Occupational Therapist

Veterans Health Administration • San Juan, PR

15d • Onsite

About The Position

The Occupational Therapist provides ethical, customer-oriented, quality, specialized occupational therapy services within the Spinal Cord Injuries/Disorders System of Care. The position serves patients with complex acute, sub-acute, or prolonged physical and/or psychosocial dysfunction. The therapist independently evaluates patients’ functional levels and provides appropriate therapy to teach new or compensatory skills that optimize performance in their roles. Work is performed independently under general supervision and evaluated by outcomes.

The therapist develops and implements individualized treatment programs based on patients’ goals, evaluation results, physician recommendations, potential to benefit, and intended discharge environment. The role collaborates with the treatment team on rehabilitation needs, predicted outcomes, treatment goals, and discharge planning, and educates patients and caregivers while documenting and reinforcing education as needed. The position also assesses manual, motorized, and sports wheelchairs and cushion configurations to support appropriate positioning for people with spinal cord injuries.

The scheduled work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Work may include some evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call duties. Schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor and may vary on a permanent or temporary basis according to facility and patient-care needs. Telework is not available; this is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• A qualifying occupational therapy education and/or experience pathway: a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy plus two years of occupational therapist experience; a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy plus two full years of graduate education in a related field; or a master's degree or higher in occupational therapy. The bachelor's-degree pathways require a degree from an approved program predating the AOTA/ACOTE accreditation change described in the posting.
• Graduation from an occupational therapy degree program approved by ACOTE or its predecessor organizations, including required supervised fieldwork.
• Current NBCOT certification as an occupational therapist and a full, current, unrestricted state, territory, commonwealth, or District of Columbia license to practice occupational therapy, subject to the stated graduate occupational therapist exception.
• For GS-11 consideration, one year of experience equivalent to GS-9 directly related to the position, or three years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field, or a doctorate in occupational therapy; candidates must also demonstrate the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities for the grade.
• For GS-12 consideration, one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 directly related to the position, along with the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities for the grade.
• For positions in Puerto Rico, proficiency in basic written and spoken Spanish is a selective placement factor.
• Ability to meet the employment conditions described in the posting, including background/security investigation, pre-employment physical examination, onboarding and identification requirements, and participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Ability to meet physical demands that may include prolonged standing and sitting, and carrying and lifting equipment as required for interventions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in wheelchair mapping.
• Experience with patients with tetra/paraplegia.
• Experience with complex activities of daily living and transfers.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience with virtual rehabilitation equipment.
• Experience in an inpatient setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures of varying complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation.
• Use standard and non-standard evaluation procedures and advanced techniques to assess impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, strengths, and barriers.
• Adapt assessment tools to the complexity of the diagnosis and identify when further, more specific assessment is needed.
• Independently develop and implement individualized treatment programs based on patient goals, evaluation findings, physician recommendations, potential to benefit, and intended discharge environment.
• Collaborate with the treatment team by interpreting assessments, predicted outcomes, and rehabilitation needs to establish or modify treatment goals and discharge plans.
• Assess the educational needs of patients and caregivers, accounting for physical and mental capabilities and cultural and behavioral variables.
• Orient patients and their families or caregivers to assessment findings and treatment plans so they can participate in rehabilitation management; document and reinforce education as needed.
• Assess manual, motorized, and/or sports wheelchairs and cushion configurations and provide appropriate positioning for patients with spinal cord injuries.
• Participate in training, interventions, and special activities in in-house and off-station settings.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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