Travel Skilled Nursing Facility Physical Therapist

Job DescriptionA Physical Therapist specializing in skilled nursing facility care evaluates and treats patients recovering from illness, injury, surgery, hospitalization, or functional decline. This role focuses on improving mobility, strength, balance, endurance, safety, and independence for adult and geriatric patient populations in post-acute and long-term care settings.

The Skilled Nursing Facility Physical Therapist develops individualized treatment plans, monitors patient progress, and supports safe transitions to home or lower levels of care. The role collaborates with physicians, nursing staff, occupational and speech therapy teams, case management, patients, and families to promote functional outcomes and quality patient care.

Travel Physical Therapists in skilled nursing facility settings work contract assignments across multiple healthcare facilities and must adapt quickly to new rehabilitation teams, documentation systems, patient populations, and facility procedures. Schedules may include rotating shifts, variable caseloads, weekends, holidays, and floating when appropriate to support rehabilitation coverage and patient care needs.

Responsibilities
• Evaluate patients’ mobility, strength, balance, range of motion, gait, transfers, endurance, pain, and functional limitations in a skilled nursing facility setting.

• Develop individualized physical therapy plans of care based on patient needs, physician orders, functional goals, and discharge planning priorities.

• Provide therapeutic exercises, gait training, transfer training, balance activities, neuromuscular re-education, and functional mobility interventions.

• Assess and recommend appropriate assistive devices, durable medical equipment, and mobility strategies to promote patient safety and independence.

• Monitor patient response to treatment and modify interventions based on clinical status, progress, precautions, and tolerance.

• Document evaluations, treatment sessions, progress notes, reassessments, and discharge summaries accurately in the medical record.

• Educate patients, families, and caregivers on mobility techniques, fall prevention, home exercise programs, safety precautions, and discharge recommendations.

• Participate in interdisciplinary care planning, rehabilitation meetings, and discharge coordination with nursing, therapy, medical, and case management teams.

• Support restorative and post-acute rehabilitation goals for patients with orthopedic, neurologic, cardiopulmonary, medical, and age-related functional impairments.

• Maintain compliance with professional standards, facility procedures, payer documentation requirements, infection prevention practices, and patient safety protocols.

Qualifications
• Education: Graduate of an accredited Physical Therapy program. Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is commonly required; Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy may be accepted when consistent with licensure eligibility.

• Licensure: Active, unrestricted Physical Therapist license in the state of practice, or eligibility for state licensure as required by state regulations.

• Certifications
• BLS

• Skills: Strong clinical judgment, functional assessment skills, therapeutic exercise knowledge, gait and transfer training competency, patient safety awareness, and documentation accuracy are essential. Proficiency with rehabilitation equipment, assistive devices, fall prevention strategies, interdisciplinary communication, time management, and EHR or EMR systems supports effective skilled nursing facility practice.

Experience
Minimum one year of recent Physical Therapist experience required for travel assignments. Recent skilled nursing facility, post-acute rehabilitation, geriatric, or inpatient rehabilitation experience is commonly preferred. Additional experience may be required depending on patient acuity, assignment setting, and facility expectations.

Preferences
• Recent skilled nursing facility or post-acute rehabilitation experience

• Experience with geriatric rehabilitation and medically complex patients

• Familiarity with Medicare documentation and rehabilitation plan-of-care requirements

• Experience with discharge planning and durable medical equipment recommendations

• EHR or EMR documentation experience

• Advanced clinical training in orthopedics, geriatrics, neurologic rehabilitation, or fall prevention

Benefits
• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Retirement Plan (401(k))

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Sick Leave

• Continuing Education Assistance

• Professional Development

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Life Insurance

• Travel Reimbursement

• Housing Stipend