Occupational Therapist – Pediatric Outpatient

Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Nashville, TN

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is seeking a full-time Pediatric Occupational Therapist for its Outpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation Team. This role involves working with children and adolescents who have developmental, sensory, and functional challenges in a collaborative, family-centered care environment. The therapist will provide occupational therapy services, focusing on developmental, sensory, and academic needs, and will partner closely with Pediatric Speech Therapy. The position requires evaluating and treating children with conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing challenges, developmental delays, fine motor impairments, and functional/self-care deficits. The therapist will develop individualized treatment plans, deliver evidence-based interventions to improve fine motor skills, sensory integration, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), functional independence, and school readiness. Collaboration with physicians, speech-language pathologists, other therapists, caregivers, and healthcare professionals is essential, as is educating parents and caregivers on home programs and adaptive strategies. Accurate and efficient documentation within the Epic EMR system is also a key responsibility.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Occupational Therapy program.
• Current Tennessee Occupational Therapist license or eligibility for Tennessee licensure.
• Minimum one (1) year of experience working with pediatric populations in an outpatient, rehabilitation, or pediatric therapy setting preferred.
• Strong pediatric evaluation and treatment planning skills.
• Knowledge of sensory integration and developmental treatment approaches.
• Excellent communication and family education skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Commitment to evidence-based pediatric occupational therapy practice.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Intermediate): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation. May complete accurate chart audits of co-workers in the same classification category.
• Treatment Planning & Goal Setting (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery in developing a plan of care that incorporates treatment interventions focused on meeting objective goals. Develops and documents patient focused short and long term goals that are functional and measurable. Identifies the need for and referral to other services, as needed.
• Rehabilitation Therapist Patient Evaluation (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery in evaluating patients with physical deficits including impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function by obtaining information pertinent to the assessment and administering and scoring standardized tests and objective measures of deficit areas. Selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance to the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Treatment Implementation (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery in providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Able to modify treatment plan as needed to demonstrate provision of skilled therapy services including progression of treatment throughout course of care, and revision of treatment interventions of goals not met.
• Physical/Occupational Therapist Patient Education (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Able to adapt communication to needs/level of understanding of audience and share appropriate information/literature.
• Bachelor's degree.

Nice To Haves

• Experience treating pediatric patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, fine motor and coordination deficits, and self-care and functional independence challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide occupational therapy services for children and adolescents in an outpatient setting.
• Focus on developmental, sensory, and academic needs while partnering closely with Pediatric Speech Therapy.
• Evaluate and treat children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing challenges, developmental delays, fine motor impairments, and functional and self-care deficits.
• Perform comprehensive occupational therapy evaluations and develop individualized treatment plans.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions designed to improve fine motor skills, sensory integration, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), functional independence, and school readiness and participation.
• Collaborate with physicians, speech-language pathologists, therapists, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals.
• Educate parents and caregivers on home programs, adaptive strategies, and developmental support techniques.
• Document patient care accurately and efficiently within Epic EMR in accordance with regulatory and organizational standards.
• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• Supervises and directs certified athletic trainers (PT only), physical therapist / occupational therapist assistants, technicians and volunteers and students.
• Selects and follows correct protocol for care, as established, and actively seek out, utilize and mentor/teach others on current evidence based treatment strategies.
• May consult with team members to offer suggestions for treatment strategies.
• May serve as a clinical content expert for practice area, initiates consultation with team members for advanced treatment of patients, develop forum for staff members to utilize clinical expertise.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.
• Nationally ranked children's hospital and academic medical center.
• Collaborative and supportive team environment.
• Continuing education and professional development opportunities.
• Career advancement pathways.
• Access to innovative therapies and evidence-based practice.
• Opportunity to make a lasting impact on children and families throughout Middle Tennessee.

What This Job Offers

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