Occupational Therapist - Home Based Primary Care

Summary

The Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Occupational Therapist functions with a high degree of autonomy to independently evaluate, plan, integrate, and implement occupational therapy in the HBPC program for Central Arkansas Veteran Healthcare System (CAVHS). Position is physically located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, with travel to Cabot, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Jacksonville, Arkansas geographic areas for home visits.

Duties

The Home Based Primary Care Occupational Therapist independently evaluates and treats Veterans referred to HBPC for Occupational Therapy services. Duties include but are not limited to: Performs comprehensive initial evaluations. Identifies functional and safety problems in the home. Establishes appropriate treatment goals. Develops, implements, and modifies appropriate treatment programs designed to meet established goals. Evaluates patient response to treatment and modify the treatment plan to provide optimum therapeutic effect. Teaches caregivers proper techniques for assisting Veterans with functional mobility in the home (transfers, ambulation, etc.) Conducts follow-up assessments of patients admitted to HBPC as appropriate. Collaborates with the team physician for consultation with other rehabilitation services. Performs home safety assessments for structural modifications needed to make the home environment safe and accessible. Determines the need for home medical equipment, order the equipment, justify special requests, teach the Veteran and caregivers to safely use the equipment in the home, and then monitor for safe use. Reports home medical equipment problems to the Prosthetics Department. Establishes and maintains contact with other key staff involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis at the medical center and at the VISN level. Responsible for data collection and timely reporting for the HBPC program as requested by the HBPC Program Director. Participates in HBPC quality assurance and performance improvement activities. Coordinates the efficient operation and function of the HBPC Occupational Therapy program. Ensures proper supplies are available for patient treatments. Participates in all HBPC service staff meetings and serves in a leadership role when required. Responsible for Occupational Therapy representation in HBPC interdisciplinary team meetings. Ensures that all required documentation is completed in a timely manner, meeting departmental, External Peer Review Process (EPRP) and Joint Commission requirements. Maintains timely data input utilizing care plans, initial assessments and/or specialty protocols as part of an ongoing process in coordination with other key interdisciplinary staff to provide effective patient care. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: AvailableVirtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-01758-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

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. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: 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: (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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph 3b(2) 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 (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). Graduate OTs may only be appointed at the GS-9 grade level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-11 level until licensure and/or certification is obtained. For grades levels at or above the developmental GS-11 grade level, the OT must be certified and licensed. 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-12: Experience - Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate 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: Geriatrics, Home Health, Interdisciplinary Team Experience preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires carry and/or moderate lifting 15-44 pounds, use of fingers, both hands required, walking 2 hours, operation of a motor vehicle, near vision corrected at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic and home setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

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. Other Information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.