Occupational Therapist

Purpose & Overall Duties

- Plans, organizes and conducts occupational therapy program in skilled nursing facility or community setting to facilitate development and rehabilitation of mentally, physically, or emotionally handicapped using a variety of interventions.

- Must have knowledge of areas of practice specific to geriatrics including precautions when working with specific diagnoses.

A. Patient Care

• Medical Chart Review:
• Performs thorough review of patient’s medical records prior to evaluation and throughout treatment and speaks with other members of the health care team regarding pt’s current condition, precautions and limitations/abilities.
• Consults with other members of rehabilitation team to select activity program consistent with needs and capabilities of individuals and to coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities.
• Evaluation:
• Test and evaluate patients’ physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patient.
• Evaluate the needs of the patient and provide appropriate equipment upon admission or evaluation. Requisitions supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, adaptive equipment for ADL’s, and w/c positioning or adaptive devices.
• Evaluate patients’ progress and prepare evaluations, re-certifications, weekly progress reports and daily notes that detail progress.
• Treatment:
• Teaches individuals skills and techniques required for participation in activities and evaluates an individual’s progress.
• Plans program involving activities such as manual arts and crafts; practice in functional, prevocational, vocational, and homemaking skills, and activities of daily living; and participation in sensory-motor, educational, recreational, and social activities designed to help patients or handicapped persons develop or regain physical or mental functioning or adjust to handicaps.
• Provide training and supervision in therapy techniques and objectives for students and nurses and other medical staff demonstrating good written and oral communication skills.
• Selects constructive activities suited to individual’s physical capacity, intelligence level, and interest to upgrade individual to maximum independence, prepare individual for return to employment, assists in restoration of functions, and aid in adjustment to disability.
• Designs and constructs special equipment for individual and suggests adaptation of individual’s work-living environment

B. Documentation/ Logistics/ Patient Satisfaction

• Completes all Medicare and Company required documentation per guidelines and in a timely manner.
• Is competent in use of a computer program for clinical documentation.
• Lays out materials for individual’s use and cleans and repairs tools at end of sessions.
• Assist with any denial procedures as needed.
• Responsible for achieving patient satisfaction, reporting and maintaining appropriate quality indicator measures for the department/facility and complying with productivity standards set by Progressive Rehab Solutions.

C. Supervision / Collaboration with Team Members

• May plan, direct, and coordinate occupational therapy program and be designated Director, Occupational Therapy.
• Supervise Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants (COTA) as assigned
• Transition and train restorative nursing in implementation of patient’s restorative treatment program upon d/c from skilled therapy services.

D. Personal Development

• Must comply with Medicare guidelines and state requirements for licensure.
• Attend continued Education Courses approved by the state and in your appropriate field with frequency according to state regulations.
• Personal development in assuring evidence based practice in the LTC setting.

General Skills Required

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Training and Teaching Others
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Time management
• Social Perceptiveness
• Active Listening
• Performing General Physical Activities

Minimum Experience, Education, and Licensure

• Bachelor Degree in Occupational Therapy
• 1 Year Experience Preferred
• Must hold current state license

Physical Demands

• Lifting from ground level, waist level, and/or overhead;
• Standing, sitting, walking, pushing, pulling, bending, kneeling, crouching/squatting;
• Must be able to lift at least 100 lbs; Have good body mechanics

Work Environment

• Location: Facility; LTC Facility Following Universal Precautions; Indoors; Outdoors if necessary
• Climatic/Environmental Conditions:. Could face various weather conditions traveling to and from job sites