Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)- Home Health

Advocate Health•Charlotte, NC

3d•$27 - $40•Onsite

About The Position

The Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) provides home health occupational therapy services to an assigned patient caseload in the University City coverage area, including northern Charlotte, Huntersville, and Mooresville. The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a target of 30 visit equivalents per week. The position is eligible for a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 for qualified applicants; internal teammates may be eligible for a $5,000 referral bonus. The COTA manages daily patient care and documentation according to the established plan of care and physician orders. Working under occupational therapist and physician oversight and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, the COTA implements prescribed therapy programs, monitors patient response, educates patients and families, and helps coordinate care and discharge planning. Services are provided in patients’ homes and must follow applicable state practice requirements, home health conditions of participation, accreditation standards, Medicare guidelines, OASIS, and agency policies. The work involves extensive travel to patients’ residences throughout the year and takes place in a variety of home environments. The role requires physical activity including lifting and supporting up to 50 pounds, and flexibility to meet patient needs.

Requirements

Ability to speak English in good, understandable terms.
Ability to walk, stand, sit, lift, reach, stoop, bend, push, and pull as required by the work.
Ability to lift and support up to 50 pounds when handling patients, medical equipment, and supplies.
Ability to travel extensively to assigned patient residences during all seasons.
Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet patients’ needs.
Intact sight, hearing, smell, and touch; finger dexterity; critical-thinking skills; and ability to concentrate.
Ability to respond quickly to changes in patient or unit conditions.
Ability to use personal protective equipment, including gloves, goggles, gowns, and masks, when required due to possible exposure to hazardous chemicals or blood and body fluids.

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned patient caseload and provide timely care and documentation in accordance with patient needs, the established plan of care, and physician orders.
Collect relevant health and situational information through home assessments, telephone contacts, and available electronic medical record information.
Implement patient care programs, including prescribed modalities, procedures, exercise programs, and patient education established by the occupational therapist.
Document and implement plans of care addressing patient and family needs, including discharge planning and use of available resources.
Apply clinical reasoning and skills to conduct assessments and provide care; evaluate therapy interventions and identify and prioritize patient and family strengths, needs, and priorities.
Provide and document patient and family education about deficits, progress toward goals, therapeutic techniques, individualized home programs, and equipment use.
Communicate with the multidisciplinary team about schedule changes, patient information and needs, and physician orders.
Incorporate short- and long-term plan-of-care goals into therapy and document progress in visit notes.
Communicate and collaborate with physician oversight and branch physical therapy and leadership supervision, providing timely feedback about patient condition and potential plan-of-care changes.
Perform ordered treatments, therapies, and procedures in accordance with the State Physical Therapy Practice Act, Home Health Conditions of Participation, TJC, Medicare Guidelines, OASIS, and agency policies and procedures.
Support shared governance and decision-making activities and develop and nurture research to positively affect clinical outcomes and promotion.

Benefits

Sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 for qualified applicants.
$5,000 referral bonus for eligible internal teammates.
Paid time off programs.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
Educational Assistance Program.
Potential premium pay, including shift and on-call pay, based on role.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.