Occupational Therapist

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provides skilled occupational therapy in accordance with the physician's plan of care. Accepts only clients referred by the client care manager or designee. Demonstrates competency in skills required by the agency on at least a biannual basis.
• Assists the physician in the evaluation and assessment of the client's level of functioning by applying diagnostic and prognostic procedures and tests and assists in the development and revision of the plan of care. Sets goals for the patient as appropriate.
• Designs orthotics as indicated by client's condition and needs.
• Treats the client through the use of therapeutic activities designed to restore function and self-care activities for the purpose of improving function. The goal is to teach and promote disease prevention and appropriate injury management for eventual patient & caregiver independence.
• Observes, records and reports the client's reaction to treatment and any changes in the client's condition to the physician and / or client care manager and case manager. Identifies barriers to desired outcomes.
• Instructs and advises client, family and other health team personnel in the exercise program designed to increase the client's strength and control.
• Cooperates with appropriate staff to provide staff education when requested and arranged by the client care manager.
• Demonstrates and teaches alternate techniques to complete activities of daily living, proper transfers and positioning.
• Orders and/or fabricates adaptive/assistive devices and equipment.
• Evaluates, and regularly reevaluates, the nursing and equipment needs of the client; develops, implements and revises the client's plan of care. Assesses the client's continual care needs. Ensures that the plan of care addresses all problems identified in the assessment or documents rationale for not doing so.
• Initiates diagnostic, preventive and rehabilitative procedures as appropriate to the client's care and safety. Makes referrals to other disciplines as indicated by the needs of the client or documents rationale for not doing so.
• Observes signs and symptoms and reports changes in the client's condition to the physician and/or other appropriate health professionals as often as needed.
  

Qualifications:

• Registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association or successfully completed the educational requirements of occupational therapy and licensed in the State.
• Minimum of one year of occupational therapy experience.

Knowledge and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to and communicate with primarily the geriatric population, and to a lesser degree the pediatric and adult population.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Able to assess data reflecting the client's status and interpret the appropriate
  information needed to identify client's requirements relative to their age-specific needs.