The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for an Therapy Assistant. The Therapy Assistant will function in Recreation Therapy Service. The incumbent will perform a crucial role in supporting the primary recreation therapist in carrying out treatment services for Veterans.

Duties

The Therapy Assistant's duties include, but are not limited to: Communicates and treats customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Plans and carry out highly specialized and diversified treatment of a wide variety of acutely and clinically complex medical patients. Plans, implement, and conduct ongoing highly specialized and diversified recreation therapy treatment interventions for patients with varying degrees of impairments. Independently applies wide-ranging knowledge of recreation therapy concepts, principle, practices, procedures, roles, strategies, techniques, and treatment interventions/ modalities. Utilizes knowledge of a variety of standardized assessments tools in a systematic approach to collect comprehensive and accurate data. Informs the patient of his/her responsibility in the collection of assessment information and seeks collaboration in the process. Possess broad knowledge of the human body, psychology and the characteristics of physical and mental illness. Employs broad knowledge of medical terminology, recreation therapy, social recreation, activity therapy, therapeutic techniques, and fundamental sciences such as physiology, anatomy pathology, and psychology. Knowledge is applied in functions such as interpreting medical information in relation to disabilities, planning treatment, evaluating the condition and progress of patients, development of therapeutic techniques and devices, evaluating and advising on limitations and usefulness of recreation therapy interventions, and orienting/ training/ supervising student therapists, volunteers, and/or compensated work therapy (CWT) worker. Applies the rehabilitation process in meeting the needs of the patient and exercises judgment in making recurrent and wide-ranging changes in procedures and approaches to enable the patient to achieve maximum rehab potential rather than yielding to their disabilities. Applies individualized behavioral interventions and therapeutic procedures designed to reduce stress and anxiety, build confidence, diminish negative behaviors, recover of basic motor functioning, problem-solving and reasoning abilities, as well as develop compensatory strategies to master skills necessary to sustain an independent leisure lifestyle within the least restrictive environment. Assesses patients data, make a preliminary determination of their needs, develop treatment goals and objectives, and implement patient treatment plans. Applies specialized skill in the application, implementation, and conducting of evidence-based strategies, modalities, and interventions such as but not limited to fitness and wellness, activity and leisure development, recovery support, conflict/ problem resolution, adjustment to disability, assistive technology, and community access. Utilize complex therapeutic techniques, interventions, and problem-solving skills to maximize patient's functional status. Ability to collaborate and perform within an interdisciplinary team, primary recreation therapist and/or creative arts therapist; orient, supervise, and coordinate: students, volunteers, and community stakeholders. Work Schedule: Sunday-Thursday 8:00 am- 4:30 pm or 11:00am-7:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Recreation Therapy Assistant/PD91850-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the following requirements within 15 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement: Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/. All Title 38 Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) employees must have served in their Excepted Service position for at least 90 days in order to be eligible for a position within the Competitive Service. Applicants who were previously selected under a Competitive Delegating Examining Office (DEO) announcement must have served in their position for at least 90 days prior to being eligible for other positions within the Competitive Service. In addition to the qualification above you must also have: Specialized Experience GS-6: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: working as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective, or educational therapy; or experience gained as an assistant or aid in patient care, social work, or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Interpersonal Skills Technical Competence Critical Thinking Customer Service Patient Care Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements:The position involves moderately heavy lifting of physically impaired patients while assisting with ambulation duties. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing or walking for prolonged periods of time and over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; frequent bending, crouching, reaching, stooping, and stretching or similar activities to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as bowling and sports equipment and repositioning patients; and pushing or pulling heavy objects. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity to perform intricate therapeutic procedures. The incumbent must be able to push wheelchair patients on level and inclined ground. The incumbent must be physically able to drive the station vehicles and pass the Occupational Health Clinic Motor Vehicle Operator Evaluation. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System 10701 East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106 US
• Name: Michelle Swanhart
• Phone: 315-744-7939
• Email: [email protected]