Physical Therapist II

About the Role

Under general supervision and using clinical expertise, evaluates the physical therapy needs of inpatients and outpatients in a hospital or California Children's Services (CCS) setting. Develops, implements, and documents treatment plans and goals to meet patient needs and acts as a clinical resource specialist to other therapists.

The role may require working at different sites within Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH), which includes four acute care hospitals and 14 clinics across Santa Clara County. SCVH is the second largest public health care system in California, providing high-quality, accessible healthcare and excellent service to the community.

Work Locations

• Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC): A 699-bed tertiary acute care teaching hospital offering specialized services including Rehabilitation, Burn, Trauma, and NICU. Ranked #6 in the nation and #1 in the West for Rehabilitation by U.S. News and World Report, and designated as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hip Fracture, and Pneumonia.
• O'Connor Hospital (OCH): A 358-bed acute care facility providing inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical, and specialty programs. Founded in 1889, it has seen significant growth in inpatient volume and Emergency Department visits.
• St. Louise Regional Hospital (SLRH): A 93-bed hospital serving Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, designated as a Primary Stroke Center and the only acute care hospital in the area. Located in Gilroy with a CALSTAR 2 emergency helicopter base on-site.
• Regional Medical Center (RMC): A 258-bed hospital serving East San José, providing critical services including Level II trauma, Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Center, and STEMI care. Integrated into SCVH as of April 1, 2025.

Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Performs complex patient care tasks under minimal supervision with advanced skills in clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and treatment interventions.
• Examines, evaluates, and tests individuals with mechanical, physiological, and developmental impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities.
• Determines diagnosis of physical impairments or movement-related functional limitations, prognosis, plan of therapeutic intervention, and frequency/duration of intervention.
• Designs, implements, and modifies therapeutic interventions, including:
  • Therapeutic exercise and movement-related functional training;
  • Gait training;
  • Manual therapy (soft tissue and joint mobilization);
  • Therapeutic massage;
  • Airway clearance techniques;
  • Integumentary protection and repair techniques (debridement and wound care);
  • Physical agent, mechanical, and electrotherapeutic modalities.
• Integrates examination, evaluation, movement-related diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention to maximize outcomes and modifies treatment accordingly.
• Evaluates, recommends, applies, and fabricates movement-related assistive, adaptive, protective, prosthetic, and supportive devices, and trains patients in their use.
• Provides patient and family/caregiver education and training.
• Performs indirect patient care duties, including:
  • Communicating and coordinating care with patients, families/caregivers, and other professionals;
  • Discharge planning;
  • Documenting all elements of patient management;
  • Participating in patient care conferences;
  • Reviewing medical records;
  • Charging for patient care;
  • Referring to other professionals or resources.
• Works to prevent injury, impairment, movement-related functional limitation, or disability, including promoting fitness, health, and quality of life for all age groups.
• Manages an assigned caseload of patients.
• Serves as a consultant in an area of clinical specialty to staff therapists.
• May act as a clinical liaison in specialty clinics.

Clinical Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Therapy students and interns, Therapy Technicians, students, and volunteers as assigned, and conducts clinical competencies for same.
• Provides clinical guidance to other Physical Therapists in areas of expertise.
• Assists Physical Therapist III with training of staff therapists, assistants, and students.
• Leads other therapists working on special projects or assigned to satellite facilities.
• Provides orientation and training of new service personnel.

Administrative Tasks

• Prioritizes and schedules patient treatment as assigned.
• Assumes selected responsibilities of other staff during temporary absences.
• Assists in the day-to-day operations of assigned service.
• Assists with development and implementation of service policies, procedures, goals, and objectives.

Professional Development

• Participates in internal and external professional and educational activities to enhance personal and professional growth.
• Participates in research as appropriate.
• Assists with program development as assigned.
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required.

Requirements

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the following knowledge and abilities:

• Training and Experience: Two (2) years of clinical experience as a physical therapist in two (2) or more specialty areas relevant to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and/or in pediatric therapy.
• Special Requirements: A valid license, or proof of application for licensing, from the Physical Therapy Board of California to practice as a Physical Therapist in the State of California.

Knowledge

• Principles, methods, equipment, and theory of the practice of physical therapy.
• Pathologies and injuries that result in physical impairment.
• Evaluation and treatment methodologies as applied to complex patients.
• Regulatory practice requirements.
• Basic business aspects of therapy services, such as utilization management, charging practices, and regulatory compliance.
• Basic principles of clinical supervision and clinical instruction.

Skills

• Develop, implement, and adapt treatment programs.
• Apply advanced clinical skills in treating difficult and complex cases.
• Evaluate patients and interpret clinical data to make clinical judgments.
• Clinically supervise, train, and evaluate staff.
• Lead other therapists and aides.
• Instruct and provide consultation to therapists and other team members in designated clinical specialty.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with others.
• Communicate effectively with patients, staff, and other health professionals.
• Write clearly and concisely.
• Efficiently manage time and priorities.
• Demonstrate appropriate patient handling skills (assist, support, lift, and transfer patients).
• Reach, grasp, manipulate, and carry a variety of objects.