Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent VA/Federal employees only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Occupational Therapist (Certified Hand Therapist) at the North Florida/ South Georgia VA Healthcare System will be assigned to the specialty program area of hand rehabilitation which are covered by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and provide professional, independent occupational therapy services in the assigned area. The therapist is responsible for maintaining comprehensive knowledge and skills for his/her specialty area.
Major duties include, but not limited to:

Clinical Functions: The clinician must fully demonstrate:

1. Advanced knowledge of contemporary and evidence based OT practice with expertise in content specialty area of hand rehabilitation.
2. Specialized skills and medical knowledge in the evaluation of the patients' medical condition.
3. Ability to triage consults establishes treating diagnosis (differential diagnosis) and either implements treatment or coordinates appropriate referral to PMRS, EMG, Radiology or Hand Surgery.
4. Communication skills both orally and in writing, with patients, families, caregivers and other health care professionals to facilitate the multidisciplinary treatment process. Is considerate of patient cultural needs and diversity.
5. Advanced clinical knowledge in specialized evaluation intervention and services to independently develop treatment strategies for specially populations.
6. Advanced knowledge in orthotics/splints (static and dynamic), adaptive equipment/devises and prosthetics.
7. Advanced skills/knowledge to provide clinical guidance/oversight in the specialty area of upper extremity dysfunction to staff occupational therapist by mentoring, teaching, assistance to outpatient, inpatient and spinal cord unit occupational therapy staff in specialized area of hand rehabilitation.
8. Attends Hand Surgery Clinic (as able) and forms part of the multidisciplinary team, which includes physicians, residents; fellows, nursing and cast technician.
9. Provides consultations to other health care practitioners in the medical center on occupational therapy scope of practice and specialty area of hand rehabilitation.
10. Acts as a clinical instructor to occupational therapy students, occupational therapy assistant students or associated health trainees, instructing them in occupational therapy scope of practice and area of expertise (hand).

Administrative Functions: The Clinician will:

1. Document clearly and concisely the physical findings noted during the evaluations as well as changes in medical status via progress notes. A therapist at this level will be able to document appropriately to support the level of care provided. This includes understanding and practicing documentation and coding practices for appropriate billing.
2. Accurately maintains documentation in keeping with PMR service-level and Medical Center¬ wide policies.
3. May perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and the amount of work is not substantial (less than 35% of duty time). i.e. supervision of IT, CWT or volunteers to PMR clinics
4. Can be assigned a student affiliate and will be responsible for offering feedback during supervision and completing all necessary evaluations during the internship period.
5. Is responsible for maintaining comprehensive knowledge with The Joint Commission and CARF standards in order to be in compliance in the event of unannounced surveys and visits.
6. Maintains inventory of supplies and tools needed for all aspects of job capacity (Hand Specialist) as allowed by the facility
7. Maintains the Hand Therapy Clinic/area in a neat and orderly fashion as to facilitate patient care and be conducive to the treatment process.
8. Assist in developing protocols and procedures for specialty area of care (hand) based on current theory, research and practice.

Work Schedule:

Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs).
Functional Statement #: 31875F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.
• 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).
• 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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

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. RRTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, of VA Handbook 5005.

Education-Transcripts Submitted and/or Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements in the education and/or experience paragraph if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in the state licensure paragraph.

Certification (Submit Documentation). Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT and must be a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT).

State Licensure (Submit Documentation). 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.

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series 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.

Grade Determinations: Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13

Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled and one of the following:

• A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area (hand therapy). This time must be within the past five years;
• Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA (hand therapy);
• Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area (hand therapy); or
• An additional advanced degree in a related field.

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

• Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
• Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice (hand therapy) area to other OT practitioners.
• Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization (hand therapy).
• Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
• Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization (hand therapy).
• Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization (hand therapy).

Assignments. Clinical OT specialists at this grade level serve as subject matter experts and as consultants to occupational therapists and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the areas of occupational therapy that are beyond the general practice of occupational therapy. This individual must demonstrate skills and techniques for a specific patient population that has highly complex occupational and/or psychosocial impairments. Clinical OT specialist may initiate, lead, and support research projects related to clinical needs. This may include grant writing, guiding others in the process, and direct clinical participation in research.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The Clinician must:

1. Be able to function effectively under rapidly changing conditions.
2. Be able to walk/stand for prolonged periods of time while on duty.
3. Be able to use proper body mechanics while moving/lifting patients or objects.
4. Frequently be required to do medium to heavy work consisting of lifting, pulling and/or pushing up to 100 pounds.
5. Be able to safely push wheeled objects weighing in excess of 200 pounds.
6. Be exposed to repetitive activity approximately 40% of time with keyboard and mouse use.
7. Clinician may be exposed to persons with infectious diseases.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT
• Resume/CV for Title 38 & Hybrid Title 38 Applications that may exceed two (2) pages.
• Resume

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• License
• Must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT
• Resume/CV for Title 38 & Hybrid Title 38 Applications that may exceed two (2) pages.
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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