Summary

This Occupational Therapist position is in Physical Medicine and Rehab services at the Northampton VA Medical Center located at the Leeds - MA location. This position is a full-time at 40 per week.

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
• 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 American Occupational Therapy Association (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
• Certification
• Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an Occupational Therapist
• 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)
• NOTIFICATIONS: This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• This position is in the Excepted Service
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Grade Determinations: Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) - GS-13 Education - Experience - and Licensure
• Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled and one of the following: A minimum of 2 -000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area
• This time must be within the past five years
• Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA
• Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area
• or An additional advanced degree in a related field
• Demonstrated KSAs
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice
• (b) Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners
• (c) Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation - interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization
• (d) Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory - recent research - and practice
• (e) Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization
• (f) Ability to implement - revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization
• Preferred Experience: Evidence of a minimum of 2 -000 hours of clinical Practice directly in evaluation - management and treatment in the area of complex seating/positioning and wheelchairs
• This time must be within the past five years
• or completion of advanced certification in the area of wheelchairs (ex: ATP - SMS Certification) References: VA Handbook 5005 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• INTRODUCTION This Occupational Therapist is an outpatient provider for the Occupational Therapy department and is assigned to the Wheelchair/Assistive Technology Program within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service
• Responsibilities include general outpatient assessment and treatment for veterans with physical dysfunction - neurological - and orthopedic diagnoses that need a wheelchair and/or assistive technologies
• This position carries responsibility and requires advanced skills - high level of independence - problem solving - and directing abilities - and an integral knowledge for appropriate referrals and service within the medical center
• This position serves as a subject matter expert in the areas of Wheelchair and Assistive Technology evaluation - training and education
• Duties include but are not limited to: Position involves managing workloads addressing minor - routine problems and serving as a subject matter expert in the areas of client evaluation - care and program planning for Assistive Technology and Wheelchair Program
• After receiving an appropriate referral - independently evaluates patients referred for Wheelchair/Assistive Technology - using standard and non-standard methods to assess range of motion - strength - sensation - proprioception - coordination - perception - cognition - ADL and work activities - orthotic and prosthetic needs - and need for adaptive equipment
• Evaluations take into account lifestyle - culture - social support system - military - work - and leisure history - and limitation and abilities related to age
• Based on evaluations - and planning with patient and significant others (when appropriate) - and coordination with the multidisciplinary team - establishes treatment goals and eventual discharge plan
• Develops and carries out occupational therapy plans with individuals to meet individual rehabilitation objectives
• Implements an assistive technology/wheelchair and/or occupational therapy treatment plan to meet individual rehabilitation objectives utilizing functional activities which have as their goal the improvement of patient's activities of daily living - strength - range of motion - sensation - perceptive and/or cognitive process - and may also include - therapeutic exercise - muscle reeducation - neuromuscular facilitation - perceptual motor integration - fabrication and application of devices for daily living - teaching adaptive or compensatory techniques for community re-entry and work activities and providing patient and/or caregiver education regarding disability
• Patients treated have complex physical - emotional - and social problems
• The position will include inpatient rehabilitation therapy - which will include general inpatient assessment and treatment for veterans with physical dysfunction - neurological and orthopedic diagnoses - plan and carry out rehabilitation related to therapy - direct assistant treatment and provide discharge planning
• This assignment represents the therapy aspect of an interdisciplinary team
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday: 8:00am-4:30pm
• Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Telework Ad-Hoc work can be performed on an as needed basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home)
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F04863 Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases when setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)