Occupational Therapist

The primary responsibility of this assignment is the delivery of ethical, customer oriented, quality and specialized Occupational Therapy services in Spinal Cord Injuries/Disorders System of Care. These are complex patients with acute, sub-acute or prolonged physical and/or psychosocial
dysfunction.

The Occupational Therapist independently performs a comprehensive evaluation and interpretation of the level of functions and carries out the appropriate therapy to teach new or compensating skills to optimize patient performance on his/her roles. Work is done independently, with general supervision and performance evaluated by outcomes. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide 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. Uses standard and non-standard evaluation procedures and advanced techniques to obtain information about patient's impairment, activity limitations, participation restrictions, strengths and barriers. Adapts assessment tools to the complexity of the diagnosis and identify the need for further depth specific assessment.
• Develops and implements independently, an individualized treatment program based on patients' goals, evaluation findings, physician recommendations, person potential to benefit and intended discharge environment.
• Collaborates with the treatment team by interpreting assessments predicted outcomes and rehabilitation needs for establishing or modifying treatment goals and discharge plans.
• Assesses educational needs of patients and caregivers and meets those considering physical/mental capabilities, cultural and behavioral variables.
• Orients patients and family or caregiver on assessment findings and treatment plan to involve them in the total rehabilitation management of the person. Education will be documented to keep track, and reinforce education as needed.
• Performs assessment for wheelchair(s) (manual, motorized and/or sports) and configuration cushion assessment and provides adequate positioning which is important in spinal cord injury person(s) served.

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Tuesday thru Saturday (May include some evenings, weekends, holidays and on-call duties(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs)
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

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.: The individual must meet at least one of the following 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
  • (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
• 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 of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix.
• 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.
• Exceptions for the Graduate Occupational Therapist:
  • OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program [who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state [licensure], may be [appointed, pending certification and/or licensure, as a graduate OT [on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
  • Graduate OTs may only be appointed at the GS-9 grade level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-11 level until licensure and/or certification is obtained. For grades levels at or above the developmental GS-11 grade level, the OT must be certified and licensed.
  • A graduate OT may provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed OT who meets all state regulatory requirements.
  • Temporary graduate OT appointments may not be extended beyond two years, or converted to a new temporary appointment.

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:

GS-9:

Education, Experience, or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements

GS-11:

Experience: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled;

OR

Education: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field

OR

Doctorate in occupational therapy

In addition to the [experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
2. Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.
3. Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
4. Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
5. Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
6. Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
7. Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.

GS-12:

Experience: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. Experience includes:

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. 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.
2. Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
3. 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.
4. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
5. Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in wheelchair mapping, patients with tetra/paraplegia, complex ADL and transfer, interdisciplinary teams, virtual rehabilitation equipment's
• Experience in inpatients setting

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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-9 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Occupational Therapist work may demand prolonged standing, sitting, carrying and lifting of
equipment as required for the interventions. It will also require participation in training,
interventions and special activities in both in-house and off-station settings.

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/.

• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.
• Spanish proficiency
  

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.