The Recreation Therapist is assigned to the Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Department. Therapists provide treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services. The primary purpose of this position is to provide Recreation Therapy to veterans in and outside their home setting to include taking veterans to outings with government vehicles and linking veterans to appropriate community events.

Duties

Duties at the GS-11 (Full Performance Level) include, but are not limited to: Administration of Treatment: Serves as a member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team recommending treatment objectives and goals. Responsible for providing assessment and treatment interventions. Employs therapeutic objectives which are complex because of the severe and multiple disabilities regularly encountered. Handles difficult cases involving patients who have multiple diagnoses and/or other severe medical complications, which may require unconventional approaches to treatment and resourcefulness in devising effective methods and procedures. Considers age and diagnosis to determine current levels of functioning regarding mental and physical evaluation in order to develop and implement a treatment plan. Interprets and reports to physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and other interdisciplinary team members patient's reactions to treatment which have medical significance and diagnostic value. Independently modifies techniques and develops new approaches to ensure the realization of patient treatment goals. Teaches independent living skills, social interaction skills, adjustment and coping skills, pre-vocational or work adjustment skills, power wheelchair, manual wheelchair and other mobility devices, community training, aquatic therapy techniques, adaptive sports and community transportation planning and safety. Assessment and Treatment Planning: Uses effective interviewing techniques to obtain objective and factual information pertaining to the Veteran's interests and aptitudes. Interviews Veterans with severe and/or multiple diagnoses that require unconventional interview approaches and treatments to devise effective methods and procedures. Assesses the need for and the patient's ability to use adaptive equipment including ADL aides, power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs and other mobility devices, assistive technology, etc. in the community setting. Develops treatment plans using client's assessment, physician or nurse's therapy orders. Develops intermediate and long-term goals and objectives with each patient in his/her assigned program. Coordinates the overall treatment plan with the interdisciplinary team, patient's family/caregiver to provide a program that focuses on treatment goals. Reviews medical record and consults with other team members to gather pertinent information, interprets medical record information, reviews therapy consults/orders, and conducts mental and physical evaluation of patients in order to develop and implement a treatment plan. Administers mental and physical assessments for patients with severe and/or multiple diagnoses, scores or interprets a variety of creative, leisure and motor skills assessments. Evaluates the assigned patient's mental, emotional, social and physical capabilities to determine the patient's needs in recreation therapy. Develops therapeutic programs for various types of disabilities which include psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, visual impairment and patients with multiple diagnoses. Treatment Evaluation and Adjustment: Conducts ongoing and timely evaluations of therapy results and independently modifies, redirects, adjusts and augments treatment plans as indicated by each patient's response and progress in the light of each patient's emotional, physical, mental and social limitations, needs, skills, aptitudes and interests. Maintains a close working relationship with medical and allied health care specialists to assess patient's condition/progress and coordinate patient treatment to effect maximum rehabilitation potential. Documents patient care using the electronic medical record and updates per medical documentation policy to reflect current status of patients. Prepares and submits initial, progress and discharge notes (in accordance with service policy, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards and Joint Commission standards) that cover the entire course of treatment. Complexity: Plans and carries out a diverse range of recreation therapy treatment interventions for a diverse patient caseload, (e.g., Military /Sexual Trauma PTSD, psychiatric, substance abuse, stroke, CHF, TBI, geriatric) whose conditions can be treated with highly specialized, standard and non-standard procedures and approaches. Researches, analyzes and evaluates treatment interventions, considering incomplete and potentially conflicting information. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0800-1630 Telework: Not Available 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. Education: A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC); OR A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. Certification: Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 3b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived. Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified. Failure to Obtain Registration/Certification. In all cases, recreation and creative arts therapists must actively pursue meeting registration and/or certification requirements, starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unregistered and/or uncertified recreation or creative arts therapist with the written requirement to obtain registration/certification, the date by which the registration and/or certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming registered and/or certified by the deadline. Failure to become registered and/or certified within two years from the date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0638 recreation and creative arts therapist occupation, and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credential. A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: Recreation Therapist, GS-7. Experience/Education: None beyond the basic requirements. Recreation Therapist, GS-9. Experience/Education: At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level, or a master's degree in recreation therapy may be substituted for the required one year of professional recreation therapist experience. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for the diagnosis or disability of the patient. Knowledge to interpret and apply all health and safety regulations, to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisions of patient care, and environmental maintenance. Ability to effectively communicate and educate patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the treatment process. Knowledge to apply evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. Recreation Therapist, GS-11. Experience: At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to adapt assessment tools and treatment interventions to address the complexity of the diagnosis or disabilities and demonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for further in-depth specific assessment of function and utilization of unconventional methods and techniques. Knowledge to independently interpret provider referrals and consults; and apply all health and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. Skill in effectively communicating and educating, in a clear and concise manner, with patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the interdisciplinary treatment process. Skill in independently utilizing appropriate screening and evaluation techniques required to appropriately provide direct patient care in areas such as, but not limited to recommendations for recreation therapy assistive devices, including fit and function. Skill in independently applying evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. Knowledge of the principles and techniques in recreation therapy assessment and the treatment of recreation, leisure, and biopsychosocial functional deficits. Preferred Experience: Experience working with geriatric population. Experience working with rehabilitation diagnosis (ALS, Parkinson's Disease, Amputations, Stroke, Brain Injury, MS, and other neurological conditions). Experience working in a hospital setting. Comfort and experience running out-patient Recreation Therapy Programs for patients with physical impairments is required. Experience assessing individuals Recreation Therapy needs and providing goal directed interventions. Maintain a valid drivers license and good driving record. References: VA Handbook 5005/111, Part II, Appendix G60, dated June 7, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: This work requires moderate lifting/carrying (15-44 lbs.), use of fingers, pushing, reaching above shoulder, walking, standing, crawling, kneeling, repeated bending, operation of motor vehicle transporting patients, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, mental and emotional stability. Environmental Factors include working outside and inside, working closely with others, and working alone.

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 VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Michelle Rootes
• Phone: (907)257-3713
• Email: [email protected]