This position is assigned to the Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders (SCI/D) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The position involves assisting Recreation Therapists and the Rehabilitation Section in the implementation of recreational programs, activities, and events to meet Veterans' needs.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major Duties Include: Administers a wide variety of therapeutic recreation treatment interventions and activities as part of the patient care plan. Implements and modifies treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimal outcomes. Utilizes recreational materials and equipment, gym equipment and therapeutic exercises. Plans schedules, and implements a diverse variety of leisure and therapeutic recreational activities for Veterans and family members including but not limited to sports and games, art, crafts, music, drama, horticulture, pets, trips, special events, social programs, etc. Performs activity support functions such as setting up recreation areas for scheduled activities, gathering information and making reservations for trips and outings, arranging for equipment and supplies, transporting patients to and from activities, etc. Performs basic documentation in Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 7:00am-3:30pm. May include some evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call duties (Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs) Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify at the GS-06 level, if you fulfill one of the following qualifications: -Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the Therapy Assistant position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: work as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective, or educational therapy; 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; administering a wide variety of therapeutic recreation treatment interventions and activities as part of a patient care plan; utilizing recreational materials and equipment, gym equipment and therapeutic exercises. -OR- -Education: Successful completion of one-half year (9 semester hours) of graduate level education with course work that is directly related to the position of a Therapy Assistant? (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) -OR- -Combined Education/Experience: Equivalent combinations of directly related graduate level education and specialized experience (as described above) to meet the requirements at the GS-06 level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English to meet the requirements of this position. Spanish Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in basic written and spoken Spanish to meet the requirements of this position. This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: CommunicationsPatient CareSelective Placement FactorTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing or walking for prolonged periods of time, frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and stretching to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; lifting and repositioning patients; pushing or pulling heavy objects; leading or directing physical exercise. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity to perform intricate therapy procedures, as well as skill and ability in the therapist's creative arts discipline. 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

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]