Occupational Therapist (Low Vision Specialist)

This position is for an Occupational Therapist (OT) Low Vision Clinical Specialist in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) located in CMCVAMC within the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Medicine Service (RMS). Licensed occupational therapists collaborate across the continuum of care, ensuring coordinated services including ordering studies, referring, co-managing, engaging consultants, and independently supervising care.

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.

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.
• Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist. 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.
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field. The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision.
  • Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
• Graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations, including an internship (supervised fieldwork experience). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
• Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active, and unrestricted license.
• 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 (e.g., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
• English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Grade Determinations

Occupational Therapist - GS-12

• Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence-based practice, 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 patient needs.
  • 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.

Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) - GS-13

• Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled, plus one of the following:
  • A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area within the past five years.
  • Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA.
  • Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area.
  • An additional advanced degree in a related field.
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
  • Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
  • Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions, and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
  • Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
  • Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
  • Ability to implement, revise/update evidence-based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a consultant for all health care providers regarding Vision therapy management, especially within the rehabilitation service line.
• Educates/orients staff regarding Occupational/Physical Therapy in general and specifically as it relates to Low Vision Therapy. Mentors Occupational/Physical Therapy staff and orients occupational/physical therapy students in Advanced Low Vision management.
• Guides the work of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team members who are participating as clinicians. Ensures that all new cases are assigned to an occupational therapist and/or physical therapist if collaborative treatments are indicated. Organizes and attends multidisciplinary care team rounds and program planning meetings.
• In conjunction with the Chief of Rehabilitation and Low Vision Optometrists, maintains and updates standard orders. Frequently reviews and updates relevant assessment and treatment protocols and programs. Manages the ordering and issuing of patient/program equipment, including working closely with the facility-wide telehealth program and the PM&R telerehabilitation clinical specialist.
• Provides a minimum of one (1) in-service education program per year to the Physical/Occupational Therapy departments.
• Plans, implements, and reports on performance improvement activities relating to Low Vision management.
• Maintains and updates Low Vision therapy monitoring data.
• Provides consultation and teaching for Low Vision management research projects.
• Performs complex examinations and treatment of patients representing a wide scope of ages, offering diagnoses, and rendering varied modalities inherent in their profession.
• Patient Evaluation: Demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide and guide treatment appropriate to patients across a range of complexities. Identifies difficulties confronting the Veteran and barriers to treatment, then develops and provides intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process.
• Patient Treatment: After initial evaluation, formulates progressive treatment plans and goals, and is responsible for implementation, modification, and documentation of treatments. Applies advanced treatment methodologies and theories in the provision of care to a vast array of functional and visual impairments. Provides clinical practice guidance for other staff physical therapists. Monitors and evaluates clinically appropriate treatment programs.
• Interdisciplinary Relationships: Communicates, consults, and works cooperatively with other medical, surgical, and rehabilitation disciplines to provide comprehensive patient care. Requires advanced knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across varied areas of practice.
• Patient-Family Counseling/Education: Consults with patients and their families through education, training, and advising them on the nature of the patient's disease and associated disability to optimize functioning in the community. Makes recommendations for home structural adaptations when indicated.
• Completes documentation including consultation, initial notes, testing results, progress notes, discharge notes, and treatment plans. Schedules patients, completes encounters, and closes consults in a timely manner.

Physical Requirements

The position requires good physical health due to daily activity demands. Activities such as standing, walking, lifting, bending, reaching, squatting, and crawling are part of the daily physical demands. The incumbent must be able to assist patients whose functional capabilities can be severely limited due to injury or illness, ranging from close supervision to maximum assistance for transfers or bed mobility activities.

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm.

Travel may be required within the facility catchment for patient care in their living environment or community.

Preferred Experience

Area of Specialization: Low Vision.

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit VA Qualification Standards.