Occupational Therapist

Summary The Occupational Therapist is an inpatient provider for the Occupational Therapy department within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at the Loch Raven Campus. Responsibilities include general outpatient assessment and treatment for veterans with physical dysfunction, neurological, mental health, and orthopedic or musculoskeletal diagnoses. Responsibilities Major Duties Clinical: 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. Assesses independent living skills as they relate to 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 interdependency and wellness. Evaluates and plans with patient and significant others (when appropriate) and coordination with the multidisciplinary team, establishes treatment goals and eventual discharge plan. Develops and carries out occupational therapy plans with individuals to meet individual rehabilitation objectives. 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 discussion of home environment, 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. Carries a full patient caseload, accepting new consults as referred by the primary care provider/medical or health care provider. Treatment directly affects a patient's social, emotional, and functional well-being. Assignments may include acute care medical and surgical cases, inpatient rehabilitation, and outpatients. Documents initial evaluations, progress, and discharge planning in a timely, concise manner, per section documentation and consult management requirements. Administrative: Independently manages daily work load and schedule. Schedules patients promptly to comply with Advanced Clinical access performance levels. Completes daily, weekly, and monthly statistics as required by the service. Accurately documents for the medical record; an initial evaluation including short and long term goals; progress reports which include description of treatment provided and outcome in terms of function; discharge summary which includes summary of treatment, outcomes in terms of goals set, equipment provided and education given to patient and family. Assists in the development of new treatment programs, techniques, or refinements of current programs as directed by the Occupational Therapy Supervisor. Assists Clinical Site Manager/OT supervisor in updating and maintaining Occupational Therapy policies and procedures. Participates in multidisciplinary meetings including chart rounds, family conferences, discharge planning, as directed. Designs and/or participates in quality assurance activities as directed and has a working knowledge of departmental performance improvement projects. Participates in Joint Commission activities to ensure compliance and accreditation. Education: May supervise occupational therapy students. Provides supervision in the area of patient evaluation, treatment planning, treatment implementation and oral and written reporting. Promotes student's professional growth and creative thinking. Rates and mentors student using the Fieldwork Evaluation Form (provided by AOTA). Receives guidance from the OT supervisor as needed. Assists in the orientation of physicians, medical resident, and other allied health personnel to the Occupational Therapy program. Works with other providers and/or ward staff in teaching positioning, application of orthoses and slings, and proper use of self-help devices. Instructs patient and family members in the proper and safe use of adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment and prepares timely prosthetics requests. Attends continuing education courses for occupational therapists and related health care personnel to increase knowledge and skill, learn new treatment techniques, and explore new theories. Shares that knowledge with the OT staff. Plans and implements patient education programs and adjusts teaching method to match the patient and/or family's learning style and cognitive level. Attends and maintains mandatory training classes and incorporates principles learned to correct deficiencies and maintain safety. Serves as mentor to new occupational therapy staff, if necessary. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this] qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation. Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. OTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Grade Determinations Occupational Therapist, GS-9 Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Occupational Therapist, 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. 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. Occupational Therapist, 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. 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: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-12. 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 to move objects. Occupational Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with activities such as: Operating all aspects of a computer O-keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons. Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment of patient teaching. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as a screwdriver or pliers. Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of scissors, cutting tools, and ability to mold plastic, foam or plaster. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.