The incumbent is responsible for the supervision and administrative management of the Occupational Therapy (OT) department within Rehabilitation Care Services (RCS) at the American Lake (ALVA) Division.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education [and/or Experience.] Copy of transcripts with confer date required. 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 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. Copy of certification required. 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. Copy of current licensure required. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing, must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. 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: Supervisory Occupational Therapist, GS-13: 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. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality performance, and productivity within the service. Skill in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers to include conflict resolution. Ability to utilize evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in a professional area and to guide the staff in applying these tools. Preferred Experience: 4 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist with significant exposure to a variety of populations and settings, with demonstrated leadership qualities, program development, interpersonal & communication skills, team collaboration, conflict resolution skills, and empathy and emotional intelligence. 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: moderate lifting (15-44 lbs), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking (0-2 hrs), standing (0-2 hrs), crawling (1 hr), kneeling (1 hr), repeated bending (1 hr), near and far vision correctable, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, mental and emotional stability, exposure to outside and inside environment, working closely with others, and working alone.
The incumbent assists in planning and directing the wide variety of special programs and services provided by the OT department at ALVA and supervises staff that includes GS-12/13 Clinical Specialists. Duties include: Clinical: Assesses needs, coordinates, reviews and evaluates the delivery of occupational therapy care in outpatient services and the CLC. Assigns therapists, assistants and volunteers to specific areas of patient care with in RCS as patient care needs warrant. Participates in the RCS Quality Improvement Projects. Monitors and evaluates therapists' evaluation, treatment and medical record documentation skills and PT costs and outcomes and ensures compliance with the Joint Commission and CARF guidelines. Monitors RCS OT staff compliance with BSI standards and safety regulations. Resolves problems that interfere with the delivery of occupational therapy to beneficiaries. Participates in the planning and coordination or RCS OT staff clinical research projects. Ensures that appropriate coverage is arranged for patient care responsibilities when staff is on leave. Provides direct patient care on a regularly scheduled basis throughout the work week. Education: Identifies continuing education needs of the RCS OT staff. Oversees the clinical education program provided to full-time OT and OTA staff. Works with the Student Coordinator in planning the education program and accepting students. Administers the OT continuing education funds in a systematic manner, which takes organizational, professional and individual needs into account. Facilitates OT continuing education courses offered at our facility by outside speakers. Educates stakeholders and referring providers about OT services. Administration: Develops and implements policies and procedures to address focused clinical needs and other overall services delivered and provided within the OT Department. Demonstrates knowledge of human resources administration by interviewing OT staff position candidates, selects qualified candidates, monitors and evaluates performance, and maintains effective labor management relations within scope of responsibility. Sets priorities, delegates tasks, and solves problems in order to meet multiple deadlines and identify /address organizational problems. Manages RCS section equipment's needs by ordering supplies, maintain the Section Equipment Inventory Listing (EIL), initiating request to obtain new equipment. Completes projects, assignments and the collection of statistical data as required. Communicate to RCS Leadership information about OT outcomes, changes and staffing issues. Maintains a close working relationship with OT sections in RCS and SCI, and with professional, technical and management units throughout the medical center. Participates in regular service meetings and OT committees or other meetings as appropriate. Completes a Scope of Practice on each OT within the section and keeps records current. Completes a competency program for each RCS OT in section. Assists other care lines in the development of OT competency programs. Serves as the Occupational Therapy content expert for the division; offering guidance and assistance to Human Resources Service as requested. Implements an effective Body Substance Isolation (BSI) program, trains employees in protective practice and establishes effective controls to prevent or minimize employee exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials. Staff Supervision: Provides supervision of key clinical and training programs, including the overall technical oversight of the occupational therapists whom he/she administratively supervises. Conducts regular RCS OT staff meetings and ensures that regular educational in-services occur Meets regularly with, and may delegate responsibilities to RCS OT staff leaders designated in the varied areas in which RCS OTs provide patient care. Develops performance standards and conducts performance appraisals for RCS OT staff across the patient care continuum at ALVA. Performs supervisory responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, assigning work to employees, monitoring workload and clinical volume, reviewing work of employees to assure accuracy and validity of submissions, assuring adequate clinic staffing, imposing disciplinary measures and monitoring clinical privileges. Provides overall clinical supervision that assures the proper coordination and delivery of care with the department and the facility at large Resolves problems and complaints from the RCS OT staff, referring any unresolved problems to the RCS Clinical Manager or Service Line Leader. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized