Acute Care Physical Therapist
Plains, Montana
Clark Fork Valley Hospital

PT Acute Care Hospital

Overview

• Specialty: Therapy/Rehabilitation
• Location: Plains, Montana
• Setting: Critical Access Hospital with outpatient and inpatient services, home visits, and a swing bed program in a rural community
• Contract length: 13 weeks
• Start date: ASAP
• Role: The PT evaluates, plans, and implements individualized treatment programs to improve mobility, reduce pain, and help patients regain independence. The role works collaboratively with providers and care teams across acute, outpatient, and/or long-term care settings.
• Workload: The unit tries to keep most PT workload in one area, either outpatient or inpatient, but PTs must be flexible. Depending on staffing, they may shift and cover other areas. The facility has 3 outpatient PT clinics and an inpatient need.
• Float scope: May float to sister facilities and will float clinics.

Schedule

• Shift: Day, 4x8 hours, 8:00–16:30
• Hours: 34–40 per week depending on census or caseload, with 34 hours guaranteed
• Hour options: 8- or 10-hour shifts can be requested
• Weekends: Every 3rd weekend
• On-call: Not required
• Block schedule: Possibly open to accommodating one

Required Qualifications

• Valid Montana Physical Therapist license required; it does not need to be in hand to submit
• 1 year of Physical Therapist experience, including experience within the last year
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross; AHA Provider/Instructor/RQI acceptable
• BLS issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross; AHA Provider/Instructor/RQI acceptable
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross; AHA Provider/Instructor/RQI acceptable

Background, Health, and Compliance

• Background check: 7-year background check within 1 year of start, including all name changes and updated annually. Includes SS trace, county searches of locations lived/worked/in school, nationwide sex offender search, and FACIS Level 1.
• Exclusion checks: EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG, both required annually
• Physical exam: Within 1 year of start, not required annually
• TB: Negative 2-Step PPD, Q Gold, or TSpot within 1 year of start. Chest X-ray within 6 months of start if TB test is positive. TB test required annually.
• Immunizations and titers:

  • Tdap within 10 years of start
  • Rubeola, mumps, and rubella: 2 vaccines or positive titer. Negative or equivocal titers require declination, 2 vaccines, or 1 booster. Candidates born before 1957 are exempt.
  • Hepatitis B: series, titer, or declination. Negative or equivocal titers require declination or 1 booster.
  • Varicella: 2 vaccines, titer, or history of chickenpox. Negative or equivocal titers require declination, 2 vaccines, or 1 booster.
  • Flu: vaccine or declination required during flu season (10/1–3/31). Agency declination is acceptable.
• N95 fit test: Required within 12 months of start, any model acceptable, updated annually. PAPR can be accommodated onsite if needed. Failed fit documentation must be sent to the facility if the candidate cannot pass.
• Drug screen: Negative 9-panel drug screen within 30 days of start. Instant drug screen is acceptable. Not required annually.
• Compliance checklist: Must be completed

Hiring Preferences

• First-time travelers accepted
• Local candidates accepted
• New graduates may be considered

Lifestyle

• Small-town community in Western Montana along the Clark Fork River
• About 30 minutes from Glacier National Park
• About 1 hour from Flathead Lake, Missoula, and Kalispell
• Within 2 hours of 5 ski resorts
• Broad clinical exposure in a smaller, non-specialized setting