Career Center

Summary

This position is in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) - Boise VA Medical Center - Boise - ID. The Inpatient (IP) Occupational Therapist (OT) provides rehabilitative services to persons with physical - cognitive - psychosocial - and behavioral impairments. This full-performance-level OT independently evaluates - treats - develops plans of care - and manages patients utilizing current professional knowledge - critical analysis - clinical reasoning - and creativity.

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a))
• Education and/or Experience
• (1) 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
• 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
• 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
• 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).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: (1) 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
• (2) 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
• (3) 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
• (4) 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
• (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
• 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.

Duties

• Duties: Independently performs evaluations of patients' functional abilities by administering a variety of contemporary standardized and non-standardized tests to determine Occupational Therapy needs
• Primary evaluation instruments and/or procedures include - but are not limited to cognitive assessments - strength and motion measurements - activities of daily living evaluations - observation - interview and review of medical histories
• Modifies evaluation tools as necessary based on specific patient characteristics
• Interprets evaluation findings to develop an effective and individualized care plan that is appropriate and indicated for the impairments being treated
• Collaborates with the patient - caregiver - family members - and interdisciplinary professionals to develop the care plan - including short- and long-term goals
• Develops functional goals that are objective - measurable - and achievable within realistic time frames
• Recognizes contraindications - precautions - and appropriateness of treatment prescribed by referring provider
• Identifies the need for and ensures collaboration among other healthcare professionals across the continuum of care
• Effectively collaborates with patients - family members - caregivers - and other professionals utilizing verbal - nonverbal - and written communication
• Develops and carries out a full range of Occupational Therapy treatments using a wide variety of evidence-based treatment techniques and modalities
• These treatments may include but are not limited to strengthening and range of motion exercises
• self-care training
• application of adaptive equipment and splints
• patient and family education regarding disability
• cognitive re-training and wheelchair mobility
• Procures - fabricates - adjusts - adapts - and modifies orthoses - splints - adaptive equipment - and home safety equipment in accordance with the treatment plan
• Trains the patient and/or caregiver in use and care of the device
• Observes the patient as he uses the device to ensure proper use
• Monitors response to interventions and uses advanced professional judgement to modify treatment plans based on changing medical conditions or as necessitated by patient complexity
• Utilizes population-specific (including age - gender - and period of military service) competencies to deliver individualized care
• Conducts assessments and patient care by considering how individual patient characteristics affect the patient's ability to understand instructions - provide effective self-assessment - and participate safely and effectively in the treatment program
• Thoroughly documents patient status and progress - therapy plan and patient response to treatment using both verbal and written means of communication
• Documents in the medical record the initial evaluation - treatment plan - progress notes - and discharge notes in a manner that meets professional - facility - and Joint Commission standards
• Actively participates in department and program meetings and makes alternate arrangements when unable to attend
• Participates in care planning and discharge meetings
• Performs this duty by attending meeting - reporting on the patient's status - and contributing to treatment planning
• Collects and reports functional outcomes
• Performs this duty by administering the appropriate functional scale at admission - discharge - and necessary intervals
• Document the score obtained from the functional scale in necessary documentation
• Submits the score for entry into the database
• Takes responsibility for remaining current of departmental initiatives and functions
• Performs this by reading (and responding as directed) to interdepartmental and intradepartmental communications
• Participates in studies of patient access - clinic utilization - performance monitors as directed
• Works to improve these areas as directed
• Serves within candidate pool to participate in clinical education
• If selected as a Clinical Instructor - completes all intake and exit procedures as outlined by Education Service and the PM&RS Coordinator for Clinical Education
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 0730-1600 Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60755-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized