OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST II

Occupational Therapist II

Location: Stroger Hospital, Department: Rehabilitation Services, Shift: 8AM-4PM Salary is commensurate with years of experience indicated at time of application submittal. Experience not disclosed or documented at the time of application will not be considered for initial step placement.

Job Summary: Under direction, the Occupational Therapist II (OTII) is responsible for Occupational Therapy patient care delivery to the inpatient and outpatient caseloads in the adult and pediatric populations and will provide the following services: evaluation and screening of patients who have been referred for evaluation and treatment; plans, organizes specialized treatments, treatment of complex patients (patients may be medically unstable, multiple diagnoses and ICU) and supervision and training of staff and students as delegated. The OTII will have excellent written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills with patients; patient's care givers, other healthcare professionals, students, and other professional affiliates.

About the Position OT II Pediatrics This is a great opportunity for occupational therapists seeking to advance their career. This position will serve as a specialty area therapist, focusing on patient care delivery for pediatric services. Specific areas and settings include outpatient developmental pediatrics and inpatient acute care pediatrics in the NICU, PICU, and general medicine floors. This position also provides clinical care coverage for the adult population. Primarily assigned to our Central Campus, which is located in the heart of the Chicago Medical District, the OTII will also mentor and orient other therapists assigned to pediatric service areas. We are looking for a vibrant individual who is a confident clinician, is solution-focused, a flexible, quick-learner, who enjoys mentoring staff and working as a team. Apply to join a great team of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists who make up the Rehab Department at CCH.

About Cook County Health: One of the largest public health systems in the nation, Cook County Health (CCH) serves as the safety-net for health care in Chicago and suburban Cook County. CCH is comprised of two hospitals, a robust network of more than a dozen community health centers, the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, the Cook County Department of Public Health, Correctional Health Services, and CountyCare, a Medicaid managed care health plan. Through the health system and the health plan, CCH cares for more than 500,000 individuals each year, and its physicians and clinicians are experts in their fields, committed to providing their patients with comprehensive, compassionate, and cutting-edge care. CCH is currently a Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center. Today, CCH is transforming the provision of health care in Cook County by promoting community-based primary and preventive care, growing an innovative, collaborative health plan, enhancing the patient experience and the Rehabilitation Services department plays a vital part in this initiative.

Typical Duties:

• 100% patient care. Interpretation of referrals and provision of Occupational/Physical Therapy services according to state licensure.
• Communicates with management, physicians and other health team members and patient's caregivers concerning procedures or protocols within the scope of the service.as necessary.
• Performs screenings, specialized assessments and treatments on complex patients (unstable, multiple medical diagnoses, ICU's).
• Gathers, interprets and summarizes medical, evaluation and treatment information from a variety of sources into appropriate patient documentation according to department documentation policies.
• Makes developmental and/or age appropriate modifications in observation, evaluation and treatment methods/activities in order to evaluate/treat patients who may have difficult circumstances and multiple diagnoses.
• Orients, provides oversight, supervises and trains Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) and Occupational Therapist (OT) students.
• Utilizes appropriate handling, transferring positioning, body mechanics and treatment techniques while treating a wide variety of patients.
• Demonstrates excellent communication skills (verbal and non-verbal) when interacting with patients, caregivers and other health care professionals.
• Takes responsibility for workflow and assignments in various clinical areas providing coverage when other staff members are absent.
• May be given some extra responsibilities for the following areas: safety, quality improvement, infection control, orderliness, protocols, clinical equipment standards, and competencies.
• Accurately records and maintains records, statistics, and schedules
• Demonstrates effective use of functional activities during OT evaluation and treatment.
• Must be flexible and take initiative when dealing with unexpected occurrences such as staff absences and fluctuating workload.
• Able to represent the department on special assignments/tasks.
• Maintains an appropriate patient volume and productivity record.
• Demonstrates, problem solves, and consults on professional therapy skills with other staff giving rationale for these processes.
• Attends and contributes to interdisciplinary, hospital, and departmental meetings.
• Complies with all department, hospital, and regulatory agency policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Assists with durable medical equipment, performing stock, inventory, and ordering of supplies based on departmental and patient needs.
• Assists to maintain work area and facility tidy, organized, presentable and clean.
• Communicates with management regarding activities, progress, problems etc.
• Supports and participates in Department professional activities.
• Meets on a regular basis with supervisor and department administration.
• Organizes and plans activities of specialized unit. Prioritizes patients as necessary.
• Orients junior staff and students to the specialized unit. Instructs them in specialized techniques necessary to evaluate and treat patients covered in this service. Reviews competencies completed during rotation. Supervises and evaluates personnel and students rotating through this service. Encourages development of independent thinking and supervisory skills in junior staff.

Minimum Qualification:

• Current Illinois Occupational Therapist License required (MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)
• Two (2) years of post-graduate Occupational Therapy Clinical Experience required
• Completion of a Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate Degree in Occupational Therapy from an American accredited college or university or from a foreign Occupational Therapy Program recognized by the State of Illinois for OT License required (MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)
• Must be certified as an Occupational Therapist with the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) required (MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)
• Must have a current CPR certification required (MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)
• Basic computer and keyboarding skills required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior inpatient experience
• Prior neurology experience
• Prior burn experience
• Prior pediatrics experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics:

• Knowledge of current principles and practice of occupational therapy
• Possesses the knowledge of and recognizes the unique behaviors and needs of a variety of patient age groups (Neonate/Infant, Child, Adolescent, Adult, Geriatric)
• Ability to prepare precise technical records and reports
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of individuals
• Ability to physically assist with lifting and moving (i.e., transfers, gait training, bed mobility) persons of widely varying sizes and abilities repeatedly throughout the day
• Ability to work with patients with cognitive and behavioral disorders
• Ability to integrate knowledge into evaluation, care planning and treatment that incorporates age-appropriate responses to the physical and psychosocial needs of each patient
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of patient related materials in compliance with HIPAA requirements

Physical and Environmental Demands:

This position is functioning within a healthcare environment. The incumbent is responsible for adherence to all hospital and department specific safety requirements. This includes but is not limited to the following policies and procedures: complying with Personal Protective Equipment requirements, hand washing and sanitizing practices, complying with department specific engineering and work practice controls and any other work area safety precautions as specified by hospital wide policy and departmental procedures.

Veteran Preference:

When applying for employment with the Cook County Health & Hospitals System, preference is given to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for not less than 6 months of continuous service. To take advantage of this preference a Veteran must : Meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Identify self as a Veteran on the employment application by answering yes to the question by answering yes to the question, "Are you a Military Veteran?" Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215 or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation at time of application filing. Please note: If you have multiple DD214s, 215s, or NGB 22S, Please submit the one with the latest date. Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (Before