Inpatient Occupational Therapist-Full-time

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare • DeKalb, IL

3d

About The Position

The licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) reflects Northwestern Medicine’s mission, vision, and values and complies with its Code of Ethics, Corporate Compliance Program, organizational policies, and relevant regulatory and accreditation standards. The therapist practices in accordance with professional ethics and standards and Illinois state requirements. The role includes direct patient care, teaching, participation in appropriate committees, and departmental process improvement. The therapist serves as a role model for therapists and clinical interns in professional, clinical, communication, education, and leadership activities.

The therapist manages occupational therapy care from initial contact through discharge, including evaluation, treatment planning, re-evaluation, documentation, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals and treating COTAs. The role also includes patient and team education, department and organizational initiatives, clinical education and mentorship, and maintaining productivity and training requirements. The therapist may need to adjust their schedule or assignment to meet patient-care and department needs, including meetings outside normal work hours.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Occupational Therapist license in the state of Illinois.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association upon hire.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s or doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate Northwestern Medicine’s values of Patients First, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence, and maintain a friendly, professional, approachable demeanor.
• Provide accurate information and timely updates to patients and customers, using service recovery skills to address problems or service breakdowns.
• Communicate effectively, respect diverse opinions and styles, acknowledge others’ contributions, and facilitate collaborative care with healthcare team members.
• Use organizational and departmental resources efficiently, manage work schedules, and complete tasks and assignments on time.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, cost-reduction, streamlined work processes, and growth of services.
• Select appropriate evaluations, treatment modalities, equipment, and protocols; perform re-evaluations according to department guidelines and adjust treatment plans as needed.
• Manage occupational therapy patients from initial contact through discharge, with responsibility for functional progress, safety, and treatment outcomes.
• Maintain primary responsibility for patient plans of care through timely, consistent collaboration with treating COTAs.
• Follow department policies for evaluations, progress notes, and discharge summaries; enter accurate electronic medical record documentation that meets medical necessity and regulatory requirements.
• Document patients’ treatment responses, performance, status, treatment plans, and discharge needs in daily notes.
• Provide educational materials and methods appropriate to patients’ understanding and motivation.
• Participate in committees, department processes, special projects, internal and external marketing, and department educational efforts, including in-services, Journal Club, new-hire orientation, and process improvement.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with healthcare team members, such as physicians, nurses, and case managers.
• Accept constructive feedback and make timely changes.
• Complete non-patient-care responsibilities within established time frames, such as coverage notes, schedule-change requests, bonus-pay forms, discharge checklists, and follow-up calls.
• Participate in student clinical or observation programs as a clinical instructor, mentor, or observation host, as expected by the department.
• Maintain departmental productivity standards and complete required Northwestern Medicine education, competencies, and training on time.
• Accommodate patient-care needs and department meetings as needed, including flexing schedule or assignment for needs outside normal work hours.

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Loan forgiveness
• 401(k) matching
• A wide range of benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being and protection for unexpected life events

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time