Physical Therapist

The Physical Therapist is responsible for assessing, planning, and providing rehabilitative and strengthening programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

• Instruct the patient and patient’s caretaker(s) regarding the patient’s disability and the measures they can take to lessen or eliminate physical impairment. Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
• Perform tests and measurements to evaluate the extent of the disability, establish a prognosis, and determine treatment options
• Develop and implement individual therapy, rehabilitation, and adaptation plans for patients to improve muscle strength and tone, balance, patient mobility, and posture. Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
• Continually evaluate and modify plans as necessary.
• Evaluate the need for, prescribe, direct the use of, and adjust adaptive or supportive equipment as necessary.
• Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or immobilization.
• Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machine.
• Test and measure patient’s strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
• Provide functional training for the patient in negotiating common practical situations.
• Perform safety evaluations of patient homes.
• Move furniture and belongings as necessary to promote safety, mobility, and accessibility.
• Coordinate patient care with physicians, therapists, home health aides, and other care providers.
• Refer the patient to outside resources and/or care providers as necessary.
• Document clearly and accurately the patient’s mental, physical, and emotional condition and treatment.
• Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient’s chart or enter information into computer.
• Monitor the activities of other employees, care providers, and/or caretakers involved in the treatment of the patient.
• Attend case conferences as scheduled whether in-person, telephonically or electronically.
• Conduct in-service educational programs for staff.
• Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow‑up care or referral for patients and/or care givers to a variety of community resources after patient discharge.

• Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy or a closely related field from an accredited school of physical therapy.
• Any combination of experience and training which provide the equivalent scope of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work.

• Experience in acute care, rehabilitation, neurology, or geriatric physical therapy.
• Experience working with underserved population

• Licensed Physical Therapist in the State of Montana.
• Valid Montana State Driver’s License in good standing, vehicle and insurance