Outpatient Occupational Therapist – Hand Therapy (Per Diem)

Job Summary

We are seeking a self-motivated Occupational Therapist who is responsible for providing comprehensive, evidence-based care in a hospital-based outpatient clinic to join our team. The position involves regular contact with patients and members of their families and referring physicians. The Outpatient Occupational Therapist – Hand Therapy performs comprehensive evaluation and assessment for orthopedic upper extremity patients and occasionally, neuromuscular and pediatric patients. They work directly and collaboratively with the Hand Surgeons to problem solve care and to optimize patient outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides comprehensive evaluation and assessment of patient’s physical, cognitive and self-care status.
• Affirms and reassesses patient pain and other problem areas, including the patient’s goals to develop appropriate treatment plans to assist patient in attaining maximum functional outcomes.
• Sets realistic short- and long-term goals and plan of care related to patient’s occupational therapy needs within the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems.
• Interacts professionally with patient and family; involves patient in the formation of plan of care; formulates a teaching plan based upon identified learning, cultural and psychosocial needs.
• Communicates clearly and appropriately to patients, families, physicians, staff and all other customer groups.
• Demonstrates the ability to carry out the appropriate treatment plan.
• Demonstrates initiative, organization, and follow-through.
• Works directly and collaboratively with the interdisciplinary health care team, the patient, and the patient’s family to promote maximum level of patient safety and independence in discharge planning.
• Supervises and educates students and evaluates the students performance.
• Educates colleagues and hospital employees regarding role of occupational therapy.
• Maintains and completes proper and timely documentation in the medical record for all patients treated to promote communication to physicians and to ensure proper reimbursement.
• Ensures documentation and billing is accurate and reflective of services provided in accordance with departmental guidelines.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Occupational Therapy (OT) license.
• National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy registration.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
• One (1) year of clinical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Two (2) years of clinical experience.
• Experience with complex splinting preferred.
• Knowledge of upper extremity protocols for common surgeries.
• Two years of outpatient experience required, with preference for CHT.

Physical Requirements

• Occasional sitting, frequent standing, walking & transferring of patients.
• Manual dexterity using fine hand manipulation to operate computer keyboard, dexterity to provide quantitative testing and manual treatment techniques to a wide variety of patients.
• Ability to see computer screen and reports.
• Visually assess injury and functional status of patients.
• Ability to audibly assess patient subjective complaints.

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrate interpersonal skills including communication, teamwork, and willing to work one-on-one or a group basis.
• Ability to work independently, to be self-motivated and well organized.
• Ability to function well in very busy situations.
• Responsible and reliable.
• Demonstrates flexibility and able to adjust to changes at a moment’s notice.
• Maturity to operate effectively within a multi-disciplinary setting.
• Able to work effectively with a wide variety of patients with acute and long-term disability.
• Able to read/write and communicate in English.
• Able to assess the needs of patients of all different age populations in order to provide care appropriately.
• Able to observe and evaluate treatment effects and adjusts plan of care as appropriate.
• Demonstrates proper time management skills to attain department productivity while assuring quality patient care.
• Ability to apply knowledge of physical modalities, splinting, therapeutic exercise, adaptive equipment and other treatment skills.