NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This position is located in the Occupational Therapy Department of the Rehabilitation Care Service (RCS) line in the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This position serves as the subject matter expert in powered mobility and acts as a consultant to OT staff and other medical center staff in treating veterans with disabilities.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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:. OTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: Associate's [or higher] degree in occupational therapy from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Completion of a military training program in an OTA program accredited by the ACOTE. Certification: OTAs must have written documentation that they have passed the entry-level certification examination for OTAs administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Licensure: OTAs must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia. Loss of Credential: Management officials, in collaboration with Human Resource (HR) Office staff must remove employees in this occupation who fail to maintain the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing, which may result in termination of employment. 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). Grade Determinations: Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-09 Education and Experience: One year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position being filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate one of the following: A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area and completion of 60 contact hours of continuing education directly related to the specialty area. This time must be within the past five years; or Certification in specialty area; or An additional academic degree related to the healthcare mission. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience and education requirements above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs. Skill in the utilization of delegated assessment tools to assist in developing individualized treatment plan related to specialty area. Skill in developing protocols and procedures for specialized intervention techniques and programs. Ability to independently implement treatment plan using specialty skills and complex techniques. Ability to provide complex evidence-based interventions related to clinical specialty. Ability to provide consultation and mentoring to other healthcare practitioners and stakeholders in area of specialty. Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Employees at this grade level serve as advanced OTAs with additional education and experience for treatment of patients with multiple comorbidities and diagnoses. Advanced OTAs apply advance practice skills to treat patients with complex diagnoses, including independently choosing personalized seating and positioning, creating and fabricating adaptive devices, etc. Advanced OTAs possess a higher-level of clinical competence and serve as a consultant to other OTAs. They serve as subject matter experts in comprehensive rehabilitation programs such as, but not limited to, assistive technology, driving and community mobility, environmental modification, low vision, safe patient handling, research, neurology (e.g., brain injury, spinal cord injury), geriatrics and mental health. Advanced OTAs may participate in clinical research/outcomes studies, applying related interventions, testing new products/techniques and protocol and program development. They mentor other staff to facilitate skill development related to area of expertise. Advanced OTAs provide education within the facility related to diverse specialty areas and on new trends in area of expertise. They promote occupational therapy within the facility, community, and/or nationally. 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-9. Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting (14-44 pounds); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking; Standing; crawling; Kneeling; Repeated bending; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Depth Perception; Mental and emotional Stability Environmental Factors: Outside and Inside; Working Closely with others; Working Alone
This position is located in the Occupational Therapy Department of the Rehabilitation Care Service (RCS) line in the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This position serves as the subject matter expert in powered mobility and acts as a consultant to OT staff and other medical center staff in treating veterans with disabilities. Functions: Serve as a Senior OTA and subject matter expert in the area of Powered Mobility Serve as Clinical Educator (CE) for OTA students Provide instruction/training to other interdisciplinary staff members concerning the role of occupational therapy in the outpatient, inpatient, and/or long-term care environment and specialized techniques of evaluating the medically complex geriatric patient. Apply advance practice skills to treat patients with complex diagnoses Provide documentation of continuing education, which would support knowledge and skills well beyond entry level Establishes and maintains contact with other key staff involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on regular basis at VA Medical Center and VISN level Receives and interprets requests or instructions for procedures from the OT or physician Plans and implements specialized treatment programs and applies occupational therapy procedures to patients under the general supervision of an OT Completes a preliminary review/examination of patient data (including medical history), compiles and organizes pertinent information, and develops/presents a patient profile to be used in assessing patient's status Assists with or renders a course of treatment based on the assessed needs of the patient, developing progressive types of occupational therapy treatment programs Assists therapist in development of a comprehensive specialized treatment plan Persuades and motivates Veterans and family members to participate in treatment plans and comply with indicated regimens and post-discharge activities. Interacts with the patient and family regarding goals for treatment Assists in the performance of, or independently performs, highly specialized and diversified treatment procedures, with a focus on adaptive seating & positioning with powered mobility devices, based on the assessed needs of the patient Monitors and records patient condition during treatment. Utilizes the full range of therapy modalities. Instructs, motivates and assists patients to learn activities of daily living and improve functional activities Prepares and maintains appropriate equipment and supplies required for these treatments Varies procedures or positions to adjust for Veterans' medical conditions Modifies intervention environment, tools, materials, and activities in response to each veteran's response to treatment Prepares and presents written and oral reports for the physician, physiatrist, nursing staff, fellow therapists and all other professionals concerned with the patient's care Participates in family and multidisciplinary team meetings to identify patient's needs, report on patient's goals and progress and to assist in planning patient's treatment program Maintains a safe work environment Maintains a high level of competence through participation in continuing education programs Assists with the supervision and training of student OT Assistants, volunteers, work students and other healthcare practitioners Seeks advanced Powered Mobility/seating and positioning trainings and certifications, to provide excellent, evidenced-based treatment approaches to all Veterans who qualify for issuance of powered mobility devices Performs documentation in accordance with service and medical center policies in a timely manner Maintains appropriate timeline demands for services and communicates through spreadsheet for tracking equipment orders Schedules appointments for assigned patients as needed Performs other tasks as assigned by the Supervisor, Occupational Therapy Section, and the Rehabilitation Program Coordinator that is consistent with the mission of the Section, the Rehab Care Service Line and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Participates in the performance improvement activities for the service Responsible for collection and reporting of QI data as requested by Occupational Therapy Supervisor Demonstrates advanced knowledge of electronic documentation and computer skills Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized