General Description of Assigned Duties: This person is assigned to the Occupational Therapy section of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS). The duties assigned to this occupational therapist will include provision of care to the Veteran population enrolled at the Durham VA Healthcare System across the continuum of care including outpatient, inpatient and home-based program settings.
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 (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.(2) 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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-09 Education, Experience: (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. GS-11 Education, Experience: (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. GS-12 Education, Experience: 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. References: VA Handbook 5005-Part II, Appendix G70. Preferred Experience: Masters Degree in OT with 2 years adult outpatient and virtual care experience or Doctorate Degree in OT with one year experience in adult outpatient and virtual care experience is preferred. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.
Duties include but are not limited to: Screening / Evaluation & Re-evaluation: The Occupational Therapist is responsible for: - Screening/triaging of OT consults as needed. - Accepting and responding to OT consults in compliance with PM&RS and assigned program policies. - Evaluating the Veteran's functional, physical, and / or psycho-social abilities while considering the patient's capacities, the activities, and the environments in which these activities occur. - Evaluating the home environment regarding safety and accessibility issues as indicated by the plan of care. - Involving the Veteran and their caregivers in the evaluation process using a patient-centered approach. - Delegating specific aspects of the screening, evaluation, or re-evaluation process (using specific assessment tools, instruments or observation) to an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) who has documented competencies in performing those duties. The OT is responsible for interpreting the information provided by the OTA and integrating that information into the evaluation decision-making process. - Following defined protocols when standardized assessments are used. - Recommending/entering additional consultations (i.e., to Physical or Recreational Therapy or prosthetic services) when the needs of the Veteran can best be served by the expertise of other professionals or services. - Evaluating medical needs for orthotic, prosthetic or other adaptive equipment in accordance with medical center policies and educating the patient & family about safe & correct use. - Responding to inappropriate referrals in writing or verbally with written documentation of such. - Obtaining clarification for incomplete or unclear orders from the referring provider. - The OT may perform home or other off-site environmental assessments when appropriately justified and when training and competency in medical center policies governing home/off-site visits has been completed.??????? Treatment: The OT is responsible for: - Reviewing pertinent patient data using the medical record and, as needed, remote data (e.g. VistaWeb, JLV and VHIE). - Developing, implementing, and communicating the occupational therapy intervention plan based on the evaluation, patient goals, current best evidence and clinical reasoning. - Identifying general contraindications to treatment. - Applying appropriate occupational therapy treatment theories using activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of reference and therapeutic procedures - Scheduling and coordinating treatment with other VA services. Treatment may take place within the home setting or Durham VA Medical Center and may be in-person or virtual, while maintaining privacy and confidentiality as appropriate. - Providing occupational therapy treatment and caregiver training and education within the appropriate setting as indicated by the plan of care. - Communicating the treatment plan and coordinating care with the OTA as appropriate. - Functioning autonomously in carrying out patient education, specialized treatments, and applying occupational therapy procedures for which competency has been established and in accordance with laws or regulations and AOTA documents. - Modifying the treatment plan, therapeutic activities and interventions based on the changing needs, goals, and performance of the patient. Documentation: The OT is responsible for: - Accurately documenting OT services in the medical record within the timeframes, formats and standards established by the PM&RS, the assigned home-based program, and the Durham VA Healthcare System. - Entering consults within the PM&RS Service (i.e., to Physical or Recreational Therapy) or to the Prosthetics service for rehabilitation equipment in accordance with competencies, PM&RS and Durham VAHCS policies. - Reviewing and co-signing notes written by the OTA to whom the OT has delegated patient care. Performs all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM Telework: Ad Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Title/Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required