This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The incumbent functions as a staff Occupational Therapist for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service of the VA Boston Healthcare System. This position requires a fully licensed and registered Occupational Therapist that works independently requiring minimal guidance form the Occupational Therapy Supervisor. This position will have a primary duty location at the Brockton Campus, but may provide clinic coverage at the Jamaica Plain and/or West Roxbury campuses on an as needed basis. Candidates must hold a current registration with NBCOT and a current license by the state of Massachusetts. This Occupational Therapist position will be assigned to the Inpatient Mental Health setting to provide therapy to acute and chronic populations. This position will provide therapy in both individual and group formats. The Occupational Therapist will be independent with managing a full-time patient caseload in our inpatient mental health setting with our acute and chronic populations. This position may also provide intermittent coverage in the Community Living Center for sub-acute and long-term patient, as well as coverage at West Roxbury Campus to provide intermittent coverage for acute medical units, acute surgical units, acute spinal cord injury, and acute rehabilitation units. The therapist will be required to have recent experience treating adult/older adult patients with a variety of medical conditions, both simple and complex. The duties and responsibilities of the Occupational Therapist include but are not limited to: Conducts independent and specialized evaluation of the patient by using a variety of standardized and non-standardized tests to determine occupational therapy needs. Develops an effective and client centered treatment plan that is appropriate and indicated for the disabilities and conditions being treated. In collaboration with patient and family/caregivers establish short and long-term goals that are objective, measurable, and within certain time frames. Implements treatment program, modifying program as needed to achieve goals. Works in collaboration with patient, family/caregivers, and other team members (PT, MD, SW, RN, etc.) to establish appropriate discharge planning. Develops and carries out a full range of occupational therapy treatments using a variety of evidence-based treatment methods and techniques including, but not limited to activities of daily living training, strength training, endurance training, cognitive retraining, range of motion exercises, prescription of adaptive equipment and/or durable medical equipment, balance training, physical agent modalities, neuromuscular retraining, joint mobilization, instrumental activities of daily living training, patient/family education, financial management training, health management and maintenance training, home management training, functional mobility, transfer training, community re-integration training and wheelchair mobility training. Provide age-specific care that is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, cultural, and chronological maturation needs of the patient. Provide thorough written documentation for patients' current status, progress with therapy, therapy plan of care and patient response to treatment. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.Weekend Rotation/Holidays. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 523-F04425 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required. NOTIFICATION: This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and/or Experience: (1) The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: (a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. or (b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. or (c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. (2) Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in this appendix. Certification. Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an OT. State Licensure. Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Occupational Therapist, GS-11: (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice. (b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment. (c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others. (d) Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated. (e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing. (f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. (g) Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice. Occupational Therapist, GS-12: (1) Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. (2) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits. (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.(c) Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients. (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. Preferred Experience: Independently and solely managing a variety of acute and chronic mental health conditions. Recent experience is required in working specifically with OT intervention and mental health populations. Specific examples of recent work experience in evidence based practice within this population expected. References: VA Handbook 5005/127, Part II, Appendix G14 - Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent stooping, bending, walking, handling of wheelchairs and lifting in conjunction with treatment of patients. At times, there may be undue heavy lifting due to unforeseen circumstances such as preventing a patient form falling. Dexterity and skill in safe machinery techniques are required.

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 VA Boston Healthcare System 940 Belmont Street Brockton, MA 02301 US
• Name: Karina Santos
• Phone: 401-752-6750
• Email: [email protected]