This position is located at the New Mexico VA Health Care System (NMVAHCS), Albuquerque, New Mexico, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), whose mission is to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. This position incorporates and includes responsibilities in the Whole Health Initiative for the NMVAHCS.

Duties

The incumbent will serve as the Recreation Therapy Assistant (RTA) for the assigned patient care area/program (s). The incumbent is responsible for carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs and interventions inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities, as defined and assessed or assigned by the Recreation Therapist and/or PMR&S Therapy Supervisor. The RTA independently develops and implements diversional programs. These interventions address the assessed needs of the patients, utilizing appropriate motivational and leadership approaches and will be implemented in both the clinical and community setting. The incumbent works with patients who have a variety of illnesses, diseases and /or disabling conditions with varying degrees of impairment. At times the RTA will work independently with patients and is responsible for minimizing all potential risks to patients and following safety policy/procedures. They must assure that patients are appropriately dressed for prescribed outdoor activities; observe safety precautions in use of tools and equipment, record attendance and participation of patients in projects or activities; and report the reactions and responses of patients. Patient care areas may include, Sub-acute & Acute Rehabilitation, Medicine, Psychiatric, Community Living Center, Dementia Special Care Unit, Hospice Unit, Day Treatment Program, Domiciliary, Substance Abuse Treatment, PTSD Treatment, Blind Rehabilitation, Whole Health, clinics and on inpatient units. The RTA works with patients on an individual basis, in small groups or in large groups depending on the patient's physical and mental status and individual needs for treatment. The Incumbent works as an integral member of the Rehabilitation Care Service Recreation Therapy team and assigned unit/program interdisciplinary team, providing patient care based on practical knowledge of the modalities used in therapeutic recreation. Program(s) / unit(s) assignment is based on documented competencies. RTA is responsible for developing specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical and/or mental health based on the therapeutic recreation assessment completed by the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. (CTRS). Independently conducts on-station and off-station general (diversional) activity programs for various types of disabilities which include psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, neuro-muscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, AIDS; amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, and patients with multiple diagnoses. Incumbent strives to reduce mental and physical functional declines, maintaining the highest degree of self-determined and independence within limitations of a patient's disability and provides feedback to the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and/or other team members as appropriate. Works with professional CTRS to select, adapt, and/or adjust recreation therapy modalities in accordance with treatment goals. Independently modifies techniques and develops new approaches as necessary to ensure the realization of patient treatment goals are met in noncomplex cases. Makes modification of techniques in complicated or high risk cases after conferring with the CTRS assigned to the cases and providing feedback to the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and/or other team members as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm; Tuesday - 11:30am-8:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Recreation Therapy Assistant/PD121320 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/11/2023. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. 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. Individual Occupation Requirement. Have qualifying specialized experience for this position. Examples include: Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities. Teacher's aide in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities. Aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service. Aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities. Summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours, and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children). Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop. Aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility. Aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: 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: safely instructing individuals of varying backgrounds, physical capabilities and education levels in a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs; working with patients on an individual basis or in small or large groups; developing specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical and/or mental health; developing and implementing modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ReasoningCommunicationComputer SkillsInterventionTherapy and Counseling 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: In some assignments the work involves regular and recurring physical exertion such as prolonged walking or standing, bending, moderately heavy lifting or moving of equipment, positioning severely disabled patients and assisting patients in ambulation and with wheelchair mobility. The work requires specific, common physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity, as well as skill and ability in leisure activities, maneuvering wheelchairs and driving wheelchair accessible vehicles. The work is primarily very active in nature with some sedentary work involved when performing administrative tasks. The work involves irregular tours of duty. 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 Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: Evelyn Gaynor
• Email: [email protected]