The Float Staff Occupational Therapist functions as an Occupational Therapist with planned and spontaneous assignments across all rehab areas within the Pittsburgh VA catchment area including outpatient, acute care, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, Community Based Outpatient Care (CBOCs), telehealth, and in-home/in-community care.

Duties

The duties of the Float Staff Occupational Therapist floats between include: Being assigned to all program areas within Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) while providing professional, independent Occupational Therapy services. Performing ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial Being assigned in any area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required on a recurring basis due to the patient population served and complexity of the facility and/or treatment area. Functioning as an independent Occupational Therapist with planned and spontaneous assignments across all rehab areas within the VA Pittsburgh (VAPHS) catchment area including outpatient, acute care, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, Community Based Outpatient Care, telehealth, and in-home/in-community care as assigned. Participating in specialty Physical Medicine and Rehab (PM&R) programs as assigned including, but not limited to outpatient orthopedics and neurology, pre- driver's screening, geriatric evaluations, and amputee clinic. Selecting and providing direct Occupational Therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. Demonstrating a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in Occupational Therapy and their proper application. Independently planning, developing, and implementing, comprehensive patient evaluation and treatment procedures. Providing a comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, Weekends and Holidays on Rotational Basis Telework: Telework Available, Ad Hoc, as determined by Supervisor. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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 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.] - Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: 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 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 Master's Degree or higher in Occupational Therapy. Foreign Graduates. Graduates] of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix. 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. Certification. Candidates must possess a current 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. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain [the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing,] must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. Failure to Obtain Licensure/Certification. In all cases, graduate OTs must actively pursue obtaining required credentials (i.e., NBCOT certification and/or state licensure) from the date of their appointment. The human resource office will notify the uncertified/unlicensed OT in writing of the requirement to obtain certification/licensure, the date by which the certification/license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified/licensed by the deadline date. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment.] May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Education, Experience, and Licensure. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must have completed of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level directly related to the position being filled where you performed duties such as: Provided professional and independent Occupational Therapy services; modified standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools; selected and provided direct Occupational Therapy interventions and procedures with routine complexity to enhance safety, wellness, performance in activities of daily living (ADL); and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation; demonstrated an understanding of the theories of treatment in Occupational Therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the [experience above, the candidate] must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders. 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. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. References: VA Handbook 5005/127 PART II APPENDIX G14 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-12. Physical Requirements: Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day. Sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp and place papers, charts, computers, phones, and reference materials. Many of the patients are bariatric. Incumbent must employ safe lifting techniques including the use of mechanical devices and avoid awkward postures while working with the veterans. Ability to defend oneself from a confused, combative, or otherwise aggressive patient; Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling: 1-10 pounds constantly, 10-25 frequently, and 20-35 pounds occasionally. Specific examples include: Picking up, carrying and placing folders, charts, books and binders. Setting up equipment for patients such as weights or durable medical equipment. Lifting and carrying adaptive equipment ranging in weight from negligible to 50 pounds. Pushing and rolling equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs and supply cans. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation and transfers, from minimal assistance to dependent transfers. Defending oneself from a confused, combative, or otherwise aggressive patient. Performing passive range of motion exercises that require the movement of patients' extremities in all planes of motion. Repositioning and transferring patients with manual and mechanical assistance. Operating all aspects of a computer & telecommunication- keyboard, mouse, control buttons, faxes, and telephones. Demonstrating the use of all aspects of adaptive equipment for patient teaching. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdrivers and pliers. Occasional use of a motor vehicle

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Carletta Sligh
• Phone: (412) 822-2185
• Email: [email protected]