Summary

This position is located at the North Battlefield VA Outpatient Clinic within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) - Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC) - under the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMRS) Service Line. The Occupational Therapist will serve in the area of the following: clinical inpatient acute and subacute care - spinal cord unit - geriatrics - and outpatient programs.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist
• NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 - 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy
• OR - Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field
• NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 - 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy
• OR - Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy
• Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations
• This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution)
• ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
• Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association - P.O
• Box 31220 - Bethesda - MD 20824-1220
• Foreign Graduates
• Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current - full - active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix
• Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT
• State Licensure: Candidates must possess a full - current - and unrestricted state license - to practice occupational therapy in a state - territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or in the District of Columbia
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Occupational Therapist - Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-09 Occupational Therapist - Requirements: Education - Experience - or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-11 Occupational Therapist - Requirements: Education - Experience - or Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet at least one of the following : Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• OR - Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field
• OR - Doctorate in occupational therapy
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the education - experience - or licensure requirements - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of occupational therapy practice
• Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans - including goals and methods of treatment
• Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others
• Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated
• Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients - family members - caregivers - interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care
• Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation - reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice
• GS-12 Occupational Therapist - Requirements: Education - Experience - and Licensure: In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level - candidates must have completed one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice
• Knowledge is inclusive of physical - occupational - cognitive - and psychosocial functional deficits
• Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to use critical analysis - clinical reasoning - and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments - treatment plans - activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients
• Skill in procuring - fabricating - adjusting - adapting - and modifying orthoses - splints - and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment)
• Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting 50 pounds and over
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• reaching above shoulder
• walking (8 hours)
• standing (8 hours)
• both legs required (1 prosthetic)
• far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in other
• ability to distinguish basic colors
• ability to distinguish shades of colors
• hearing (aid permitted)
• mental and emotional stability.

Duties

• The Occupational Therapist clinical duties and responsibilities are carried out at the North Battlefield VA Outpatient Clinic
• This position may also include cross-training and covering in in UE/Hand Specialty Clinic and Wheeled Mobility Clinic
• Duties Include - but Not Limited To: Plans - integrates - and coordinates comprehensive occupational therapy services for acute area and outpatient Communicates with - consults - and works cooperatively with other VAMC disciplines to provide comprehensive client care
• Functions as a member of the Ergonomic Team
• Participates in the development of ergonomics and reasonable accommodations guidelines and interventions
• Consults with clients and their families through client/family education - training and advising them in the nature of their disability or disease - in home programs - post hospital adjustment and community resources
• Makes assessments and recommendations for adaptation of architectural barriers
• When indicated - evaluates patient's home environment through home visits or consultation with other health care professionals - patient and significant others - and assists patient in solving problems associated with that environment
• Fabricates adaptive and orthotic devices that are not commercially available and must be developed or modified to meet needs of individual clients
• Independently solves problems related to occupational therapy - adapting and modifying treatment plans - activities - and procedures as indicated by patient status
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.