Advanced Orthotist/Prosthetist

About the role

The Orthotist/Prosthetist - Advanced Practitioner functions as a Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) program clinician. They are responsible for the clinical care needs, administrative oversight, and accreditation compliance for the local VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) served, and for independently managing and operating a small mobile lab out of a specialized vehicle (Ford Transit 350).

This job is open to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent federal employees of other agencies, VA Health Profession Trainees (HPTs) and US Citizens.

Responsibilities

• Driving from SLVHCS to the CBOCs in a specialized vehicle (Ford Transit 350) equipped as a mobile orthotics and prosthetics workshop/ laboratory three days a week;
• Visiting Veterans at home who cannot access care in other ways;
• Devoting at least 25% of care for those Veterans with the most clinically complex needs including individuals with multiple limb amputations and those with mobility disability from diagnoses such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and stroke;
• Completing a variety of administrative duties such as budget development, managing inventory and resources, overseeing the orthotic and prosthetic schedule, devising short- and long-range goals in accordance with local, VISN, and VHA central office direction, and conducting quality assurance activities;
• Working complex patient analysis in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions, interrelated conditions;
• Assessing the patient for indications/contraindications and discussion of the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of that plan;
• Considering new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications;
• Providing ongoing care and periodic evaluation to assure, maintain, and document optimal fit and function of prostheses, orthoses, soft goods, inserts, shoes, and compression devices provided to patients;
• Reviewing and triaging prosthetics requests daily and communicating with the scheduling team;
• Determining which patients require in-house scheduling and which patients can be sent to outside commercial vendors based on a detailed understanding of patient presentation and needs and other factors;
• Maintaining knowledge of regulatory requirements established by various regulatory boards including the National Committee for Orthotic/Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and other relevant regulatory bodies;
• Providing an oversight and training of other Orthotists-Prosthetists, residents, trainees, fitters and/or technicians as assigned based on certification requirements.

Requirements

Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

Subject to background/security investigation.

Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.

Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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).

Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.

Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.

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;
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Education: (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR, (2) A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program.
• Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign degree programs must have proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in orthotics and prosthetics.
• Board Certification. Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement.
• English Language Proficiency. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

• Orthotist/ProsthetistGS-12

Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as an orthotist/prosthetist functioning as a full member of the clinical team which includes significant involvement in treatment plan development for the most complex types of conditions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment- specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by the ABC, BOC, the National Committee for Orthotic/Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), the International Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists (IAOP), the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), etc.
• Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database (NPPD), knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software (PNS) package, Decision Support System (DSS), and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and certification requirements for individuals.
• Ability to analyze data and provide reports using CPRS, Vista, DSS, HCPCS codes and other patient database information.
• Ability to provide training to orthotists/prosthetists in new technologies and innovations in devices.

Preferred Experience:

• Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist with at least 3 years clinical experience