Occupational Therapist (OT) - Acute Care

Occupational Therapist - Acute Care

As an Occupational Therapist in acute care, you assess and treat patients recovering from surgery or illness to restore daily function. You focus on early mobility, ADLs, and discharge planning within a hospital setting.

You collaborate with the inpatient care team to promote safe functional recovery and timely transitions of care.

Responsibilities

• Perform OT assessments and develop short-term treatment plans
• Provide therapeutic interventions to improve activities of daily living, mobility, and upper-extremity function
• Assess safety, posture, ergonomics, and recommend assistive devices or equipment
• Document progress and update treatment plan; communicate with care team
• Educate patients and families on activity strategies, energy conservation, and safety
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and case management for discharge planning
• Monitor patient status and adjust interventions as needed

Qualifications

Education:

Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from a CAPTE-accredited program.

Licensure:

Licensed to practice as an Occupational Therapist in the state of employment.

Certifications:

• NBCOT Certification (OTR) preferred
• CPR/Basic Life Support certification

Experience or Skills:

Strong assessment skills, patient-centered treatment planning, and ability to work within an interdisciplinary team in a hospital setting.

Experience

• Experience in acute care OT or similar hospital settings
• Experience performing ADL and mobility assessments
• Experience documenting in an electronic health record

Preferred

• Experience with early mobility programs and discharge planning
• Experience with documentation systems and adaptive equipment

Work Environment

Hospital inpatient environment with a multidisciplinary team, variable patient acuity, and rapid progress notes. Typical schedule includes daytime hours with on-call coverage for patient discharges.

Documentation is completed in the electronic health record, with regular care team rounds and goal reviews.