Blind Rehabilitation Specialist

About the role

The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (BRS) is responsible for providing a full range of blind rehabilitation therapies to Veterans and service members within the Southwestern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SWBRC) at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) - in Tucson - AZ. Service may occasionally be provided via Telehealth.

Responsibilities

• Evaluating and assessing needs, capabilities and limitations, goal setting and prescribing a treatment plan for individuals experiencing blindness/visual impairment caused by injury or disease
• Works as part of the inpatient rehabilitation team coordinating care for blind and visually impaired Veterans
• Maintains close communication with all other members of the interdisciplinary SWBRC staff, including optometry, psychology, social work, recreation, and nursing, to ensure the needs and goals of the Veteran are being met
• Independently evaluates, treats, and manages a blind and vision rehabilitation program of instruction that teaches Veterans with visual impairments to utilize adaptive skills and techniques necessary to cope with the demands of everyday life
• Uses diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and instrumentation to identify and resolve or minimize these problems
• Identifies the difficulties confronting the Veteran and the barriers to treatment and then develops and provides intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process
• Develops an individualized treatment plan in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team to improve the quality of life for blind and visually impaired Veterans through the development of skills and capabilities needed for personal independence, emotional stability, and the successful integration into community, family, and environment
• Serves as a subject matter expert for other medical and allied health staff by providing counseling to healthcare providers and professionals on the nature of visual impairment and blind and vision rehabilitation

Requirements

Qualifications 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.

Skills

Knowledge of policies and procedures of the blind/vision rehabilitation service
Knowledge of administration and interpretation of assessments and evaluations in blind/vision rehabilitation
Ability to develop a basic written blind/vision rehabilitation plan from assessment results and develop more complex plans with consultation from supervisor
Skill in instructing [Veterans] and families in a meaningful rehabilitation program and applying blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic techniques
Skill in recommending appropriate blind/vision prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice
Skill in serving as team coordinator for assigned Veterans during their rehabilitation programs

Qualifications

Education: Completion of at least two full years of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade OR Education: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field

Benefits

Not specified

Pay

Not specified

Schedule

Full time - Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm