Occupational Therapist (Spinal Cord Injury)

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.The authority to set requirements is provided by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(14). 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.

TRANSCRIPT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION

d. Certification.
Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT. CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION

e. 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.

Preferred Experience/Qualifications: Previous experience working with people with spinal cord injuries and/or VA experience


Grade Requirements:

Occupational Therapist, GS-9:

• None beyond the basic requirements above.

Occupational Therapist, GS-11:

• Education, Experience, 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: In addition to the requirements listed above, you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (NOTE: experience must be evident in your resume in order to receive credit for experience):
  1. Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
  2. Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.
  3. Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
  4. Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
  5. Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
  6. Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
  7. Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.

Occupational Therapist, GS-12:

• Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the requirements listed above, you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (NOTE: experience must be evident in your resume in order to receive credit for experience):
  1. 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.
  2. Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
  3. 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.
  4. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
  5. Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G14- Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard.

Physical Requirements:
Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires moderately heavy physical exertion on an intermittent basis such as assisting a Veteran in transfer activities, i.e., wheelchair to transport vehicle. There are also regular periods of standing and walking throughout the medical center and at off-station sites. Additional, at times the work requires lifting, moving, and carrying of moderately heavy items and equipment for set-up or use by Veterans during Occupational Therapy activities. Work entails: exerting 20 - 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting of to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects). Occupational Therapy also requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment such as operating all aspects of a computer - voice dictation software, keyboarding, mouse, and control buttons. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdrivers and pliers.