Career Center

Summary

This Occupational Therapist is an outpatient provider for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service. Responsibilities include general outpatient assessment & treatment for veterans with physical dysfunction - neurological - mental health - cognitive - & orthopedic or musculoskeletal diagnoses. This position carries responsibility & requires a high level of independence & problem-solving ability - & integral knowledge for appropriate referrals & service within the outpatient clinic.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist
• NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 - 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy
• OR Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field
• NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 - 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy
• OR Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy
• Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations
• This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution)
• ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
• Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association - P.O
• Box 31220 - Bethesda - MD 20824-1220
• Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT
• State Licensure: Candidates must possess a full - current - and unrestricted state license [ ] - to practice occupational therapy in a state - territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or in the District of Columbia
• Grade Determinations: GS-9: Education - Experience - or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-11 Education - Experience - or Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• OR Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field
• OR Doctorate in occupational therapy
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of occupational therapy practice
• Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans - including goals and methods of treatment
• Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others
• Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated
• Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients - family members - caregivers - interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care
• Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation - reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice
• GS-12 Education - Experience - and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice
• Knowledge is inclusive of physical - occupational - cognitive - and psychosocial functional deficits
• Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to use critical analysis - clinical reasoning - and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments - treatment plans - activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients
• Skill in procuring - fabricating - adjusting - adapting - and modifying orthoses - splints - and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment)
• Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training Preferred Experience: We are looking for an Occupational Therapist to provide outpatient services up to 5 days per week
• Services will cover a broad range of diagnoses - focusing primarily on home safety - functional independence - caregiver training - and durable medical equipment - however may also provide additional services that align with the selected candidates skillset
• Experience in home safety - ADLs and prescription of durable medical equipment - cognitive rehabilitation - and/or hand therapy
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according to the Department of Labor
• Medium work entails exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally - and/or 10-25 pounds of force frequently - and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects
• Occupational Therapy is a vocation that requires regular and recurring physical exertion with long periods of standing - bending - walking and periods of assisting patients with transfers
• This hospital has a policy of NO PATIENT LIFT - meaning that mechanical lifts are available to assist with safe patient transfers without lifting patients directly
• Occupational Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with activities such as: 1
• Operating all aspects of a computer 0-keyboarding - mouse - and control buttons
• 2
• Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment of patient teaching
• 3
• Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as a screwdriver or pliers
• 4
• Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of scissors - cutting tools - and ability to mold plastic - foam or plaster.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include - but are not limited to: Clinical: After receiving an appropriate referral - independently evaluates patients referred for Occupational Therapy - using standard and non-standard methods to assess range of motion - strength - sensation - proprioception - coordination - perception - cognition - ADL and work activities - orthotic and prosthetic needs - and need for adaptive equipment
• In addition - assesses independent living skills to include use of community resources - home management - time management - and safety in the home and community
• self-awareness - interpersonal and social skills
• stress management
• role development - self-sufficiency and wellness
• Evaluations consider lifestyle - culture - educational level - social support system - military - work - and leisure history - and limitations and abilities related to age
• Uses knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence-based practice
• Knowledge is inclusive of physical - occupational - cognitive - and psychosocial functional deficits
• Based on evaluations and planning with patient and significant others (when appropriate) - and coordination with the multidisciplinary team - establishes treatment goals - plan of care - and eventual discharge plan
• Uses critical analysis - clinical reasoning - and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments - treatment plans - activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients
• Develops and carries out occupational therapy plans with individuals to meet individual rehabilitation objectives
• Implements an occupational therapy treatment plan to meet individual rehabilitation objectives utilizing functional activities which have as their goal the improvement of patient's activities of daily living - strength - range of motion - sensation - perceptive and/or cognitive process - and may also include - therapeutic exercise - muscle reeducation - neuromuscular facilitation - perceptual motor integration - fabrication and application of devices for daily living - teaching adaptive or compensatory techniques for community re-entry and work activities and providing patient and/or caregiver education regarding disability
• Patients treated have complex physical - emotional - and social problems
• Re-evaluates patient's performance and modifies treatment as indicated
• Regularly presents patient information to health care providers regarding outcomes of treatment - status and expectations
• Communication is timely and follows department policies
• Evaluates patient's living situation through outpatient visits or home visits - patient and family interview - or consultation with other health care professionals
• Assists patient in solving problems associated with that environment
• Initiates ordering - delivery and training in the use of patient specific adaptive equipment in a timely - efficient and accurate manner - utilizing the processes related to the procurement of prosthetic equipment
• Has skills in procuring - fabricating - adjusting - adapting - and modifying orthoses - splints and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living
• Carries a full patient caseload - accepting new consults as referred by the primary care provider/medical or health care provider
• Assignments may include outpatient referrals and may include referrals from inpatient acute care medical and surgical cases - and inpatient rehabilitation
• Documents initial evaluations - progress - and discharge planning in a timely - concise manner - per section documentation and consult management requirements
• Is aware of signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect and reports to the appropriate authority and documents following facility procedures
• Administrative For each patient assigned - accurately maintains patient schedule and attendance
• Independently manages daily workload and schedule
• Schedules patients promptly to comply with clinical access guidance
• Accurately documents for the medical record: an initial evaluation including outcome measures - assessment - and short- and long-term goals
• progress reports which include description of treatment provided and outcome in terms of function
• discharge summary - as necessary - which includes summary of treatment - outcome in terms of goals set - equipment provided - and education given to patient and family
• Maintains current NBCOT certifications and state licensing requirements
• and completes all mandatory training as required by the facility
• Work Schedule: Intermittent Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 55984-A - 55985-A - 55986-A