Clarification from the agency

Current Federal Employees and US Citizens

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The purpose of this OT position is to restore function, prevent disability, increase independence, and optimize health and safety, through the provision of appropriate wheeled mobility and seating systems, access to homes and vehicles, and recommendations for durable medical equipment. Successful provision of this spectrum of devices will promote optimum Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), wellness, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation in the least restrictive manner possible.

This will be accomplished through standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools and the subsequent selection and implementation of OT interventions and procedures described above with varying degrees of complexity. This position requires a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in OT and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frames of reference, and therapeutic procedures. It requires knowledge of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits and foundational knowledge of wheeled mobility, seating, and access options.

Ancillary assignments may include program management duties on an occasional basis (less than 25% of the time).

Location of the work is in the outpatient setting (San Francisco and Community Based Outpatient Clinics) and in the veterans' homes the majority (over 50%) of the time. The OT in this position may be assigned to alternate areas of care the minority of the time, where advanced specialized knowledge is not required on a recurring basis. These alternate areas may include but are not limited to the inpatient acute setting and Community Living Center (CLC). The tour of duty may include occasional off-tour hours.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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.
• English language proficiency (written and spoken)
• Certification/Examination: Possession of written documentation that the individual has passed the entry-level certification examination for OT's which is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
• State Licensure/Certification/Registration: The OT must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license, certification, or registration or trademark to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory, a commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.

Preferred Experience: Skills in evaluating patients' mobility deficits and providing solutions, including the prescription of wheelchairs and scooters and recommendations for home, vehicle and community access. Knowledge of VA benefits through Prosthetics Service.

Grade Determinations:

GS-11: (1) year of progressively complex experience at the GS-09 level and directly related to the position being filled, OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in Occupational Therapy or a directly related field OR a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy? Examples of specialized experience would include: OT practitioners in a career development position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wide range of human function systems; having a basic foundation of OT and generally practices independently; having guidance from more experienced therapists. (EVIDENCE OF THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN YOUR RESUME/APPLICATION PACKAGE). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
• (b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.
• (c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
• (d) Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
• (e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
• (f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
• (g) Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.

GS-12: (1) year of progressively complex experience and a broader scope of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled? Examples of specialized experience would include: practice independently and are responsible for the assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized tools; modifies standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools; select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with routine complexity to enhance safety, wellness, performance in activities of daily living (ADL); and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation; require guidance with higher complexity conditions; demonstrate an understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. In addition to the [experience above, the candidate] must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits.
• (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
• (c) 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 the needs of patients.
• (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
• (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

References: VA Handbook 5005/25, Part II, Appendix G14, Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard, dated December 13, 2019.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according as defined by the Department of Labor. Medium Work entails: exerting 20 - 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting of to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.)Examples of the medium strength required by occupational therapists are as follows:

1. Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day. Climbing stairs.
2. Sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp and place papers, charts and binders.
3. Reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling: 1 - 10 pounds constantly, 10 - 25 frequently, and 20 - 50 pounds occasionally. Specific examples include:
   • a. Picking up, carrying and placing folders, charts, books and binders.
   • b. Setting up equipment for patients such as weights or durable medical equipment.
   • c. Lifting and carrying adaptive equipment ranging in weight from negligible to 50 pounds from OT Clinic to Veteran room.
   • d. Pushing and rolling equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs and supply carts.
   • e. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation and transfers, from minimal assistance to dependent transfers, which may be up to 50 pounds.
   • f. Performing passive and active assisted range of motion exercises or movement facilitation that require the movement of patients' extremities in all planes of motion.

Occupational Therapy requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment with examples as follows:

1. Operating all aspects of a computer, desk phone and cell phone, including keyboarding, mouse and control buttons.
2. Demonstrating the use of all aspects of DME for patient teaching.
3. Assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdrivers and pliers.
4. Fabricating splints or adaptive equipment requiring the use of exacto-knife, scissors and thermoplastic molding skills.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.