Clarification from the agency

Open to all current VA employees.

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Duties for this position include but are not limited to:

Occupational Therapy treatment duties include varied and extensive evaluations, treatment, and documentation, as well as patient/family education to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. Emphasis on helping Veteran's regain function and assisting healthcare team to plan for a safe and successful discharge from the inpatient setting is expected. Inpatient acute care experience is preferred. The function of this position is direct patient care to a medically complex and diverse inpatient acute care population and could include flexibility to outpatient clinics in the hospital or CBOCs and CLC settings, based on staffing assignment and workload demand.

The incumbent must have knowledge, skills, and abilities to interact with, and provide treatment to, patients from young adulthood through geriatric age and be able to fulfill their age specific needs. Ensuring positive outcomes and efficacy of treatment. Occupational therapists select appropriate adaptive and/or durable medical equipment needed to substitute for loss of function or limited function or to maximize home safety or independence of individuals they treat. This individual will be expected to supervise Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs), depending on assignment.Staff OTs at this level practice autonomously, making recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as clinically indicated during ongoing assessment of patients under their care. The staff OT may also develop and provide individualized fieldwork experiences for occupational therapy students in facilities with established fieldwork experience rotations.

Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities for this position:

1. 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.
2. Ability to effectively collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
3. 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.
4. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
5. Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

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 trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).

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 Language 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: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:(a) 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
(b) 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(c) 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.
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.

Exceptions for the Graduate Occupational Therapist: OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state licensure, may be appointed, pending certification and/or licensure, as a graduate OT on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).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).

Grade Determinations:

Occupational Therapist GS-9:
Education, Experience, or Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.

Occupational Therapist GS-11:
Education, Experience, or Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
OR, Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in Occupational Therapy or a directly related field.
OR, Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

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

1. 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.
2. Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
3. 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.
4. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
5. Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

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.