Occupational Therapist (Low Vision Specialist)

1. Serves as a consultant for all health care providers regarding Vision therapy management especially within the rehabilitation service line.

2. Educates/orients staff regarding Occupational/Physical Therapy in general and specifically as it relates to Low Vision Therapy. Mentors Occupational/Physical Therapy staff and orients occupational/physical therapy students in Advanced Low Vision management.

3. Guides the work of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team members who are participating as clinicians. Ensures that all new cases are assigned to an occupational therapist and/or physical therapist if collaborative treatments are indicated. Organizes and attends multidisciplinary care team rounds and program planning meetings

4. In conjunction with the Chief of Rehabilitation and Low Vision Optometrists who have experience with Blind and Visually Impaired Veterans maintains and updates standard orders. Frequently reviews and updates relevant assessment and treatment protocols and programs; manages the ordering and issuing of patient/program equipment including working closely with the facility-wide telehealth program and the PM&R telerehabilitation clinical specialist.

5. Provides a minimum of one (1) in-service education program per year to the Physical/Occupational Therapy departments.

6. Plans implements and reports on performance improvement activities relating to Low Vision management.

7. Maintains updates Low Vision therapy monitoring data.

8. Provides consultation and teaching for Low Vision management research projects.

9. According to department policies incumbent is authorized to perform complex examinations and treatment of patients representing a wide scope of ages and as well as offering diagnoses and rendering varied modalities inherent in their profession.

10. Patient Evaluation: Demonstrates the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide and guide treatment appropriate to patients across a range of complexities. Demonstrates knowledge of the changes associated with aging blindness/visual impairment as their disabling condition. Others may have multiple medical problems psychological concerns substance abuse problems and cognitive problems in addition to visual impairment. The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist must identify the difficulties confronting the Veteran and the barriers to treatment and then develop and provide intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process. The Occupational Therapist Clinical Specialist - Low Vision Therapist develops a close rapport with assigned veterans.

11. Patient Treatment: After initial evaluation of patient formulates progressive treatment plans and goals and is responsible for implementation modification and documentation of the treatments. Apply advanced treatment methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of functional and visual impairments and patients as well as provide clinical practice guidance for other staff physical therapists. Monitor and evaluate clinically appropriate treatment programs.

12. Interdisciplinary Relationships: Communicates consults and works cooperatively with other medical surgical and rehabilitation disciplines to provide comprehensive patient care. Requires advanced knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across a varied area of practice with the ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide guidance to staff physical/occupational therapists within the department.

13. Patient-Family Counseling/Education: Consults with patients and their families through patient/family education training and advising them in the nature of the patients disease and associated disability to optimize functioning in the community base residential site inclusive of making recommendations for home structural adaptations when indicated.

14. Documentation includes completion of consultation initial notes testing results progress notes discharge notes and treatment plans patient education in accordance with policies for content and timeliness. Schedules patients completes encounters and closes consults in a timely manner.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Travel: May require travel within the facility catchment for patient care in their living environment or community
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

****All required documentation must be uploaded before the announcement closes to support eligibility. ****

Failure to submit documentation will constitute the application being categorized as incomplete and therefore ineligible for referral. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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 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.

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.
• Education and/or Experience.
  • (1) The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
    • (a) Bachelors 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) Bachelors 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) Masters Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
  • (2) 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. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association P.O. Box 31220 Bethesda MD 20824-1220.
• 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.
• English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Occupational Therapist GS-12
Education Experience and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of 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.

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) A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area. This time must be within the past five years;
(b) Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA;
(c) Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area; or
(d) An additional advanced degree in a related field.

Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
(b) Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
(c) Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
(d) Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory recent research and practice.
(e) Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
(f) Ability to implement revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.

Preferred Experience: Area of Specialization - Low Vision
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is 13.

Physical Requirements: The position requires that the incumbent be of good health physically due to the daily activity demands of this position. At times this position will qualify as moderate to heavy regarding physical demands due to patient handling requirements. Incumbent must be able to assist patients whose functional capabilities can be severely limited due to injury or illness. Assist may vary from close supervision to maximum assist for transfers or bed mobility activities. Any physical limitation(s) of the incumbent may endanger and predispose to injury both the patient and therapist. Activities such as standing walking lifting bending reaching squatting crawling etc. are all part of the daily physical demands.

****All required documentation must be uploaded before the announcement closes to support eligibility. ****

Failure to submit documentation will constitute the application being categorized as incomplete and therefore ineligible for referral. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume.