Occupational Therapist

Full Job Description

This Occupational Therapist position is in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation services at the VA Boston Healthcare Systems located at the Brockton, MA location.

This position is a full-time at (40) hours per week.

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/Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) 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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements education if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license.

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).

Grade Determination Occupational Therapist, GS-09 Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Occupational Therapist, GS-11 Education, Experience, or Licensure.

(a) Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled; or (b) Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field; or (c) 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: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.

(b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.

(c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.

(d) Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.

(e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.

(f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.

(g) 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.

Demonstrated KSAs.

In addition to the [experience above, the candidate] must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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.

(b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.

(c) 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.

(d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).

(e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

Preferred Experience: Experience in treating adult/older adult patients in acute care, not limited to ICU, orthopedics, acute rehab and acute spinal cord injury.

Experience in the outpatient clinical setting is preferred. Experience traveling between multiple campus locations to support staffing needs in a float capacity is preferred.

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-9 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The work requires possible stooping, bending, walking, handling of wheelchairs and lifting in conjunction with treatment of patients.

At times, there may be undue heaving lifting due to unforeseen circumstances such as preventing a patient from falling. Dexterity and skills in safe machinery techniques are required. Major Duties:

The VA Boston Healthcare System is seeking a full time Occupational Therapist for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service. This is a temporary position not to exceed two-years.

Candidates must hold a current registration with NBCOT and a current state license.

This position to be housed out of the Brockton campus but will be required and expected to travel where staffing is needed at any of the three campuses needed within VA Boston Healthcare System (West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Brockton and Plymouth CBOC).

The Occupational Therapist reports to the Occupational Therapy Supervisor and PMR Service Line Manager and functions independently in managing an assigned caseload across inpatient, outpatient, acute care, mental health, spinal cord injury, and Community Living Center settings.

The incumbent provides care to adult and geriatric populations with a wide range of medical conditions, requiring flexibility across multiple clinical environments.

The duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct comprehensive patient evaluations using standardized assessments tools.

Develop, implement, and modify individualized occupational therapy treatment plans. Identify contraindications and ensure appropriateness of treatment in coordination with the referring provider.

Document patient progress, treatment plans, and outcomes accurately and in accordance with policy.

Maintain effective communication with interdisciplinary staff, patients, and caregivers while managing a productive caseload. Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Weekend Rotation/Holidays. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 523-F04425 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions. by VA.

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). NOTIFICATION: This position is in the Excepted Service.

The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position.

Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action).

The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.