Occupational Therapist

 JOB TITLE: Occupational Therapist - Full Time

SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the Therapy Director, the Occupational Therapist organizes and conducts occupational therapy programs for the agency to facilitate rehabilitation. S/he directs patient participation in selected tasks to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance. The Occupational Therapist facilitates the learning of those skills and functions essential for adaptation and productivity, in order to diminish or correct pathology.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: This summarizes the major essential duties and responsibilities regularly performed and normally assigned to this position. Listed below are the duties in descending order of importance and are as clear and specific as possible. Other duties may be assigned. May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

• Screens, examines and evaluates patients, including history, systems review, and application of appropriate tests and measures, synthesis information and interprets examination findings in order to establish a diagnosis, identify impairments, determine the predicted level of improvement and the time required to achieve it, identify precautions/contraindications and design and plan of care.
• Develops appropriate treatment goals and methods in collaboration with the patient and caregivers, implements the occupational therapy treatment plan, and completes all related documentation and record keeping regarding these services.
• Services include but are not limited to application of therapeutic techniques in areas such as cognitive skills, muscle strength, coordination, endurance, mobility, perceptual abilities, sensory awareness, sitting and standing tolerance, balance, activities of daily living, joint protection, work simplification, orientation and/or physical agent modalities.
• Supervision of Occupational Therapy Assistants, temporary licensees, students and support personnel in accordance with state licensure requirements and professional standards.
• Attends and contributes to patient care, staffing conferences and other related meetings.
• Consults with and/or makes referrals to other disciplines, agencies in order to address the comprehensive needs of the patient.
• Puts patient service first: ensures that patients and families receive the highest quality of service in a caring and compassionate atmosphere which recognizes the individuals' needs and rights.
• Designs, fabricates, fits and/or applies adaptive devices, and trains patients in the use of adaptive devices including orthotics and prosthetics.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: S/he must be a graduate of an occupational therapy curriculum accredited by and meet ACOTE standards. S/he must have initial registration from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. S/he must be able to practice occupational therapy per state guidelines and be licensed and/or eligible for licensure as required for Occupational Therapy practice in the state.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in, written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Access, etc.). Familiar with telephone equipment, copy machines, and other various office equipment.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Must possess patience and understanding of the elderly; sense of imagination and creativity. Must have a sincere interest in working with the elderly population and be able to independently carry out resident programming, as indicated.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, kneel, use hands to fingers, talk and hear, reach with hands and arms, twist from side to side, and bend at the knees. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will work in both indoor and outdoor environments, around and off the grounds of the facility with varying sound, lighting, and temperature conditions. The employee works closely with others as well as alone. The noise level in the work environment ranges from quiet (private office) to moderate (ex: therapy gym with computers and office equipment, light traffic).