Occupational Therapist at Ann Arbor

JOB SUMMARY:

 Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 916862

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincolns promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas Veterans.  
“As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the Nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities.  For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.vacareers.va.gov/”]

Note:  The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.  The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-11.  The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate’s education and experience and recommend the grade and step at which the candidate will be placed.  The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate.
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.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses ARE NOT  authorized for this position.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must pass pre-employment examination
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Designated and-or Random Drug Testing required
• Background and-or Security Investigation required

DUTIES:Back to top

Theincumbent will serve as the Occupational Therapist at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Occupational Therapist willprovide treatment in a sub acute, acute and outpatient setting in a tertiaryteaching facility with preferred experience in splinting, hand therapy andgeriatrics. They assess patients disabilities, treatment modalities, progresstowards goals and discharge planning needs.

 

Primaryfunction is direct patient care. Independently plans, develops, and implementscomprehensive, complex treatment programs for individual patients or groups of patientswith various disabilities and medical conditions. Additional functions includethe interpretation of test and measurements to assess normal and deficits ofbodily systems to determine treatment, prognosis and prevention.

 

OccupationalTherapists employ standard and non-standard methods and techniques forevaluating and interpreting a wide variety of complex physical andpsychological functional levels and for providing progressive treatments. Theyindependently solve complex problems adapting and modifying therapy regimes inaccordance with patients needs. They interpret written prescriptions anddevelop relevant individualized treatment plans accordingly.

 

OccupationalTherapists serve as consultants to the Interdisciplinary Team and providepatient and family education and discharge planning. Site participates inclinical training affiliations with several OT academic institutions.

 

Tour of Duty: Monday through Friday. Occasional holidays or weekend rotation. 

 

PART TIME: This is a part-time position ( 20 hours weekly or 40 biweekly). The salary listed presents full-time employment and will be pro-rated based on the actual hours worked each pay-period.Likewise, benefits and time-off accrual will also be prorated and based on your part-time work schedule. 

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:   

 a.  U.S. citizenship.  Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 

 

b. Education- Graduationfrom a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the AccreditationCouncil for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizationsto include an interns (supervised fieldwork experience required by theeducational institution). The ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognizedby the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for HigherEducation Accreditation (CHEA). Degree programs may be verified by contactingthe AmericanOccupational Therapy Association website or at their office address:American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O, Box 31220, Bethesda, MD20824-1220. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2005, ACOTE accreditonly master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

  c. Certification/Examination.Possession of written documentation that the individual has passed theentry-level certificationexamination for OTT which is administered by the National Board forCertification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). NOTE: Effective January 1,2007, candidates for certification as an Occupational Therapist Registered(OTR) must be a graduate from a post-baccalaureate accredited occupationaltherapy program approved by NBCOT or be a graduate from a degree programrecognized by NBCOT or considered equivalent to the American OccupationalTherapy education standard. 

  d.StateLicenser/Certification/Registration/Trademark (hereafter referred to as stateregulatory requirement). The OT must hold a full, current, andunrestricted state license, certification, or registration or trademark topractice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of theUnited States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.

 

GRADE DETERMINATIONS:

GS-7 StaffOccupational Therapist

(a). Experienceor Education. Candidates at this levelmay have a baccalaureate degree from an approved program prior to the AmericanOccupational Therapy Association (AOTA) January 1, 2005, decision as shown inthe note in paragraph 2.

(b.) Assignment. Employees at this level serve in anentry level OT career development position practicing under close supervisionof an OT at or above the full-performance level.

 

GS-9Staff Occupational Therapist

(a).Experience or Education. In addition to meeting the basicrequirements, candidate must have:

1. At least 1 year of post-graduateprogressively responsible experience equivalent to the next lower grade level;

or

2. Education equivalent to two fullyears of progressively higher level graduate education in a field related tothe practice of occupational therapy;

or

3. Master’s Degree in OccupationalTherapy or a closely related field accredited by ACOTE.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills,Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs). In addition to meeting theexperience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate mustfully demonstrate the following KSAOs:

1. Knowledge of occupational therapypractice.

2. Ability to administer andinterpret occupational therapy assessment and evaluation.

3. Ability to interpret evaluationfinding to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals andmethods to achieve stated goals.

4. Ability to implement theintervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.

5. Skill to monitor the individualsresponse to intervention and modify treatment plans and reevaluates asindicates.

6. Skilland ability to communicate and or collaborate with the patients, familymembers, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals or other individualsverbally and in writing.

7. Knowledge and ability to apply allhealth and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisionof patient care and environmental maintenance.

8. Knowledgeand ability to comply with all applicable regulations governing documentation,medical records, reimbursement and workload statistics in accordance withestablished professional practice and VHA.

Assignments. Candidates at this grade level serve as staff OTs in acareer development position progressively expanding their ability to provideassessment and treatment interventions for a wider range of human functionsystems. OTs at this level require less direction and guidance, but practiceunder the direction of an OT at or above the full performance level. 

GS-11 Occupational Therapist

a. Education and Experience: Inaddition to the basic requirements, individuals assigned as GS-11 OTs mustdemonstrate all of the following KSAOs:

1. Knowledge of advancedoccupational therapy techniques to perform functions associated within theoccupational therapy scope of practice.

2. Ability to communicate orally andin writing.

3. Ability to adapt assessment toolsand treatment to the complexity of the diagnosis or disabilities anddemonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for furtherin depth specific assessment of function and utilization of non-standard methodand techniques.

4. Knowledge of principles and techniquesin the occupational therapy assessment and treatment of occupational, cognitiveand pyschological functional deficits.

5. Ability to interact withpatients, families, and other health care providers.

6. Ability to facilitate andinstruct in-service and clinical training programs.

7. Knowledge and ability to applyall health and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in theprovision of patient care and environment maintenance.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. YOUMUST INCLUDE MONTH, YEAR AND HOURS WORKED PER WEEK IN YOUR RESUME FOR ALL JOBLISTED. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Reference:VA Handbook 5005/25, Part II, Appendix G14, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTQUALIFICATION STANDARD, dated February 26, 2009.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.)  Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.  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.

 

 

Physical Requirements:Occupational Therapist functional requirements: This position frequently requires moderate to heavy lifiting. Normally such lifting will involve, but not be limited to assisting with transfers or gait training of the client in the physical therapy clinic. Part of this position will involve sedentary work involving computers and communications. 

 

Veterans Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation.

Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.  For more information, please review the information for disabled Veterans in the application checklist or visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified.  Please follow all instructions carefully.  Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Country: USA, State: Michigan, City: Ann Arbor, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.