Occupational Therapist II

Occupational Therapist

Under general supervision and using clinical expertise, evaluates the occupational therapy needs of inpatients and outpatients in a hospital or California Children's Services (CCS) setting. Develops, implements, and documents treatment plans and goals designed to meet patient needs and acts as a clinical resource specialist to other therapists.

The Power of WE: Together, we can make a greater impact. Bringing better care and expanding healthcare services across the community.

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) is the second largest public health care system in California and includes four acute care hospitals, 14 clinics and 60+ specialty and sub-specialty services. Our mission is to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare and excellent service to everyone in Santa Clara County.

Because we serve patients throughout multiple hospitals and clinics, you may have to work at different sites. We will meet any obligations we may have when this occurs.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center - SCVMC is a full-service tertiary acute care teaching hospital with 699 licensed beds providing a wide range of specialized services, including Rehabilitation, Burn, Trauma, and NICU. SCVMC was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #6 Rehabilitation Hospital in the nation and #1 in the West and designated as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hip Fracture, and Pneumonia.

O'Connor Hospital - O'Connor Hospital (OCH) is a 358 licensed bed acute care facility offering a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and specialty programs to residents of Santa Clara County. It was founded in 1889 as one of the first hospitals in the county. OCH has grown significantly over the past five years in both its inpatient volume and its Emergency Department visits. Along with these volume increases other ancillary and clinical departments like imaging, lab, pharmacy, and respiratory have seen growth as well.

St. Louise Regional Hospital - Since 1989, St. Louise Regional Hospital (SLRH) has been caring for the residents in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient medical specialties. SLRH has 93 beds, is a Designated Primary Stroke Center, and is the only acute care hospital in the area. Located in Gilroy, SLRH maintains a CALSTAR 2 emergency helicopter base on the premises.

Regional Medical Center Regional Medical Center (RMC) is a 258-bed hospital that is the main emergency healthcare provider for East San Jos, treating a wide range of critical and life-threatening conditions for more than 60 years. Since the SCVH integration of RMC effective 4/1/25, RMC has expanded the critical services including Level II trauma, Thrombectomy capable Stroke Center and STEMI care, and has been seeing an increased number of emergency visits and inpatient volume.

Typical Tasks

Patient Care

• Evaluates patients, including occupational history and experiences, patterns of daily living, interests, values and needs; identifies patient's problems and concerns about performing daily life activities and other areas of occupation;
• Observes actual performance of activities and tasks to identify specifically what supports or hinders performance including motor skills (e.g., mobility, posture, coordination, strength) and process skills (e.g. attention, pace, organization, sequencing);
• Integrates patient's needs, problems and concerns with an analysis of patient performance, specifically focusing on issues that support or hinder performance;
• Analyzes findings to determine therapy diagnosis and prognosis and designs and designs a program to maximize outcomes and alleviate impairment and functional limitations; identifies the frequency and duration required to meet goals;
• Using advanced skills in clinical reasoning and problem-solving, performs complex patient care in the areas of physical function, self-care (e.g. dressing, hygiene, eating), functional mobility (e.g., bed and wheelchair mobility, transfers), homemaking, and community re-integration;
• Uses treatment skills and modalities, including: perceptual motor skills, cognitive skills and sensory integration;
• Evaluates the need for, recommends, and trains in use of complex durable medical equipment, orthotics, prosthetics, and adaptive devices;
• Fabricates orthotic and adaptive devices;
• Charges for patient care and prepares medical record documentation in compliance with professional and regulatory guidelines;
• Provides patient and family/caregiver education and training;
• Conducts home, school and worksite evaluations and makes recommendations;
• Coordinates with other disciplines on patient's progress and discharge planning;
• Manages assigned caseload of patients, which includes scheduling and prioritizing patient care, and being responsible for patient care delegated to therapy assistants and therapy technicians;
• Makes recommendations, including home programs and referrals to others as needed;
• Reports at interdisciplinary conferences and rounds;
• Serves as a consultant in an area of clinical specialty to staff therapists;
• May act as a clinical liaison in specialty clinics.

Clinical Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises O T Assistants, interns, Therapy Technicians, students and volunteers as assigned and conducts performance evaluations for same;
• Supervises patient care delegated to OTA and other technical staff as assigned;
• Provides clinical guidance to other Occupational Therapists in areas of expertise;
• Assists Occupational Therapist III with training of staff therapists, assistants (PT and OT) and students;
• Leads other therapists working on special projects or who are assigned to satellite facilities;
• Provides orientation and training of new service personnel.

Administrative Tasks

• Prioritizes and schedules patient treatment as assigned;
• Assumes selected responsibilities of other staff during temporary absences;
• Assists in the day to day operations of assigned service;
• Assists with development and implementation of service policies, procedures, goals and objectives.

Professional Development

• Participates in internal and external professional and educational activities to enhance personal and professional growth;
• Participates in research as appropriate;
• Assists with program development as assigned;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
• Other related duties as assigned.

Employment Standards

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities: Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are acquired through two (2) years of experience in occupational therapy in two (2) or more specialty areas relevant to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and/or in pediatric therapy. Special Requirements A valid license, or eligibility for licensing, according to the California Occupational Therapy Practice Act, to practice as an Occupational Therapist in the State of California. Knowledge of:

• Principles, methods and theory of the practice of Occupational Therapy;
• Pathologies and injuries that result in physical impairment;
• Principles of psychology and abnormal psychology;
• Evaluation and treatment methodologies as applied to complex patients;
• Basic understanding of the business aspects of therapy services, such as utilization management, charging practices and regulatory compliance;
• Basic principles of clinical supervision and clinical instruction.

Ability to:

• Develop, implement and adapt treatment programs;
• Lead other therapists and aides;
• Apply advanced clinical skills in treating difficult and complex cases;
• Evaluate patients and interpret clinical data and make clinical judgments;
• Communicate effectively with patients, staff, and other health professionals;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with others;
• Clinically supervise, train and evaluate staff;
• Instruct and provide consultation to therapists and other team members in designated clinical specialty;
• Write clearly and concisely;
• Efficiently manage time and priorities;
• Demonstrate appropriate patient handling skills (assist, support, lift and transfer patients);
• Reach, grasp, manipulate and carry a variety of objects.