Occupational Therapist (Intermittent)

Veterans Health Administration • Iowa City, IA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Rehabilitation Department within the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Service Line at the Iowa City VA Health Care System. The primary responsibility is to provide direct inpatient occupational therapy services to Veterans. The therapist independently evaluates patients, develops treatment plans, and implements interventions for the inpatient population. The work schedule is intermittent, with no regularly scheduled tour of duty; work is sporadic and unpredictable. Telework and virtual work are not available. Clinical travel may be required when providing cross-coverage to other occupational therapy areas.

The occupational therapist uses current research and practice standards to provide evidence-based care; evaluates patients across ages, diagnoses, and environments; selects and administers standardized and non-standardized assessments; and modifies treatment based on patient response, team communication, family feedback, and patient goals. The therapist documents functional deficits and barriers to function, safety, and access, and communicates with patients, caregivers, team members, and other professionals.

The role also includes maintaining professional competencies and a valid state license, completing required training and annual reviews, staying current with professional practice, and contributing to occupational therapy education through presentations and student supervision. Administrative duties include program development, compliance with facility and professional standards, safety practices, accurate documentation and workload/reimbursement coding, and participation in performance appraisal activities.

The position requires the applicable occupational therapy education, current NBCOT certification, and a full, current, unrestricted state license, subject to the stated exceptions for qualifying graduate occupational therapists. The full performance level is GS-12; applicants may be selected from GS-09 through GS-12. GS-12 qualification includes one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 and the specified occupational therapy knowledge, clinical reasoning, collaboration, equipment-adaptation, and training competencies.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy for appointment of non-citizens.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• A qualifying occupational therapy education pathway: bachelor's degree in occupational therapy plus two years of occupational therapist experience; 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 are subject to the stated pre-January 1, 2005 program-accreditation condition.
• Graduation from an occupational therapy degree program approved by ACOTE or predecessor organizations, including required supervised fieldwork.
• Current NBCOT certification as an occupational therapist, except where the stated graduate occupational therapist exception applies.
• A full, current, unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, except where the stated graduate occupational therapist exception applies.
• For GS-12: one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 and directly related to the position, along with the stated occupational therapy knowledge and competencies.
• Ability to evaluate patients, develop and coordinate intervention plans, implement interventions, monitor patient response, and modify treatment as indicated.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate verbally and in writing with patients, families, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals, and other stakeholders.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations, documentation, reimbursement, and workload-entry requirements.
• Ability to use clinical reasoning and critical analysis to adapt assessments, treatment plans, activities, and procedures to patient needs.
• Ability to procure, fabricate, adjust, adapt, and modify orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living.
• Ability to conduct occupational therapy-related in-service and clinical training.
• Valid, unrestricted state driver's license and successful completion of a pre-employment driving physical examination.
• Subject to background and security investigation and completion of the online onboarding process and pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must complete all application requirements described in the announcement's Required Documents section.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated evaluation and certification conditions.
• Education-based qualification requires submission of transcripts; foreign education requires the specified foreign equivalency documentation.
• A pre-employment examination or evaluation is required as part of the pre-employment process.

Nice To Haves

• One year of qualified experience at the GS-12 level.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct inpatient occupational therapy services to Veterans.
• Independently assess patients and develop occupational profiles and treatment plans across multiple ages, diagnoses, and environments.
• Select and administer standardized and non-standardized psychosocial, cognitive, and physical assessments.
• Implement interventions and modify treatment plans, methods, and modalities based on patient response, team communication, family feedback, and patient goals.
• Document patients' physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits and barriers to function, safety, and access.
• Communicate and collaborate with patients, caregivers, interdisciplinary team members, and other professionals.
• Travel for clinical duties when providing cross-coverage to other occupational therapy areas, as required.
• Maintain professional competency through continuing education, training, annual mandatory reviews, and completion of at least two competencies annually; complete competencies on new equipment before patient use.
• Participate in professional education, in-service training, meetings, presentations, and supervision of occupational therapy students.
• Participate in program development to improve the efficiency and quality of patient care.
• Follow facility rules and procedures, professional standards and ethics, and applicable safety practices.
• Complete timely and accurate patient-service documentation and select and apply appropriate reimbursement codes and workload entries.
• Participate in performance appraisal activities, including setting goals, reviewing progress with a supervisor, and preparing a self-review.
• Procure, fabricate, adjust, adapt, and modify orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment, including durable medical equipment, as applicable to the stated grade-level competencies.
• Conduct occupational therapy-related in-service and clinical training, as applicable to the stated grade-level competencies.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• Selected applicants may qualify to receive credit for prior work or military service when determining annual leave accrual; approval is required and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level