Summary

The Occupational Therapist Clinical Specialist (OT/CS) in this position provides direct patient care and therapy services on an independent basis across the continuum of care to veterans at the VANTXHCS Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service. He/she is expected to carry out general duty assignments but primarily serves as subject matter expert in the content specialty area of Driver Training. The incumbent adheres to established policies - standards of care and standards of practice.

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
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met: GS-13 Occupational Therapist - Clinical Specialist Education - Experience - and Licensure
• Completion of one 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 Demonstrated KSAs
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of 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
• Preferred Experience: Possess current Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) from ADED
• 5 years continuous Driver training experience 3 years of CARF and JACHO accreditation knowledge - experience - and participation
• Experience in designing specific driving routes - for the on-the-road phase of instruction - to conform to a lesson plan in an effort to ensure the safest and most effective means of teaching a specific driving task
• Demonstrates the ability to identify and resolve interpersonal or professional conflicts when dealing with patients and members of the organization
• Experience in selecting appropriate vehicle and add-on adaptive equipment best suited to the needs of the individual patient
• .References: VA Handbook 5005/127 - Part II - Appendix G14
• Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard - VHA - 12/13/2019
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
• Physical Requirements: Should have the ability to perform repetitive physical activities: Up to 4-6 hours of the following: sitting - walking - standing - twisting - bending - stooping - reaching - reaching overhead - grasping and pinching with hands and fine manipulation - such as typing/keyboarding
• Up to 1-2 hours of the following: straight pulling - puling hand over hand - pushing - climbing and kneeling
• Required lifting light to moderate (up to 44 pounds) and carrying light to moderate (up to 44 pounds)
• Required functional hearing with/without hearing aids - near vision correctable at 13-16" - Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other - the ability to use both eyes - depth perception - ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors
• Use of fingers - both hands and use of both legs
• Sitting is required for meetings - administrative work and occasionally driving motor vehicle most of the day
• The ability to drive is required
• The position demands significant physical stress and strain such as transferring patients - crouching and crawling on mats - and occasionally defending self against combative patients assigned to the incumbent
• Work may require good physical health - normal use of arms and legs and good visual and auditory acuity - to evaluate and treat patients - and to use computer - keyboard - monitor - phone - etc
• Work is performed in the clinics - wards - exercise areas - office and conference rooms - occasionally in the home
• May be exposed to infectious diseases - medical and psychiatric emergencies Frequent /Occasional Travel The position may require occasional travel away from the duty station to visit Veterans' home - for meetings - conferences and/or training and other PM&RS locations within VANTHCS
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a VHA issued Driver License to operate a government vehicle
• This travel may require the transportation of Protected Health Information
• Work is mainly Monday through Friday with rotations for weekends and holidays for patient care coverage - as indicated.

Duties

• The occupational therapist in this position has responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in a content specialty area of driver training and as a consultant to occupational therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in this specialty area
• This individual must demonstrate advance skills/competency and techniques in care of driver training patient population who have varying degrees of highly complex physical - functional and/or mental problems
• This includes but is not limited to skills to perform and interpret specialized evaluative/assessment procedures and tests in the areas of driver training - one or more medical (physical and/or mental) impairments - severe spinal cord injury with high lesions - single or multiple amputations - stroke - traumatic brain injury (TBI) - Psychiatric disorders - cognition (Dementia/Alzheimer's) - nutrition - comorbidities - psychological status - and social support
• Duties include but not limited to: Conducts advanced comprehensive patient examinations to identify rehabilitation problems - establish treatment goals and develop the plan of care
• Guided by differential diagnosis (screen for systemic diseases and medical conditions that can mimic neuromuscular and musculoskeletal problems) and movement diagnosis (examine and evaluate the movement system -including diagnosis and prognosis- to provide a customized and integrated plan of care to achieve the Driver Training patient individual's goal-directed outcomes)
• performs complex and advance examinations and evaluations of Driver Training individuals who have or may develop impairments - activity limitations - and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal - neuromuscular - cardiovascular - pulmonary - and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors Assesses and monitors patient's response to treatment and progress towards established goals
• modifies treatment plans and identifies therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs - goals - and performance of patients
• He/she exercises expert professional judgment to establish appropriate discharge planning recommendations to ensure safe discharge from inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs (need for continuing treatment and/or discontinue treatment when the veteran reaches maximum rehabilitation potential)
• Designs and provides primary - secondary - or tertiary prevention programs - such as safety and fall prevention programs - to facilitate patient's optimal engagement in functional movement - activities performance and /or lifestyle
• Takes in consideration principles of optimal aging across physiological systems (musculoskeletal - neuromotor - Driver Training and integumentary)
• Identifies clinical situations where standard treatment recommendations - based on best evidence - should be modified with regard to Driver Training patient's preferences & treatment/care goals - life expectancy - co-morbid conditions - and/or functional status
• Assist to receive and triage patient referrals/consults - patient self-referrals - from appropriate source and schedules patients for evaluation and treatment in a timely fashion
• Schedules patients for treatment - considering priority and frequency of care and coordinating schedules with other members of the treatment team
• Flexibility of schedule must be maintained to allow for unscheduled patients and for family conferences
• Assists with coverage to other PM&R clinics as needed
• Instructs the patient to assume the optimum position for driving
• This must be inclusive of transferring to and from the training vehicle - storage of wheelchair or ambulatory aid - body positioning for best balance - and ease of operation and security to the vehicle by means of appropriate restraining devices
• Utilization of the training vehicle must incorporate the teaching of the patient in the use of wheelchair lift systems - wheelchair tie down systems - high-tech steering - braking - acceleration - and other operational systems inherent in this type of vehicle
• Providing the patient with Certificate of Training - upon successful completion of the in-vehicle instructions - and escorting the patient - to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to be examined for licensing - as appropriate Work is performed in clinic - wards - occasionally in the home - exercise areas - office and conference rooms
• Participates in monitoring outcomes - strategic planning and implementing strategies for program improvement particularly in assigned Driver Training specialty area
• Other duties as needed
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm - Rotates to cover weekends and holidays as needed for patient care
• Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized