Physical Therapist

Position Description:

Provides direct patient care, conducts a patient assessment and re-assessment, and establishes patient goals and care plans for physiotherapy services using different therapeutic techniques without or with the utilization of assistive medical devices and/or equipment. Promotes patient's physical wellness and treatments that include the ability to move, to prevent or reduce pain, to enable and restore function and prevent physical disability. Collaborates and establishes working relationships along with other clinical individuals and/or multi-disciplinary teams to discuss the patient's goals and plan of care to prevent the loss of physical functionality and mobility before it occurs by identifying the treatment, developing fitness and wellness-oriented programs to maintain a healthier and more active lifestyle of individual patients.

Treats patients according to the established goals and plan of care which are clinically indicated, appropriate and prescribed by the Consultant and/or the Physician and agreed upon by the patient and/or patient's caregiver and following the clinical policy and procedures of the department. Provides clinical and technical support to Junior Physical Therapists, Physiotherapy Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Speech Pathologist, Respiratory Therapist and visiting student interns when required.

Position Responsibility:

Quality and Accuracy:

• Understands the hospital mission, and vision and excellent customer service following the correct patient care processes, clinical standards and practices of physiotherapy services.
• Communicates process and the chain of command structure in reporting patient-related incidents, complaints and/or other related issues of concerns.
• Demonstrates full compliance and competence to the American Hospital Dubai and Physical Therapy Department's clinical policy and procedure including patient and equipment safety and the prevention and control of infection required to provide patient care.
• Performs independently the assigned clinical and technical tasks with confidence, the ability to prioritize tasks and perform critical thinking following the hospital and the department clinical policy and procedures.
• Performs initial and comprehensive patient care assessments follow-up assessments and re-assessments following the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) clinical standards and guidelines.
• Performs the initial and comprehensive patient care assessment and follow-up assessment and re-assessments that include, cognitive score assessment (GCS), cardio-respiratory assessment of patient's vital signs (HR, BP, RR, and SPO2), Musculoskeletal assessment (ROM/MMT), pain score assessment (VAS/FLACC), integumentary assessment (swelling, bruising), the risk for fall, patient care goals, patient care plans, patient care outcome and patient education.
• Provides the appropriate physiotherapy services and/or physiotherapy modalities as clinically indicated and/or based on the patient's clinical diagnosis and/or current presenting symptoms.
• Applies the appropriate physiotherapy modalities based on the patient care plan following the correct treatment frequency, time duration and the device settings and/or intensity and/or frequency required during the patient's treatment.
• Selects and executes the appropriate measurement procedures and/or tools to assess the patient's clinical status, such as joint ROM tests, manual muscle tests, and functional and coordination tests before, during and after each patient treatment.
• Selects and executes the appropriate supportive and assistive devices and/or equipment preventing possible harm and/or injury to the patient and/or damage to the equipment.
• Provides the patient, the patient's relative and other medical staff with physiotherapy clinical and technical education whenever required.
• Performs and monitors the department's Quality Measures requirements and participates in Quality Improvement activities and other department projects.
• Reports all patient care-related incidents and/or customer service complaints to improve patient care services.
• Assists the department in the initiation and reviews of the department's clinical policy and procedure whenever required.

Quantity and Organizational Skills:

Provides physiotherapy services equivalent to twenty-six (26) sessions and/or Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and with each session limited to 15 minutes that may include any of the following modalities listed below:

• Patient Initial Assessment and Re-assessment
• Cryotherapy/Heat Therapy
• Manual Therapy
• Massage Therapy
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
• Therapeutic Exercises
• Ultrasound Therapy
• Interferential Therapy
• Mechanical Traction Therapy
• Electrical Current Therapy
• Gait Training Therapy
• Lymphatic Edema Therapy

Participates in the department staff meetings and unit projects, and implements/evaluates creative approaches to meeting goals.

Performs additional duties and/or tasks as specified and/or assigned by the Director, Asst. Director, ARC Manager, ARC Team Leader and/or the ARC Senior Physiotherapist.

Assists as a clinical resource to the patient, patient's relatives and/or caregiver, junior Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapist, Nursing, Speech Pathologist and other medical staff.

Ensures full compliance with the safety requirements of physiotherapy medical equipment, performs functional and calibration checks and ensures that all medical equipment for repair is reported to the Biomedical Engineer and the follow-up repair required is processed and completed.

Maintains the availability of physiotherapy medical equipment for patient utilization, performs daily and monthly inventory and ensures that this equipment is placed and/or stored in the designated areas.

Ensures full compliance with the safety and availability of physiotherapy medical supplies minimizes medical supplies losses and reports to the Materials Management Department all supply replacements, expiry and losses requirements.

Position Qualification:

• Bachelor's Degree of Science in Physiotherapy and/or Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy
• Current license of practice in country of origin or country point of hire and/or Dubai Health Authority (DHA), United Arab Emirates

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience post-certification as a Junior Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills