Occupational Therapist

Overview:

Provides occupational therapy services to all age groups to obtain maximal outcomes.

• Maintains flexibility, organizes and prioritizes time to accommodate assigned patient load.
• Meets departmental standards and insurance/reimbursement guidelines for documentation of care.
• Daily notes
• Communicates with doctors
• Re-certifications
• Evaluations
• Billing
• Outcome measures
• Evaluates patients; plans and delivers care and treatment to progress patient to goals agreed upon by patient, family and Physician.
• Re-evaluates and plans programs on an ongoing basis.
• Competently applies all Occupational Therapy modalities, if certified.
• Instructs patients and families in home programs.
• Suggests changes in patients’ clinical approaches, and secures orders as appropriate.
• Communicates and collaborates with rehabilitation team.
• Maintains existing equipment and recommends purchase of new items as consistent with Hospital and Department Strategic Plan.
• Maintains current professional knowledge.
• Attends all mandatory educational programs and continuous education required for licensure.
• Seeks continuing education to improve quality of care.
• Compliant and accurate implementation of billing process.
• Maintains fiscal responsibility of the Department and the Hospital.
• Actively looks for ways to reduce costs.
• Maintains patient/family confidentiality to comply with HIPPA regulations.
• Provides in-services and public education functions.
• Supervises students, Occupational Therapy Assistants, and aides.
• Serves on committees as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned by Director, Managers, and Team Leader.
• Recommends and implements new programs as directed and as they pertain to Hospital and Department Strategic Plan.

Qualifications:

Education and/or Other Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy or entry level equivalent. Licensed or license pending in the State of Illinois without previous disciplinary action in Illinois or other states. Current CPR card.

Environmental Factors

This position is performed within an environment of occasional exposure to environmental variations, above-normal noise-level, and/or unpleasant substances and limited exposure to hazardous or potentially injurious elements or conditions.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to walk, stand, bend and reach.
• The employee will frequently be required to lift, push and pull weight of at least 5 to 50 pounds.

• Ability to work under stress and adapt to changing conditions.

Qualifications

• Therapy and instruction— Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions.
• Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation.
• Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects as it pertains to the clinical instruction of students.
• Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
• Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to evaluate and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Knowledge of Human anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
• Knowledge of laws and government regulations as they apply to State and National standards.
• Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Good knowledge of the standard practices, equipment and rules relating to word processing, written and oral communications.
• Good working knowledge and ability to perform basic computer skills such as but limited to word processing, data entry, and documentation.
• Gives full attention to what other people are saying, takes time to understand the points being made, asks questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Actively looks for ways to help people, co-workers, and other departments.
• Understands the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Able to communicate through clear and concise written, verbal, and listening skills with physicians, consultants, and Rehabilitation team members, patients and patients’ families.
• Ability to anticipate problems and potential outcomes.
• Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Ability to identify and understand the speech/language of another person.
• Ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Responsibilities:

• Adaptability – Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Accepts criticism and feedback; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; ability to work with frustrating situations; work under pressure and on an irregular schedule such as unscheduled overtime, unanticipated changes in work pace; Works with numerous distractions.
• Attendance and Punctuality – Schedules time off in advance; Begins working on time; Keeps absences within guidelines; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Communications – Expresses ideas and thoughts verbally; Expresses ideas and thoughts in written form; Exhibits good listening and comprehension; Keeps others adequately informed; Selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
• Cooperation – Establishes and maintains effective relations; Exhibits tact and consideration; Displays positive outlook and pleasant manner; Offers assistance and support to co-workers; Works cooperatively in group situations; Works actively to resolve conflicts.
• Job Knowledge – Competent in required job skills and knowledge; Exhibits ability to learn and apply new skills; Keeps abreast of current developments; Requires minimal supervision; Displays understanding of how job relates to others; Uses resources effectively.
• Judgment – displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions; ability to work with and maintain confidential information.
• Problem solving – Identifies problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Resolves problems in early stages; Works well in group problem solving situations.
• Quality – Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Displays commitment to excellence and DMH CARES values. Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Quantity – Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly; Achieves established goals.
• Concentration – Maintains attention to detail over extended period of time; continually aware of variations in changing situations.
• Supervision – ability to perform work independently or with minimal supervision; ability to assign and/or review work; train and/or evaluate other employees.