Certified Hand Therapist - Occupational Therapist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary:  

As an Occupational Therapist (OT) working in the specialized Hand Therapy Program, you will work in an outpatient setting to consult with, evaluate and treat patients of various ages and diagnoses. You will be expected first and foremost to provide effective individualized patient care. This includes recognizing the value of trust and rapport in the patient clinician relationship to motivate and encourage our patients to do their best throughout each course of care. 

A successful OT at Renue would demonstrate patient centered care through communication, teamwork and compassion. They would also demonstrate integrity, character and honesty while being motivated and enthusiastic about maintaining an open friendly environment for our patients and team members. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

This list is not inclusive; other duties may be assigned such as the key projects assigned by your manager, but will include the following: 

• Select and adapt the appropriate per case occupational therapy treatment model, method and approach
• Evaluate a patient’s functional status
• Establish treatment goals
• Plan treatment
• Implement the plan of care through direct treatment
• Coordinate treatment with other health care personnel

Qualifications: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Required:  

1. Licensed as an Occupational Therapist in the State of Michigan; current CPR certification
2. Masters or Bachelor’s prepared Occupational Therapist from an accredited university

Preferred: A professional who has a passion to deliver great patient care and experience. 

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies: 

Language Skills 

• Abilty to communicate with people of various social, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds.
• Demonstrates ability to read and interpret medical records, prescriptions/referrals, imaging and diagnostic reports using advanced medical terminology in English.
• Demonstrates ability to produce clear and concise reports and correspondence at a level consistent with specialty service e.g., Hand Therapy.
• Communicates fluently using Standard English.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to patients and family members, support staff and to other employees of the organization.
• Communicates clearly and distinctly when answering phones, when composing emails and when utilizing the intranet.
• Ability to effectively communicate with referring physicians and support staff.

Computer Skills 

• Demonstrates experience using computer applications, including electronic medical records, word processing and email.
• Demonstrates competence with the use of the computerized hand evaluation system (JTech North Star) to allow for a consistent skill set of evaluation, re-assessment and discharge.
• Demonstrates competence with the use of a computerized FCE evaluation system (Work well) if applicable.
• Assists in the ongoing development and revision of written patient care information, home exercise programs, etc.

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies: 

• Experience completing the patient care process including evaluation, treatment, re-assessment, discharge planning and outcomes reporting.
• Demonstrates proficiency finding, evaluating, interpreting and applying current patient care research literature and protocol initiation/progression to patient care.
• Experience analyzing subjective reports and quantitative data to draw conclusions and make recommendations for treatment.
• Able to complete assignments with attention to detail and high degree of accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal skills including tact, diplomacy and flexibility to work effectively with supervisors, co-workers, patients and the general public.
• Able to work independently with minimal guidance as part of the interdisciplinary team.
• Capable of coordinating efforts and collaborating with a variety of individuals having conflicting agendas.
• Ability to establish and adjust priorities quickly as circumstances dictate.
• Capable of explaining complex issues in a concise manner to patients, their families and co-workers.
• Ability to assess need for and demonstrate competency with the use of physical agent modalities in a safe and therapeutic matter e.g., ultrasound, Fluidotherapy, iontophoresis, ice massage etc.
• Ability to assess the need for and demonstrate competency with the use of custom orthotic fabrication including but not limited to static, dynamic and static progressive design.
• Able to demonstrate creativity in the use of adaptive aid fabrication and modification.

Additional responsibilities: 

Program development 

• Assist in the ongoing development and expansion of hand therapy services. Responsibilities may include obtaining specialized training or certification and expanding knowledge base to be able to administer functional capacity evaluations, design work hardening and/or work conditioning programs and work with upper extremity amputees and prosthetics.
• Actively participate in advancement of clinical expertise and begin to or continue to accrue the hours necessary to obtain a National Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) designation.
• Assist in marketing efforts for the Hand Therapy program with development of marketing materials, lectures, brochures.  Attend formal luncheons, dinners and meetings designed to acquaint new referral sources and their support staff on services provided within our specialty program.