Physical Therapist – Acute Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Full-time • Nashville, Tennessee, United States • 2d ago

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization:

Acute Rehab PT/OT 3

Job Summary:

JOB SUMMARY
Provides physical therapy services to patients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes under occasional guidance. Actively collaborates with the health care/educational team to meet patient care, outcomes and system improvement objectives.

Physical Therapist – Acute Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, TN
Full-Time | Two Weekend Days Per Month

Where Expert Physical Therapists Make Their Greatest Impact

Vanderbilt Health is seeking an experienced Acute Care Physical Therapist to join one of the nation's leading academic health systems.

This is an opportunity to practice at a Level 1 Trauma Center and the nation's largest transplant center by volume, working alongside nationally recognized physicians, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals while caring for some of healthcare's most medically complex patients.

Whether you're looking to deepen your acute care expertise, expand your experience across specialty populations, or advance your professional growth, Vanderbilt offers an environment where clinical judgment is valued, collaboration is expected, and exceptional patient care is the standard.

Our Acute Care Rehabilitation team includes approximately 130 rehabilitation professionals who provide care throughout Vanderbilt University Hospital across trauma, transplant, critical care, neurosciences, cardiovascular services, specialty medicine, and surgical populations.

Most importantly, we believe healthcare is personal. Therapists are empowered to provide individualized, evidence-based care that prioritizes patient outcomes while practicing at the top of their license.

Why Experienced Therapists Choose Vanderbilt Health

Practice at the Top of Your License

Your expertise is respected and your clinical decision-making plays a meaningful role in patient care and discharge planning.

Care for Complex and Diverse Patient Populations

Treat patients across trauma, transplant, burn, neuroscience, critical care, cardiovascular, medical, and surgical services.

Collaborative Team Environment

Work alongside highly respected physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, and other healthcare professionals committed to exceptional outcomes.

Growth Beyond the Bedside

Advance through a structured Clinical Career Ladder with opportunities for mentorship, leadership, program development, quality initiatives, and professional advancement.

Work-Life Balance

Enjoy a schedule that includes only two weekend days per month, helping support balance while remaining engaged in a dynamic acute care setting.

Academic Medical Center Excellence

Join a health system recognized nationally for innovation, research, education, and world-class patient care.

Your Impact as an Acute Care Physical Therapist

As a member of our Acute Care Rehabilitation team, you will:

Perform evidence-based evaluations and treatment interventions for hospitalized patients with complex medical and surgical diagnoses.
Provide care across diverse inpatient settings, including intensive care units, specialty services, transplant, trauma, and step-down units.
Develop individualized treatment plans that optimize mobility, function, safety, and discharge outcomes.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated, patient-centered care.
Apply advanced clinical reasoning to assess patient progress and modify treatment plans as clinical needs evolve.
Educate patients and caregivers regarding mobility strategies, equipment recommendations, fall prevention, and safe discharge planning.
Document care in accordance with hospital, regulatory, and professional standards.
Support a culture of clinical excellence through mentorship, quality improvement, and professional development initiatives.

Qualifications

Licensed Physical Therapist (or license-eligible) in the State of Tennessee
Acute care or hospital-based physical therapy experience strongly preferred
Strong clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities
Excellent communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills
Commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care
Passion for continuous learning and professional growth

Ready for What's Next?

If you're an experienced acute care therapist seeking greater clinical complexity, stronger interdisciplinary collaboration, and the opportunity to influence outcomes at one of the nation's premier academic medical centers, Vanderbilt Health offers a place where your expertise can make a lasting impact.

Apply today and help patients take their next step toward recovery at Vanderbilt Health.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
• Treatment Planning & Goal Setting (Novice): Demonstrates sufficient proficiency in developing a plan of care that incorporates treatment interventions focused on meeting objective goals. Develops and documents patient focused short and long term goals that are functional and measurable. Identifies the need for and referral to other services, as needed.
• Rehabilitation Therapist Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with physical deficits including impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function by obtaining information pertinent to the assessment and administering and scoring standardized tests and objective measures of deficit areas. Selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance to the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Able to modify treatment plan as needed to demonstrate provision of skilled therapy services including progression of treatment throughout course of care, and revision of treatment interventions of goals not met. May supervise and direct certified athletic trainers (PT only), physical therapist / occupational therapist assistants, technicians and volunteers and students. Selects and follows correct protocol for care and utilize evidence based treatments. Has completed at least one year of clinical experience in treatment implementation.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.
• Physical/Occupational Therapist Patient Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas. - Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service. - Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively :- Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.- Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

LIC-Physical Therapy License - Tennessee

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level :

Less than 1 year

Education:

Doctorate

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.