Occupational Therapist

Summary

This assignment carries responsibility for providing occupational therapy evaluation and treatment to veteran patients according to the North Florida/South Georgia VAMC mission and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation guidelines. The therapist will provide coverage of the services provided by Occupational Therapy in the Acute Care, Outpatient and Extended Care Settings as needed.

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Duties

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• Evaluates the veterans Occupational Profile providing an understanding of the client occupational history, experiences, patterns of daily living, interests, values, and needs, and communication/interaction skills. The veteran's problems and concerns about performing motor and process skills occupations and daily life activities are identified and priorities are determined. Targeted outcomes are also identified. Initial OT evaluation will follow established guidelines.
• Develops an intervention plan based on evaluation findings, OT theory and evidence-based practice. This plan is to be developed in collaboration with the veteran and care partners as appropriate. The plan will consider potential discharge needs. The plan will include objective and measurable goals with an established timeframe
• Demonstrates knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge to provide clinical guidance in their area of expertise to other therapists within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services (PM&RS).
• Offers treatment interventions tailored to the client's abilities/needs and design to promote, modify, maintain, or restore occupational performance.
• Documents the veteran's response to treatment, therapists' interventions and the progress toward reaching the desired targeted outcomes as per VA regulations and section guidelines.
• Reevaluates the plan; modify the plan as needed to achieve targeted outcomes.
• Determines the need for continuation, discontinuation ore referral.
• Oversees treatment provided by staff occupational therapy assistants (COTA) if one exists.
• Develops and coordinate educational materials for the caregiver of the disabled veteran to prevent premature institutionalization and promote safety in the home environment.
• Monitors currently used assessments/treatment methods and revise as necessary to reflect current methodology and Joint Commission, AOTA, State licensure, CMS, and other bodies' standards.
• Demonstrates ability to facilitate safe patient assisted transfers to and from chair, bed, toilet, and car.
• Demonstrates physical ability to facilitate patient neuro-motor function using hands-on techniques.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday 8:00am -4:30pm

Telework : Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship:
• Education and/or Experience.(1) 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; or (c) 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).

Grandfathering Provision . All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration [that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation. Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

(1) They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

(2) If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee 5 will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

(3) OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

(4) OTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Grade Determinations :

GS-9

(1) Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-11

(1) Education, Experience, or Licensure.

(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.

(2) 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

(1) Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

(2) 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.

Physical Requirements: Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according to the Department of Labor. Medium Work entails: exerting 20 - 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting of to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.) Examples of the medium strength required by occupational therapists are as follows:

a. Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day.

b. Sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp and place papers, charts and binders.

c. Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling: 1 - 10 pounds constantly, 10 - 25 frequently, and 20 - 50 pounds occasionally. Specific examples include:

i. Picking up, carrying, and placing folders, charts, books, and binders.

ii. Setting up equipment for patients such as weights or durable medical equipment.

iii. Lifting and carrying adaptive equipment ranging in weight from negligible to 50 pounds.

iv. Pushing and rolling equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, and supply carts.

v. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation and transfers, from minimal assistance to dependent transfers, which may be up to 50 pounds.

vi. Performing passive range of motion exercises that require the movement of patients' extremities in all planes of motion.

2. Occupational Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with examples as follows:

a. Operating all aspects of a computer - keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons.

b. Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment for patient teaching.

c. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdrivers and pliers.

d. Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of exacto knife, scissors, and ability to mold plastic, foam, or plaster.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS 9 to GS 12 .

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.