Occupational Therapist

Job Description

This position is responsible for providing occupational therapy services to outpatient populations. The Occupational Therapist will conduct assessments, deliver treatment and care, and participate in educational instruction with patients and their families. This role requires competence in interpreting a patient’s self-report, behavior, and understanding of their cognitive, physical, emotional, and chronological maturation processes. Treatment must be individualized, reflecting an understanding of each patient’s developmental and treatment needs. This position offers the unique opportunity to lead a robust elbow/wrist/hand program, which has shown significant growth over the past year due to strong referral support from local providers. Mentorship will be available from an experienced provider with over 25 years in developing hand therapy programs.

Essential Functions

• Obtain thorough patient, medical/Social history and current status information.
• Evaluate patients as directed by the ordering physician, develop care plans, and administer treatments to patients with physical disabilities resulting from injuries, diseases, or surgeries. Regularly re-evaluate and adjust treatment plans as necessary.
• Administer therapeutic treatments using physical agents, biomechanical and neurophysiological principles, and assistive devices to relieve pain, restore maximum function, and prevent disabilities.
• Document all pertinent patient information using an electronic medical record, providing education to patients and their families regarding treatment plans and processes.
• Complete billing procedures for services provided on a daily basis.
• Utilize techniques such as heat, electricity, water, massage, and exercise in treatment.
• Generate reports including evaluations/re-evaluations, progress notes, and discharge summaries.
• Provide direction to assisting support staff for occupational therapy patient care.
• Efficiently organize the daily workload and monitor time management for both self and support staff.
• Monitor the safety and effectiveness of patient care equipment and the work environment, reporting deficiencies to the Director promptly.

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association preferred, with approval from the State of Washington Occupational Therapy Examining Committee. Advanced degrees or additional training is preferred.
• License: Active or eligible to obtain a Washington State Occupational Therapist license.
• Experience: One year of preferred outpatient care experience. Hand therapy and splinting experience are preferred. Ability to evaluate and provide care across all age groups, including school-age children, young and middle-aged adults, as well as geriatric patients.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to perform occasional standing, walking, lifting, reaching, kneeling, bending, crouching, stooping, pushing, and pulling. This position requires considerable physical activity, including heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling of objects up to 50 pounds. Must have manual dexterity and mobility, good reading eyesight, and the ability to see clearly at various distances. Requires keen mental faculties for assessment and decision-making in patient management and the ability to communicate verbally and in writing for accurate information exchange with diverse stakeholders.

Note: Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider (HCP) level certification must be completed within three months of hire.