• Job Description

  Req#: 837978900
  The Occupational Therapist will be responsible for evaluations and treatments to veteran/patients at the Jacksonville Outpatient Clinic within the North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System mission. The Occupational Therapist will provide coverage of services in Acute Care, Outpatient, and Extended Care settings as needed. This is a developmental position and may be selected at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade level.
  
  Duties
  
  
  The Occupational Therapist will provide coverage of the services provided by Occupational Therapy within the scope of their grade level and in a career developmental position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wider range of human function systems.
  
  Occupational Therapists at the GS-11 grade level serve as beyond entry level OTs but still in a career development position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wider range of human function systems. The GS-11 OT is able to administer routine assessments but lacks the experience to adapt routine assessments when needed with complex individuals. The therapist has an expanding basic foundation of OT and generally practices independently. OTs at this level typically have guidance from more experienced therapists on complex patient or health systems.
  
  The Occupational Therapist at the GS-12 level independently develops and implements individualized occupational therapy treatment programs for all patients referred for consultation. They work effectively with patients, families, care partners, and treatment team members. The incumbent is also responsible for coordination and supervision of treatment plans with the staff Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) if position exists. The therapist will coordinate and supervise students and volunteers that rotate through the OT section. The incumbent may assist with developing practices and procedures of occupational therapy services that are necessary to plan and direct the wide range of activities relating to the overall operation of an occupational therapy program in a Complex (1a), large, highly affiliated VA Medical Center.
  
  At all levels, duties may include but are not limited to:
  
  
  Requirements
  
  
  
  
  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: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
  
  English Language Proficiency. Occupational Therapists must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
  
  Education and/or Experience-Transcripts Submitted. 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
  
  PLEASE NOTE: 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-Documentation-Submitted if applicable. Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an OT.
  • State Licensure-Submitted if applicable.. 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.
  GRADE REQUIREMENTS
  
  In addition to the Basic Requirements provided in paragraph 4 of the Veterans Health Administration - Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard - GS-0631 (formerly VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G14), the following are the grade requirements.
  
  Grade Determinations for Occupational Therapist GS-11:
  • GS-11 Experience, Education, AND Licensure-Documentation Submitted: In addition to the Basic Requirements, an Occupational Therapist at the GS-11 level MUST be certified AND licensed, AND meet one (1) of the following GS-11 Grade Requirements:
    • Completed a minimum f one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled; -OR-
    • Completed three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field;-OR-
    • Possess a Doctorate in occupational therapy.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, 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 mentoring 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.
  • Assignment. OTs at this grade level practice independently and are responsible for the assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized tools. The OT modifies standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with routine complexity to enhance safety, wellness, performance in activities of daily living (ADL); and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. Occupational therapists require guidance with higher complexity conditions. OTs demonstrate an understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. They are assigned to all program areas within VHA and provide professional, independent occupational therapy services.
  Grade Determinations for Occupational Therapist GS-12:
  • GS-12 Experience, Education, AND Licensure-Documentation Submitted: : In addition to the Basic Requirements, an Occupational Therapist at the full performance GS-12 level MUST be certified, licensed, AND possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level directly related to the position being filled.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education 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.
  • Assignment. OTs at this level practice independently and are responsible for comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. OTs demonstrate a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. See qualification standard for additional details of this assignment.
  References: Veterans Health Administration - Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard - GS-0631 (formerly VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G14) - December 13, 2019.
  
  The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The grade at which an applicant may be selected may be at GS-11 or GS-12 grade level.
  
  See "Additional Information" for Physical Requirements.

• About the company

  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.

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