Occupational Therapist (OT) - Moorestown VNA - Gloucester County, NJ

SUMMARY: The Occupational Therapist provides clinical services to patients with functional limitations that affect their ability to carry out activities of daily living.  The Occupational Therapist provides direct care, support, and education in the home therapy program under the direction of the attending physician and in collaboration with the family, nursing case manager, home health aide, and any other disciplines.  Assignments require considerable independence of professional judgment and are carried out in accordance with best practice standards and established policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the Agency. 

COMPENSATION: $61 per point

• Part Time / Per - Diem: Typically 12-15 points per week

• Full Time: Min. 25 - 30 points per week

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Performs initial and ongoing assessments to identify the patient’s neuromuscular, orthopedic and functional status and the effects on their ability to function in the areas of self care, activities of daily living, and work/vocation, including OASIS assessments at appropriate time points.

• Develops and makes revisions to a plan of care in consultation with the patient, family, physicians and other care team members.

• Provides therapeutic treatment and evaluation of equipment needs in conjunction with physician orders.

• Teaches Self-Care to the patient and family.

• Identifies the need for and refers to other agency disciplines/ programs as appropriate.

• Evaluates the effectiveness and outcomes of care, making changes as necessary under the physician’s direction.

• Prepares the patient and caregivers to achieve and maintain optimal function after therapy discharge through discharge planning.

• Communicates changes in the patient’s health status, and clarifies or obtains orders from physician.

• Maintains accurate and concise clinical records that include but are not limited to physical and family psychosocial factors influencing patient health status, all direct care and interventions, patient response to interventions, and communications. Submits all clinical notes within 24 hours.

• Interprets agency policies to patient and families, staff members, or other health professionals, community agencies and community.

• Rotates weekend and holiday work as needed.

• Assists with the orientation of new staff members, students, volunteers and visitors.

• Represents Home Care in organizational and community groups at the discretion of the Clinical Manager.

• Participates in in-service programs.

• In accordance with the Agency Wide Infection Control and Patient Safety Program, responsible for compliance with Employee Health policies and procedures.  Follows all infection control, safety and risk management policies and procedures.

• Follows all Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Safety policies and procedures including but not limited to, data collection, and reporting on all indicators.

• Proficient on Patient Bill of Rights and reporting of any issues or concerns contained and required within those Bill of Rights and by legal authorities.

• Knowledgeable on the Agency Emergency Preparedness Program policies and procedures.

• Educate and assists patients/caregivers in developing an Emergency Preparedness plan.

• If patient reside in a facility, staff is knowledgeable on the facility’s Emergency Preparedness plan.

• Ensures patients/caregivers have an individual Emergency Preparedness Plan, educating and assisting patients/caregivers in development of this plan.  Emergency Preparedness will be part of the comprehensive assessment and the individualized care plan.

• Assumes responsibility for maintaining professional knowledge.

• Employee may act as an interpreter or translator if needed and or applicable

• Educate and assists patients/caregivers in developing an Emergency Preparedness plan.

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

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Is licensed or otherwise regulated, if applicable, as an occupational therapist by the state in which practicing, unless licensure does not apply;

• Graduated after successful completion of an occupational therapist education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), or successor organizations of ACOTE; and

• Is eligible to take, or has successfully completed the entry-level certification examination for occupational therapy assistants developed and administrated by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NCBOT)

• Certification for CPR.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

Considerable knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of physical therapy, and the ability to apply them in the area of home and community health.

Knowledge of resources available to persons in need of health and related services.

Knowledge of the effects of illness on individuals and home environmental conditions.

Ability to teach the principles of home and community health care and the prevention of disease.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Incumbents must possess the ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations.  Ability to write reports and business correspondence.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, physicians, patients and family members.  Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.

 REASONING ABILITY: Incumbents must have the ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.  Must be able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.

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 the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The following physical and mental activities must be performed on:

  • Occasional basis (up to 33% of the time): Reaching, kneeling, bending, squatting, smelling, and lifting up to 50 lbs, working overhead and pulling/pushing up to 10 lbs.

  • Frequent basis (34-66%) of the time: Standing, walking, sitting, climbing stairs, driving a car

  • Continuous basis (67 – 100% of the time): Relating to others, visual acuity, active listening, critical thinking, making independent judgments, writing, memory, speaking and reading.

• Required to submit to pre-employment physical to determine absence of infection/communicable disease and physical ability to perform job functions.

 EQUIPMENT USED

• Mobility aids, physical agents, neuromuscular/orthopedic assessment tools.

• Computer, telephone, photocopy machine, fax machine and automobile.

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.

• The position is classified as exposure Category I concerning occupational exposure to the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the human immunodeficiency (AIDS) virus (HIV) as defined by the

• Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services.  Tasks involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissue.

• In the course of the work performed, incumbents are responsible for making visits in all weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, snow, etc.).  The work environment is highly variable, as care is performed in client homes.  Lighting, acoustics, air quality, temperature and environmental hazards are not predictable.