Temporary United Spinal Association Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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.

• 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 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 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-9: Education, Experience, or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-11 Education, Experience, or Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• OR Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field
• OR 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 monitoring 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
• GS-12 Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience 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
• 7 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 Preferred Experience: We are looking for an Occupational Therapist to support our Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Unit for up to 5 days a week for a period of 4 months from June through September
• This Occupational Therapist will be an integral part of our interdisciplinary team to help Veterans improve their functional independence and quality of life
• Preferable experience in inpatient rehabilitation and experience working with spinal cord injuries
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according to the Department of Labor
• Medium work entails exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10-25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects
• Occupational Therapy is a vocation that requires regular and recurring physical exertion with long periods of standing, bending, walking and periods of assisting patients with transfers
• This hospital has a policy of NO PATIENT LIFT, meaning that mechanical lifts are available to assist with safe patient transfers without lifting patients directly
• Occupational Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with activities such as: 1
• Operating all aspects of a computer 0-keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons
• 2
• Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment of patient teaching
• 3
• Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as a screwdriver or pliers
• 4
• Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of scissors, cutting tools, and ability to mold plastic, foam or plaster.