Occupational Therapist

Job Duties (include, but are not limited to the following):

1. Assists the physician in evaluating the patient’s level of function. Assess patient’s home environment for safety hazards and architectural barriers, identifies equipment needs.
2. Identifies functional problems and establishes goals and a plan of care designed to improve the patient’s functional status (revising as necessary).
3. Guides the patient in the use of therapeutic, creative, and self-care activities for the purpose of improving function. Implements skills concerning the following:
4. Gross and fine muscle strength and coordination.
5. Cursory sensory evaluation, tactile sensation, proprioception, stereognosis.
6. Active and passive range of motion of upper extremities.
7. Evaluation for functional or dynamic splits.
8. Evaluation for adaptive equipment to increase independence in ADL’s.
9. Activities to increase functional level of performance.
10. Performs and complete recertifications, resumption-of-care, and discharge Comprehensive OASIS assessments and associated paperwork in accordance to agency policy.
11. Instructs patient and family members, as well as other health team members, to perform or assist in performance of selective treatment procedures and functional activities.
12. Periodically re-evaluates and upgrades the patient’s program to maximize functional improvement.
13. Confers with the family, referring physician, and other agency professional staff to obtain information to promote coordinated, efficient, and quality patient care.
14. Performs and submits required documentation of patient’s evaluations, plan of care, clinical notes, and progress reports, summaries along with changes in orders. All patient visit notes must be turned in the next scheduled work day, not to exceed forty-eight (48) hours.
15. Maintains necessary statistical and billing data.
16. Orients, instructs, and supervises the home health aide every two weeks in carrying out specific occupational therapy modalities.
17. Keeps abreast of changes in occupational therapy theories and practices, contributes to the ongoing development of programs and professionals within the service of sharing expertise, contributing resources and giving in-services.
18. Keeps his/her immediate supervisor informed of problem areas and makes suggestions for improvement.
19. Attends and contributes to in-services, clinical records reviews, meetings required to ensure coordinated and comprehensive plans of care for the patients of the agency.
20. Performs occupational therapy assistant on-site supervision every 4-6 visits in Illinois, and at least once every 30 days in Missouri. The supervisory visits may be made either when the occupational therapy assistant is present so that the supervisor may observe and assist, or when the occupational therapy assistant is absent so that the supervisor may assess relationships and determine whether goals are being met. The supervisory visit will include a complete on-site functional assessment, an on-site review of activities with appropriate revision of treatment plan, and an assessment of the utilization of outside resources.
21. The Occupational Therapist will be accessible by phone to the occupational therapy assistants at all times while the occupational therapy assistant is treating patients.
22. Complies with Homecare Agency Compliance Plan.
23. Complies with Homecare Agency’s Infection Control Policies.
24. Complies with Homecare Agency’s HIPAA Policies.

Working Environment:

Field experience may expose employee to temperature extremes, physical injury by patient, family, animal or other in the community, unsafe environment or exposure to infectious diseases and offensive odors.

1. Equipment and Supplies: Prudent and efficient use of routine office supplies and equipment. Prudent and efficient use of routine medical supplies, sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, and equipment. All the preceding items should be protected from theft and weather at all times.
2. Knowledge and Competency: Must demonstrate basic knowledge of all procedures included in the Occupational Therapy description. Must have the ability to follow instructions from the physician, DON/Agency Supervisor and other professional staff. Ability to communicate effectively with managers, patients, families and co-workers.
3. Must have effective means of transportation, which will enable employee to make visits to patients’ homes if needed. Must be able to assess safety of home situations for self, patients, and other staff members, including physical and psychological dangers.
4. Must have the ability to effectively cope with patients, families and all others with varying backgrounds, socioeconomic conditions, and value judgments. Skills include the ability to use cognizant approach to problem solving in delivering patient care with considerations being given to the patient’s past experience, finances and other resources. Skills are needed to assess both physical and psychological needs of patients and institute the appropriate nursing intervention. Must possess ingenuity to handle medical and situational emergencies.
5. Maintains confidentiality of information relating to patient. Will discuss only those aspects necessary to care and treatment of patient with those directly involved in the patient’s care.
6. Physical Demands: Must be able to complete all physical demands of the job, which may include, but not be limited to: the ability to lift and transfer patients, carry supplies, and read normal typewritten print. Have corrected vision and hearing within normal range and have manual dexterity with normal range of motion of all extremities. May be requested to work weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime. Must be able to work alone without usual support systems immediately available in acute care settings. Must have the ability to deal with abrupt schedule changes and to maintain objectivity in coping with the stress of working with acute, chronic and terminally ill patients.
7. Work Ethic: Complies with the Homecare Agency dress code, projects a professional attitude toward self, patients, and other staff members, and follows department public relation policies regarding outside speaking and professional affiliations, clearing all such requests through Homecare Agency.

Qualifications:

A person who:

1. Is licensed or otherwise regulated, if applicable, as an Occupational Therapist by the State in which practicing, unless licensure does not apply;
2. Graduated after successful completion of an Occupational Therapist education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), or successor organizations of ACOTE; and
3. Is eligible to take, or has successfully completed the entry-level certification examination for Occupational Therapists developed and administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.(NBCOT)

On or before December 31, 2009:

• Is licensed or otherwise regulated, if applicable, as an Occupational Therapist by the State in which practicing; or when licensure or other regulation does not apply
• Graduated after successful completion of an Occupational Therapist education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) or successor organizations of ACOTE; and
• Is eligible to take, or has successfully completed the entry-level certification examination for Occupational Therapists developed and administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc., (NBCOT)

On or before January 1, 2008:

1. Graduated after successful completion of an occupational therapy program accredited jointly by the committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association; or
2. Is eligible for the National Registration Examination of the American Occupational Therapy Association or the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

On or before December 31, 1977:

• Had 2 years of appropriate experience as an Occupational Therapist; and
• Had achieved a satisfactory grade on an Occupational Therapist proficiency examination conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health Service

If educated outside the United States, must meet all of the following:

• Graduated after successful completion of an Occupational Therapist education program accredited as substantially equivalent to Occupational Therapist entry level education in the United States by one of the following:
• The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
• Successor organizations of ACOTE
• The World Federation of Occupational Therapists
• A credentialing body approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association
• Successfully completed the entry-level certification examination for Occupational Therapists developed and administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)
• On or before December 31, 2009, is licensed or otherwise regulated, if applicable, as an Occupational Therapist by the State in which practicing
• One year of clinical experience is preferred.