hard collars, specialty beds, supplemental O2

Clinical Scope

• 390-bed acute care hospital with heart surgery, orthopedics, and medical patients (Department Details)
• Hospital total: 855 staffed beds; Level 1 Trauma Center; major teaching hospital
• Adult and geriatric patient population
• Ratio: 16 units of treatment per day
• Follows the Physical Therapist's plan of care

Required Skills:

• General: home exercise programs, lifting and transfers, patient and family education, safety and injury prevention, billing
• Equipment: bed alarms, call lights, crutches, gait belt, hospital bed, rolling walker, sit-to-stand lift
• Assessment: AROM/AAROM/PROM, arousal and attention, assistive devices, body mechanics, identifying environmental barriers, pain assessments, sensory response, strength testing, vital signs

Background, Health, and Submission Requirements

• Background check: 7-year criminal check within 30 days of start; new check required after a 30-day or longer break in service
• SAM and OIG checks completed independently within 30 days of start and updated annually
• Sex offender search within 30 days of start and updated annually
• Drug screen within 30 days of start, updated annually, including amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine, benzodiazepines, methadone, and propoxyphene. No placeholders or clearance with items pending.
• Physical exam within 1 year of start, updated annually, signed by a physician, DO, MD, NP, or PA
• Negative TB test within 3 months of start, or chest X-ray if positive; TB questionnaire annually
• Immunity proof for rubeola, mumps, rubella, varicella (titers or vaccines), and hepatitis B titer or declination
• Tdap required (declinations not accepted; medical or religious exemptions allowed)
• COVID-19 vaccine not required
• Annual fit testing required (3M N95 1860 Small or Regular or Aura 9205 only)
• Application package: candidate profile with work history, specialty skills checklist, and minimum 2 manager/charge references within the past 2 years. Facility records also state 1 reference required from a manager, supervisor, or charge nurse within 1 year of start.
• Permanent employees cannot return as travelers for 2 years after their last day worked as permanent
• 100-mile radius rule (75 to 99 miles may be sent for facility approval)
• Scrub color: anything except royal blue, maroon, or forest green