Occupational Therapist (44133)

## Description

Under general supervision of the Chief of Physical Therapy, the staff Occupational Therapist is responsible for providing occupational therapy, education, and consultation for all health center services. Services include leading the development, implementation, and coordination of the occupational therapy program; screening, evaluation, educational and transition planning; therapeutic intervention, and exit planning. Maintains confidentiality of all privileged information.

*This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.*

**Essential Duties & Responsibilities:**

• Maintains regular attendance and punctuality.
• Dependable in attendance and job performance.
• Treat complete upper extremity diagnosis to include wound care, tendon repairs, fractures, and/or making custom orthosis fabrication.
• Ability to meet attendance, overtime, and other reliability requirements of the job.
• Responsible for high degree of professional competence, skill and judgement in assessment, planning and carrying out treatment modalities, patient education and discharge planning for a variety of inpatient and outpatient situations.
• Participates/assists in education programs.
• Participates in clinical research efforts and assists in specialty clinics.
• Plans and carries out occupational therapy for general and surgical patients. Instruct patients regarding physical limitations of the muscle and bones following surgery or impairment.
• Teaches exercises and movements to be performed by patients to prevent occurrence of deformities or to lessen impact of deformities
• Promotes recovery for independent living, life skills, and return to work/school
• Performs and interprets results of tests and measurements of patient’s condition, for use in preparing the treatment plan, modifying treatment and evaluating result of treatment.
• Performs special tests to carry out complex procedures, determines kind and degree of muscle reactions to test, and interprets results of tests.
• Records progress of patients in medical record. Assesses continuing patient care and updates protocols/procedures as necessary.
• Provides consultation and evaluation Occupational Therapy Services, within their scope of practice, to physicians, other providers, nursing and other professionals at the service unit using tact, professional judgement and ethical conduct.
• Attends medical staff rounds as needed and more frequently if necessary to keep updated on patient problems and recommend appropriate therapy intervention.
• Provides direct supervision to Supportive Staff and Occupational Therapy students as indicated, and in absence of Chief Physical Therapist or Deputy Chief.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Develops occupational therapy staff by providing information; developing and conducting in-service training programs.
• Complies with federal, state, and local legal and certification requirements by studying existing and new legislation; anticipating future legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; advising management on needed actions.
• Fabricates medical devices such as splints and orthosis
• Prepares medical supplies or equipment for use.
• Provides health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
• Cleans medical equipment or facilities.
• Advises communities or institutions regarding health or safety issues.
• Trains caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
• Designs public or employee health programs.
• Encourages patients or clients to develop life skills.
• Upholds all principles of confidentiality and patient care to the fullest extent.
• Adheres to all professional and ethical behavior standards of the healthcare industry.
• Interacts in an honest, trustworthy and dependable manner with patients, employees and vendors.
• Possess cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• In compliance with all Human Resources requirements.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

## Qualifications

**Minimum Qualifications:**

Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy required, received in the United States from an accredited occupational therapy program, masters or doctoral degree preferred. Three years’ experience as an Occupational Therapist required. Possess a valid, current, unrestricted license to practice as an Occupational Therapist in Arizona. If candidate is a Commissioned Officer (CO) of the USPHS, must possess a valid, current, unrestricted license to practice Occupational Therapy in any state within the United States, District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Bilingual skills in English and Navajo language preferred. Must maintain a valid unrestricted and insurable driver’s license. Must successfully pass a background investigation and maintain suitable requirements for a Child Care position. This position is considered as a Child Care position, treating patients under the age of 18, which requires a satisfactory background check investigation and is subject to the requirements of the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, as amended (henceforth referred as the ICPFVP Act).

**Knowledge, Skills, Ability**

• Demonstrates adequate knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices of Occupational Therapy.
• Professional knowledge of Occupational Therapy principles, practices, theories and procedures to carry out treatment, exercise and testing a variety of patients having physical disorders.
• Knowledge of physical agents such as air, water, electricity, sound, and radiant energy to treat a variety of physical disabilities.
• Skill in devising adaptations of equipment for the specific type of exercise or treatment required for the patient’s condition.
• Skill in fabricating upper extremity splints both static and dynamic.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the influence of disabilities, socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors on student’s ability to participate in occupations.
• Knowledge and use of occupational therapy theories, models of practice, principles, and evidence based practice to guide intervention decisions.
• Knowledge of the federal, state, local legislation, regulations, policies and procedures that mandate and guide occupational therapy practice in schools.
• Ability to gather and assess outcomes program evaluation data and to use to modify services at the programmatic level.
• Ability to maintain current reporting, documentation, scheduling, and billing in accordance with professional standards, state and local guidelines, and reimbursement requirements.
• Ability to determine the need for an occupational plan for patient care needs.

**Physical Demands:**

While performing the essential functions of this position, the employee is regularly required to walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects and equipment, reach with hands and arms, and communicate effectively by talking and hearing. The employee frequently must stand, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and may occasionally use taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 100 pounds.

**Work Environment:**

Work is performed in an office setting or outdoor work environment with moderate noise levels. Work environment may involve exposure to physical risks, such as blood borne pathogens, hazardous chemicals, or operating potential dangerous equipment, and requires adherence to all safety protocols. Required work schedules may include evening, weekend, overnight shifts, extended hours, or irregular schedules and rotation as operational needs dictate.

**As required by P.L. 93-638, absolute preference will be given to qualified Navajo applicants. If there is no qualified Navajo applicant, preference will be given to qualified American Indian applicants.**