Summary

The Occupational Therapist (Upper Extremity Hand Specialist) is assigned to the Physical Therapy Department within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the North Battlefield VA Outpatient Clinic within the Hampton VA Healthcare System, which is a Complexity Level 1C facility.

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English
• 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
• Foreign Graduates
• Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix
• 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
• 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)
• GS-13 Occupational Therapist (Upper Extremity Hand Specialist), Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• Experience Requirement: Completion of one (1) year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled AND, One of the following: A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area
• This time must be within the past five years
• Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA
• Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area
• OR An additional advanced degree in a related field
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice
• Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners
• Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization
• Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice
• Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization
• Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization
• 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-13
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting 50 pounds and over
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• reaching above shoulder
• walking (8 hours)
• standing (8 hours)
• both legs required (1 prosthetic)
• far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in other
• ability to distinguish basic colors
• ability to distinguish shades of colors
• hearing (aid permitted)
• mental and emotional stability.

Duties

• The Occupational Therapist (Upper Extremity Hand Specialist) assigned responsibility is serving as the subject matter expert in upper extremity specialty area and as a consultant to occupational therapy practice that are beyond the general practice of occupational therapy
• The Occupational Therapist must demonstrate skills and techniques for a specific patient population who have varying degrees of highly complex occupational upper extremity physical dysfunction
• This individual provides professional oversight and consultation for staff therapists and monitors and evaluates clinically appropriate treatment programs with great autonomy
• The specific specialty is Hand Therapy
• The therapist is a certified hand therapist or has at least 2000 hours in the treatment of upper extremity impairments in the last 5 years or has a certification as recognized by AOTA or competed as a residency or fellowship in the practice area
• Duties Include, but not limited to: Develops and implements the occupational therapy program for patients with a variety of hand injuries, upper limb trauma, inflammation, repetitive motion disorders and reconstructive procedures
• Plans, integrates, and coordinates comprehensive occupational therapy services for acute area and outpatient OT programs
• Position requires advanced skill in providing occupational therapy services for clients within wide range of disabilities
• Consults with clients and their families through client/family education, training and advising them in the nature of their disability or disease, in home programs, post hospital adjustment and community resources
• Participates in inter-disciplinary meetings to discuss and report on assigned patients and recommends patients in need of occupational therapy services
• Able to participate as an active member of the multi-disciplinary outpatient polytrauma and pain teams, as well as, provide cross coverage to all other aspects of the OT department
• Works independently in a direct access environment managing both clinical and administrative aspects of care
• Exercises judgment in dealing with daily problems, coordinates with other disciplines concerning total patient care plan
• When indicated, evaluates patient's home environment through home visits or consultation with other health care professionals, patient and significant others, and assists patient in solving problems associated with that environment
• Fabricates adaptive and orthotic devices that are not commercially available and must be developed or modified to meet needs of individual clients
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.