Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists help people with mental, physical, or social disabilities to independently carry out everyday tasks or occupations. They work with children and adults of all ages, whose difficulties may have been present since birth, or the result of an accident, illness, aging or lifestyle.

Essential Functions

Essential functions are duties, which are essential or primary to the position or the reason the position exists. An individual must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Conduct assessments/evaluations to determine needs for individual treatment programs to help people carry out their daily tasks and to do so with more confidence and independence.
• Implement point of contact through direct treatment to suggest changes to the person's environment, whether that be at home, work, or school, and may introduce the use of equipment which will help with some activities.
• Review the treatments periodically, evaluate progress and make changes to the treatment as needed.

Secondary Functions

Secondary functions are duties, which are not exclusive of the position, that can be performed by other positions; however, secondary duties are to be performed for the efficiency of Compass Community Health.

• Coach people with learning difficulties or poor social skills, e.g., in handling money and social interaction.
• Develop a rehabilitation program to help re-build lost skills and restore lost confidence.
• Advise on home and workplace environmental alterations, such as adjustments for overcome sensory challenges and improve self-care, play and self-regulation skills.
• Assist people to return to work.
• Mentor people on how to control their own behavior with coping strategies and techniques.
• Liaise with a wide variety of other professionals, such as doctors, physiotherapists, social workers, equipment suppliers and architects, as well as patients' families, careers, and employers.
• Write reports and attend multidisciplinary case meetings to plan and review ongoing treatment.
• Organize support and rehabilitation groups for careers and clients.
• Train students and supervise the work of occupational therapy assistants.
• Manage a caseload, prioritizing needs, and completing administrative tasks such as patient and budgetary records.
• Participates in Patient Centered Medical Home team meetings and quality improvement activities.
• Develop and sustain positive working relationships with patients, families, and providers.
• Participates in data collection, review of respective outcomes reporting, as well as programmatic clinical audits and evaluation related to Patient Centered Medical Home initiatives and other quality programs as appropriate.

Competencies

• Follow a research protocol and related documentation with care and accuracy.
• Maintain confidentiality while collecting data and during the entire research process.

Minimum Qualifications Including Training and Experience

• Must meet Ohio State licensure requirements for practicing in related field(s).
• Must maintain all applicable agency trainings.
• 2 years of experience with treating pediatric populations preferred.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate effectively; use hands and fingers to handle or operate tools, equipment, or controls; and to reach, bend, and lift as necessary. The employee may be required to stand or sit for extended periods and occasionally move or lift up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.