Occupational Therapist (Home Based Primary Care)

<p>The Occupational Therapy (OT) position is to promote veterans' safety and independent function in their everyday activities in the home and community environments. The position includes strategies to manage self-care in the home, recommendations for access into and out of the home, and prescription, fitting, and training in the use of wheeled mobility where appropriate using OT principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence-based practice.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>Clinical Duties: Evaluations take place primarily in the veterans' homes. The OT conducts an evaluation that gathers information from the medical record, interview of the veteran and other appropriate people such as family and caregiver or other providers, observation, and standardized and non-standardized testing, including body measurements, patient and significant other personal goals, and analyzes the demands of the occupation, inclusive of: a. Areas of occupation: ADL, IADL, education, work, play, leisure and social participation. b. Performance skills: motor (posture, mobility, coordination, strength and effort, energy), process (knowledge, organization, adaptation) and communication/interaction (information exchange, relations). c. Performance patterns: habits, routines, roles. d. Context(s): Cultural (including cultural contexts related to age, gender identity, and military history), physical environment, social, personal, spiritual, temporal, and virtual. e. Activity demands: the kind of tools, space, social, timing, body functions and body structures that are required by the activity. f. Client factors: body functions and structures. These include mental, sensory, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, speech and skin functions, and the body structures that support those functions. Intervention Duties: The OT develops an intervention plan in collaboration with the veteran and family, caregiver and social support as appropriate. The plan considers the recommendations for the patient made by the primary care team or Home Based Primary Care Team (HBPC) plan of care and other specialty services. It considers the veteran's context and activity demands. The intervention plan includes objective and measurable goals with timeframes. a. Optimization or adaptation of performance skills and client factors such as strengthening, range of motion, fine motor tasks, and memory and attention exercises, especially as they enhance the ability to perform self-care, properly use durable medical equipment and optimize safety. b. Prescription of, fitting and training in use of basic ambulatory aides and simple to complex wheeled mobility and seating systems and/or remediations or modifications and other strategies to optimize the ability to perform areas of occupation, such as: ADL, IADL, education, work, leisure, and social interaction. c. Recommendations for home modifications and durable medical equipment (DME), to create safe access into, out of and within the home. Other duties as assigned Maximization of Outcomes Duties: The OT maximizes patient outcomes by: a. Reassessing veterans' response to treatment and caregivers' response to education at regular intervals, including to ascertain their safe use of DME. b. Modifying the treatment plan and goals as needed to support veteran outcomes, including grading the interventions to best meet the veteran's and caregiver's learning abilities and other capabilities. c. Recommending appropriate discharge from OT, based on response to treatment, collaboration with others and the veteran's ongoing needs. d. Making referrals to other services as appropriate. Other duties as assigned. Health and Safety: The OT optimizes health and safety of self, patients, colleagues, and visitors by: a. Practicing proper infection control procedures in all patient care and clinical activities. b. Using all clinical equipment and supplies in the prescribed and safe manner. c. Following all health and safety protocols of the HBPC and SFVAHCS Outpatient programs. d. Complying with all safe and legal driving rules according to VA and state driving laws. Clinical Information Management The OT optimizes interdisciplinary care planning by: a. Recording patient care activities in the evaluation, reassessment, daily and discharge notes following all VA, Rehab, and OT regulations. b. Participating in formal and informal methods of communication about patient status. Administrative The OT supports the veterans, the OT Section, the OT Mobility program, the OT Mobility program, the Rehab Service, the HBPC program, the SFVAHCS facility and the Agency by: 1. Maintaining all required records, including: encounter entry, consult completion, and others as requested. 2. Submitting Prosthetic Consults in a timely manner and according to proper protocol. 3. Monitoring clinic supply inventory to ensure adequate supply levels according to Rehabilitation Service protocol. 4. Maintaining safe and orderly office and vehicle environments. 5. Participating in developing Quality Improvement (QI) indicators, conducting QI audits a Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 05789F/ 05790F/ 05791F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized</p><h3>Requirements</h3>You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.<h3>Education</h3>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/.