Occupational Therapist

The incumbent will directly report to a Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Supervisor within the Anesthesia and Physical Medicine Service at the Orlando VA Healthcare System. While it is rare, there may be occasions when an Occupational Therapist will be required to provide service at another site on a temporary basis based on patient demand.

The Occupational Therapist's primary function is direct patient care. 100% of time is spent performing clinical duties. He/she plans, develops, and implements comprehensive, complex treatment programs for individual patients or groups of patients to relieve pain, restore or enhance performance, and maximize ability to function independently as possible. The position major duties and responsibilities are:

• Based on the findings from a thorough assessment, plans an effective goal-directed treatment program that is appropriate and indicated for the disability/condition being treated.
• Depending on the setting, proficient in the use of VA Video conferencing (VVC) technology and use of Home Exercise Software to educate the patient.
• Creates a plan of care and refers treatment to an Occupational Therapist Assistant when appropriate.
• Works closely with an interdisciplinary team in the planning and implementing of the patient's treatment program.
• When assessing or providing client care, the therapist considers the age of the client as it relates to the ability to understand directions, provide objective self-assessments, or any other medical milieu appropriate to the overall treatment plan.
• Provides clients and families with counseling, education, information, and training regarding the nature of their diseases or disability, treatment plans and goals, home program, and post program adjustment. This is accomplished individually or with the interdisciplinary team, family and client.
• Recognizes contraindications and appropriateness of treatment prescribed by the primary provider and consults with provider if these are in question.
• Appropriately plans client discharge and/or need for continuing treatment and terminates treatment when the client reaches maximum benefit.
• Documents all treatment, progress, education, counseling and training in the patients' medical record. Documentation is completed per station policies for content and timeliness. This includes timeliness of encounters and submission of charges.

Work Schedule: 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.
Telework: Adhoc, as determined by agency policy.
Functional Statement #: 82211F
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 Language Proficiency. Occupational Therapists 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-
  • 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
  • PLEASE NOTE: 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 below.
• Certification-Documentation Supplied. Candidates must possess a current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as an OT.
• State Licensure-Documentation Supplied. 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.
• 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 REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the Basic Requirements above, the following are the grade requirements.

• Grade Determinations for Occupational Therapist GS-12:
• GS-12 Experience, Education, AND Licensure: In addition to the Basic Requirements, an Occupational Therapist at the full performance GS-12 level MUST be certified, licensed, AND possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level directly related to the position being filled.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education 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.
• Assignment. OTs at this level practice independently and are responsible for comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and 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. OTs demonstrate a full professional 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. They are assigned to all program areas within VHA and provide professional, independent occupational therapy services. OTs at this level may be given assignments 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. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).
• Preferred experience: Experience providing occupational therapy services in outpatient settings, as well as experience in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• References: 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.

Physical Requirements: Medium strength. Medium work entails: exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for light work. Examples of the medium strength required for the position are as follows:

• 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 and binders.
• Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling: 1-10 pounds constantly, 10-25 frequently, and 20-50 pounds occasionally.

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.

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.