Supervisory Occupational Therapist- Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit

The Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. This position is in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) which provides therapeutic treatment programs for inpatients and outpatients referred for rehabilitation care and evaluation. One of the largest PM&R programs in the nation.Qualifications: Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7407(a)).
• 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.
• Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
• 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.
• English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

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-13

• Education, Experience, or Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. Examples of experience at the GS-12 grade includes but not limited to: 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. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).]

Demonstrated GS-13 KSAs. In addition to the experience above at the GS-12 level , the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs

• Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality performance, and productivity within the service.
• Skill in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers to include conflict resolution.
• Ability to utilize evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in a professional area and to guide the staff in applying these tools.

Preferred Experience

• 5 or more years of VA experience providing complex evaluation and treatment of OT -OR- PT including providing direct care.
• Familiar with supervisory methods such as productivity management, time and leave management, and assignment of specialized care such as, but not limited to, DME, Power Mobility, Drivers Rehab. Experience with development and establishment of therapy clinics, including specialized knowledge in inpatient rehabilitation and CLC therapy procurement including analysis supporting justification of expansion of current or new PT, OT, KT care across the continuum of care, would also be considered as preferred experience.
• Is currently an OT or PT with sustained exemplary performance, conduct, attendance and productivity.
• Understands the unique elements of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit (CRU) practice, including the levels of care delivery in the outpatient, rehab and CLC inpatient units, as well as the specialty care of driver's rehab, specialty wheelchair, other specialty clinics
• Recognizes the 365-day weekend and holiday care delivery needs unique to the program, including the planning of weekend patient care safe handoff, and the decision making for weekend and holiday prioritization and emergent coverage needs.
• Demonstrated high levels of and the ability to communicate ideas and new processes to peers and co-workers
• Understands and describes current processes and advanced skills and knowledge they utilized that will be needed coordinate clinic activities, plan, administrate, supervise, develop policy and procedure and monitor clinic activities to ensure compliance with required standards. These include standards from The Joint Commission, CARF, and other acute facility regulatory agencies such as IG, National, and VISN oversight agencies.
• Understands and is successful at own productivity and can describe processes to-determine department priorities in conjunction with the Program Director, assign work, and ensure that established productivity is maintained across multiple disciplines including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and kinesiotherapy.
• Familiar with the development of specialized telehealth programs such as VVC, or telehealth
• Develops and implements complex, goal-oriented treatment plans for patients, presenting with a multiplicity of dysfunction and impairments in physical, functional, and adaptive areas
• Provides independent evaluation and therapeutic interventions to a full range of wounded, ill, and injured veterans.
• Teaches alternative or compensatory techniques for rehabilitation, reconditioning, and functional tasks, regardless of physical, mental, and/or cognitive deficits.
• Designs treatment plans to meet patient/clinical objectives
• Provides education and consultation to patients and other providers, including development of training programs.
• Provides recommendations for continued treatment, home programs, and reconditioning, as well as guidance on physical health, functional, and adaptive activities.
• Coordinates a hospital wide program while balancing a large volume of patient care with administrative tasks
• Collects data, analyzes data, implements changes based on analyses results if requested
• Completes local and national reports in a timely and accurate manner- or gives input when requested
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to frequent changes in daily tasks
• Demonstrated ability to provide customer service to both external and internal stakeholders in a positive manner
• Experience supervising subordinate staff preferred.

The position is above Full Performance Level (GS-13)
References: VA Handbook 5005/127, Part II, Appendix G14, Occupational Therapist Qualification Standards.
Physical Requirements. Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
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 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.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph 3b(2) if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph 3e of this appendix.
Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
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.Employment Type: FULL_TIME