Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

General description of assigned duties includes but is not limited to:

GS-09: This level is considered entry-level with a basic foundation of OT and generally practices independently. The OT may have guidance from more experienced therapists as needed while expanding the ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions.

GS-11: This level is considered developmental and practices independently and professionally. The OT may have guidance from more experienced therapists for treatment of patients with higher complexity conditions as needed.

GS-12: This level is considered a full-performance clinician who practices independently to provide comprehensive Occupational Therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity. The OT plans, implements, and coordinates comprehensive Occupational Therapy services for adult and geriatric veterans who have complex medical, neurological, orthopedic, and psychological disorders.

Functions or scopes of practice below are at the full-performance GS-12 level:

• Clinical:
  • Applies more advanced and current knowledge of OT principles and techniques, grounded in OT theory and evidence-based practice for a wide range of complex conditions.
  • Evaluates patients' Occupational Profile, abilities, and functional limitations using standardized tools; develops individualized treatment plans based on evaluation findings, OT theory, and evidence-based practice; and administers appropriate Occupational Therapy programs for patients with varying degrees of complexity.
  • Demonstrates a full professional understanding of OT treatment theories and their appropriate application using activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frames of reference, and therapeutic procedures.
  • Modifies and progresses interventions in response to subtle changes in patient status, comorbidities, and psychosocial factors.
  • Documents initial plan, interim progress, and final summaries in patient's electronic record in a timely manner. Re-evaluates and modifies the treatment plan as needed to achieve targeted outcomes.
  • Frequently responsible for triaging or screening consults, determining appropriateness and priority of OT referral for complex presentations, and coordinating care across services.
• Educational:
  • Trains Occupational Therapy trainees independently. Assists in development and upgrading of training program content.
  • Independently plans and tailors education to veteran and family needs.
  • Provides structured teaching to students and team members on OT topics and training.
  • Provides education and training to family members and caregivers regarding the patient's functional status, performance of ADLs, and operation and maintenance of equipment.
• Administrative:
  • Maintains patient attendance records and other statistics required by department. Completes and maintains record keeping in accordance with PM&R, VAPAHCS, VACO and VHA policies, procedures and guidelines regarding timeliness. Completes and submits reports as requested.
  • Shares responsibility for clinical environment and maintenance. Writes work orders as necessary to maintain environment of care. Submits requests for clinical supplies and materials and ensures proper supply levels are maintained for patient treatment. Makes suggestions for major equipment purchases for the department.
  • Develops forms for treatment guidelines, data collection, or patient education.
  • Schedules/organizes patient visits to ensure adequate time for treatment, taking into consideration priority and frequency of care and coordinating with other members of the health care team.
  • Complies with OT stocked prosthetics and logistics equipment process and maintains inventory levels accordingly.
• Physical Requirements:
  • This work involves standing and walking for about 50% of a normal workday. In addition, the Occupational Therapist must be able to squat, kneel, push, pull, and lift loads from the ground and from above shoulder height. The physical demand level as defined by the Department of Labor is "medium," requiring the occasional lifting of 20-50lbs, the frequent lifting of 10- 25 lbs, and the constant lifting of 10lbs during the normal workday. Occupational Therapy requires manual dexterity and coordination to use computers and computer programs, administer physical agent modalities (if appropriate), fabricate/modify splints, and to demonstrate the use of mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers. Additionally, the Occupational Therapist must be able to modify such equipment using tools (i.e., scissors, exacto knives, wrenches and/or screwdrivers).
• Other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or as determined by the supervisor.

Compressed/Flexible: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: GS-09 10776-F, GS-11 10777-F, GS-12 10778-F