"Alerted.org

Summary This HBPC Occupational Therapy position is in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation services at the Manchester VA Medical Center, with occasional travel for patient home care visits. This position is a part-time at 24 Hours per week. Responsibilities The Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Occupational Therapist (OT) carries primary responsibility for providing in-home Rehabilitation Therapy assessments, home assessments, treatment planning and administration, and management of rehabilitation in the home for patients in the HBPC program.. The OT will provide evaluations and assessments for the presence of physical abnormalities, and functional disabilities that interfere in Activities of Daily Living and/or quality of life. This therapist will provide in-home services to veterans that present with a wide variety of multiple, complex chronic illnesses and/or profound disabilities to improve or maintain functional levels and encourage independence in the home. Therapists determine functional related problems including rationale or basis for making the assessment. Clinician completes home assessment for determination of equipment needs and family training as assigned as well as potential safety concerns. Develops individual occupational therapy care plans. Considers age/diversity issues when treating patients. This will be measured by chart reviews, program manager feedback, staff/team feedback, data collection, and peer review. FUNCTIONS OF ASSIGNED DUTIES The HBPC Occupational Therapist serves as the rehabilitation therapy expert for the HBPC interdisciplinary treatment team with responsibility for administration of treatment for outpatient populations with acute, chronic conditions with varied physical disorder caseload to include strokes, amputees, total joint replacements, neurological, respiratory care cardiac rehabilitation conditions, etc. Primary qualifications for this position include professional knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices of occupational therapy to provide clinical services, supervise or train students and therapists, or perform research with people who have impaired capacities for performing activities appropriate to their age group. The work requires knowledge of the structure and function of the human body, environmental influences and human development, physical and psychosocial dysfunctions. Also requires skill in developing treatment plans to teach new skills, restore performance, or learn compensating skills. In addition to being a core member of the HBPC interdisciplinary team, is responsible for: Work Schedule: Part Time; Tuesday through Thursday 8:00am-3:30pm. Times to be discussed with Supervisor. Telework: AdHoc; telework can be performed on a less than full-time basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. This is an NAGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) will be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). May be subject to satisfactory completion of our credentialing process. A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. Qualifications BASIC REQUIREMENTS. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and/or Experience. (1) The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. (2) 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. c. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in this appendix. d. Certification. Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an OT. e. 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. f. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing, must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. g. Exceptions for the Graduate Occupational Therapist. (1) OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state licensure, may be appointed, pending certification and/or licensure, as a graduate OT on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2). (2) Graduate OTs may only be appointed at the GS-9 grade level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-11 level until licensure and/or certification is obtained. For grades levels at or above the developmental GS-11 grade level, the OT must be certified and licensed. (3) A graduate OT may provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed OT who meets all state regulatory requirements. (4) Temporary graduate OT appointments may not be extended beyond two years, or converted to a new temporary appointment. h. Failure to Obtain Licensure/Certification. In all cases, graduate OTs must actively pursue obtaining required credentials (i.e., NBCOT certification and/or state licensure) from the date of their appointment. The human resource office will notify the uncertified/unlicensed OT in writing of the requirement to obtain certification/licensure, the date by which the certification/license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified/licensed by the deadline date. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment. GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Occupational Therapist, GS-9: (1) Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Individuals assigned at the GS-9 grade level serve as OT practitioners in a career development position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wide range of human function systems. The entry level therapist has a basic foundation of OT and generally practices independently. OTs at this level typically have guidance from more experienced therapists. OTs that are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed OT. Occupational Therapist, GS-11: (1) Education, Experience, or Licensure. (a) Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled; or (b) Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field; or (c) Doctorate in occupational therapy. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice. (b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment. (c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others. (d) Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated. (e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing. (f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. (g) Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice. Occupational Therapist, GS-12: (1) Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. (2) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders. (c) 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. (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. Preferred Experience: Home safety assessments, durable medical equipment, ability to work with high level of autonomy. References: VA Handbook 5005/127, Part II, Appendix G14 - Occupational therapist Qualification Standard. 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-9 to GS-12. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Physical Requirements: Activities may require prolonged standing, extensive walking, bending, push/pulling and lifting. Hazards include risk of exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substance, electrical hazards and risk of physical injury associated with patient with the potential to lose control or irrational behavior. Must be able to operate a vehicle and possess the ability to drive long distances and access homes that may be in poor condition and have poor environmental controls. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.