Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration: Current, Permanent VA New Jersey Health Care System employees. Second area of consideration: Current, Permanent Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees.

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Duties may include but are not limited to:

Clinical

• Demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application using activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frames of reference, and therapeutic procedures.
• Selects and provides direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity, and a wide scope of diagnoses, to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation.
• Using standardized and non-­standardized evaluation tools, provides comprehensive assessment of occupational roles, environmental, functional, and safety needs in the home environment to ensure accessibility into, out of, and within the home setting through virtual modalities and home visits, as appropriate, and orders necessary and appropriate durable medical equipment, stair glides, chair lifts, ramps, HISA grants, etc.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skill to measure, prescribe, and educate Veterans on the use of wheelchairs, scooters, HISA grants, ramps, hospital beds, lifts, durable medical equipment (DME), assistive devices (AD), etc.
• Educates and trains Veterans and caregivers in fall prevention, home programs, transfer techniques, safe use of DME/AD, and in efficient care for the patient in language that is clear and understandable to those involved.
• Procures, fabricates, adjusts, adapts, and modifies orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
• Uses physical agent modalities for which competency has been established by the Supervisory Occupational Therapist and/or certification has been obtained per the State of New Jersey Occupational Therapy Advisory Council Statutes.
• Performs other related duties as assigned including, but not limited to,
  • Maintaining a safe work environment to include non-technical maintenance of equipment, safety checks, cleaning, stocking, etc.
  • Developing safe work habits to prevent injury to patients, co-workers, and self.
  • Monitoring physical agent modality temperatures.

Administration

• Adheres to established standards, policies, and procedures set forth by the Section, Service, Facility, VISN and VHA.
• Participates in quality assurance review including chart reviews, peer reviews, patient care monitoring and patient satisfaction surveys as directed by the Supervisory Occupational Therapist.
• Maintains personal productivity and assists the section in maintaining/increasing effectiveness and efficiency in meeting its objectives.
• Attends departmental meetings, multidisciplinary staff meetings, other meetings effecting patient care and committee meetings as assigned.
• Conducts OT related in-service and clinical training.
• Individuals may perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).
• Performs other functions as required and/or assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess a current, valid State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to drive from different job sites using a Government Vehicle. Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires medium strength according to 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 Demands requirements are in excess of those for Light Work (more than exerting of up to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.)

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in hospital, nursing home, and outpatient settings including inpatient medical and mental health units, the ICU, the Community Living Center (CLC), outpatient clinics in and outside of PM&RS, and occasionally in the community. It involves moderate risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of medical facility settings and home environments. The areas are adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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 Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education and/or Experience:
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;
    • NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;
    • NOTE: 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. OR
  • Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
  • Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.
• 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 (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.

Loss of Credential: An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain [the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing,] must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment.

Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current professional occupational therapy practice. Creditable experience can be obtained through employment as an OT. This may be evidenced by one or both of the following:

• (1) Active professional practice. Active professional practice includes paid/non-paid employment as a professional OT, and as defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure/certification is creditable, provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate OT and subsequently passed the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification, and the required state regulatory requirements.
• (2) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program can be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis. Fellowships or post-graduate training programs are typically in specialty areas such as advanced practice, research, mental health, gerontology, enhanced education, health policy, leadership and therapeutic sciences.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series (0631) that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (12/13/2019) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration [that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation. Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (3) OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) OTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Occupational Therapist, GS-12:

• Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

AND

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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.

Preferred Experience: Strong demonstrated skills/experience as a generalist occupational therapist that incudes a wide scope of diagnoses for ad hoc clinic coverage across multiple settings/campuses and DME/AD/Home evaluations as well as proficiency in the use virtual clinic to home modalities.

References: VA Handbook 5005/127 Part II Appendix G14 Occupational Therapist Qualification Standards GS-0631 dated 12/13/2019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.