Occupational Therapist - (EDRP Authorized)

Veterans Health Administration • Temple, TX

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. To be eligible, you must meet specific requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Evaluating, developing, and implementing appropriate occupational therapy treatment to address activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, range of motion, muscle strength, coordination, pain, motor skills, functional ability, home safety, environmental accessibility, cognitive function, sensory/perceptual function, and social needs. Addressing the Veteran's rehabilitation potential, behavior, and any psychosocial aspects of care. Identifying barriers to learning and developing and implementing strategies to overcome them to ensure accurate patient evaluation. Administering and interpreting recognized tests and measurements to determine baseline level of functioning and treatment applications that will enable patients to achieve valued functional outcomes. Documenting results as established in Scopes of Assessments and making clinical treatment recommendations. Independently planning, coordinating, and carrying out treatment programs, and re-evaluating and adjusting OT treatment as appropriate. Responsible for the management and organization of the treatment area and working independently in planning and carrying out a treatment program to meet complex treatment objectives. Solving problems not covered by guides independently by utilizing specialized skills, knowledge, and experience. Independently solving complex problems related to OT. Adapting and modifying treatment plans, activities, and procedures to meet the needs of the Veterans. Conducting and documenting PM&RS screening assessments in compliance with Joint Commission Standards and CARF, making recommendations for treatment to meet a wide variety of complex rehabilitation needs and responding to requests/referrals for treatment. Serving as the PM&RS member of the respective interdisciplinary treatment teams. Providing Veterans with splints and/or adaptive equipment as needed to attain treatment goals. Educating Veterans and significant others in the proper application/installation/use for a specific device. Monitoring Veteran's response to the program, summarizing and analyzing Veteran's performance, and modifying the program and goals when necessary to meet Veteran's needs as situations and performance changes to attain projected functional outcomes. Consulting as needed with ward team members regarding progress and changing needs. Re-administering evaluations using established methods of measurement to document changes in Veteran performance as it relates to projected outcome levels. Regularly writing progress notes in the electronic record evaluating Veteran's response to treatment, analyzing treatment plans, progress, symptoms, attitudes, and reactions, and recording changes in treatment activities according to established policies, procedures, and time frames. Independently developing, planning, coordinating, and initiating new programs, activities, and procedures to meet the needs of Veterans with complex problems/disabilities as well as the specific needs of the general population of patients. Maintaining professional competency through documented and appropriate continuing education for professional and personal growth. Maintaining professional state licensure and national certification. Maintaining membership in professional organizations and reading current literature. Adhering to established standards, policies, and procedures set forth by section, service, and medical center. Participating in quality assurance activities and review including chart reviews, peer reviews, Veteran care monitoring, and Veteran satisfaction surveys.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• 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.
• 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).
• Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
• 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.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled (for GS-11).
• Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field (for GS-11).
• Doctorate in occupational therapy (for GS-11).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for GS-11: 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.
• Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled (for GS-12).
• Demonstrated KSAs for GS-12: 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; 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.
• Activities may require prolonged standing, extensive walking, bending, push/pulling and lifting.
• Hazards include risk of exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substances, electrical hazards and risk of physical injury associated with patients with the potential to lose control or irrational behavior.
• Must be able to operate a vehicle and possess the ability to drive long distances and access homes that may be in poor condition and have poor environmental controls.

Nice To Haves

• Experience providing outpatient occupational therapy services upper extremity and hand conditions
• Demonstrated experience to complete comprehensive assessments and rehabilitation treatment of functional status for basic and instrumental activities of daily living, to include functional cognition.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates, develops, and implements appropriate occupational therapy treatment to address activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, range of motion, muscle strength, coordination, pain, motor skills, functional ability, home safety, environmental accessibility, cognitive function, sensory/perceptual function, and social needs.
• Addresses the Veteran's rehabilitation potential, behavior, and any psychosocial aspects of care.
• Identifies barriers to learning and develops and implements strategies to overcome them to ensure accurate patient evaluation.
• Administers and interprets recognized tests and measurements to determine baseline level of functioning and treatment applications that will enable patients to achieve valued functional outcomes.
• Documents results as established in Scopes of Assessments and makes clinical treatment recommendations.
• Independently plans, coordinates, and carries out treatment programs, and re-evaluates and adjusts OT treatment as appropriate.
• Manages and organizes the treatment area and works independently in planning and carrying out a treatment program to meet complex treatment objectives.
• Solves problems not covered by guides independently by utilizing specialized skills, knowledge, and experience.
• Independently solves complex problems related to OT.
• Adapts and modifies treatment plans, activities, and procedures to meet the needs of the Veterans.
• Conducts and documents PM&RS screening assessments in compliance with Joint Commission Standards and CARF, making recommendations for treatment to meet a wide variety of complex rehabilitation needs and responds to requests/referrals for treatment.
• Serves as the PM&RS member of the respective interdisciplinary treatment teams.
• Provides Veteran with splints and/or adaptive equipment as needed to attain treatment goals.
• Educates Veteran and significant other in the proper application/installation/use for a specific device.
• Monitors Veteran's response to program, summarizes and analyzes Veteran's performance, and modifies program and goals when necessary to meet Veteran's needs as situations and performance changes to attain projected functional outcomes.
• Consults as needed with ward team members regarding progress and changing needs.
• Re-administers evaluations using established methods of measurement to document changes in Veteran performance as it relates to projected outcome levels.
• Writes progress notes in the electronic record evaluating Veteran's response to treatment, analyzing treatment plans, progress, symptoms, attitudes, and reactions, and records changes in treatment activities according to established policies, procedures, and time frames.
• Independently develops, plans, coordinates, and initiates new programs, activities, and procedures to meet the needs of Veterans with complex problems/disabilities as well as the specific needs of the general population of patients.
• Maintains professional competency through documented and appropriate continuing education for professional and personal growth.
• Maintains professional state licensure and national certification.
• Maintains membership in professional organizations and reads current literature.
• Adheres to established standards, policies, and procedures set forth by section, service, and medical center.
• Participates in quality assurance activities and review including chart reviews, peer reviews, Veteran care monitoring, and Veteran satisfaction surveys.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - student loan payment reimbursement program
• Federal employee benefits package including comprehensive benefits
• Annual (vacation) leave accrual based on years of federal service
• Potential for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level