Occupational Therapist

A well known Adult day care center located in Philadelphia is looking for an Occupational Therapist

Type: Contract
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Summary:
The Occupational Therapist works within an Interdisciplinary Care Team setting, incumbent promotes and maintains the functional status, physical mobility and well-being for participants, both in the Center and at home if needed.
Conducts assessment, treatment, teaching and counseling. Trains LIFE specialists to support restorative care in both the LIFE center and in the home setting.
Physical attendance at an facility and/or an participant home is essential to performing the job duties.

Responsibilities:
Using all information sources available, assesses participants' physical mobility and restorative potential
Completes assessments at admission and for quarterly care planning according to regulatory requirements and as condition change indicates.
Determines participant and family needs related to function and physical mobility.
Confers with participant and family to identify participant goals and expectations.
Coordinates with the interdisciplinary team to develop a comprehensive care plan for each participant.
Assesses participant home environment and makes recommendations for adaptations to improve independence or enhance safety.
In coordination with the Interdisciplinary Care Team, plans and performs therapeutic interventions designed to keep the participant in the community to enhance the quality of life to the greatest extent possible.
Provides individual therapy for participants as needed or prescribed in the care plan to increase or maintain strength, range of motion, endurance or dexterity in the upper extremities.
Assesses and provides treatment to improve perceptual-motor deficits, facial weakness, sensory deficits and cognitive limitations.
Provides treatment to increase self-care skills including bed mobility, feeding, hygiene, grooming, dressing, transfer ability communication and homemaking as needed.
Carries out accepted principles and practices of occupational therapy for prevention of deformities and functional decline and support improved function whenever possible.
Instructs participants, family members and other caregivers regarding the occupational therapy and rehabilitative procedures according to individual care plans.
Constructs or arranges for orthotic and adaptive equipment as needed.
Facilitates continuity in care management through communication and education with related agency providers and caregivers.
Instructs family caregivers and caregivers from home care and home health agencies for therapeutic continuity.
Instructs caregivers (staff and informal) in proper body mechanics for safety and improved participant mobility.
May participate in inter-agency meetings as needed.
Facilitates or participates in family meetings, support groups and family caregiver meetings as required.
In cooperation with Physical Therapy, provides leadership within the care team to ensure continuity and coordination of care.
Ensures the Hove Care Coordinator is informed of care plan changes related to mobility durable medical equipment orthotics or home modifications.
Works with Center Director to provide orientation and in-service programs for Care Team to enhance staff understanding of mobility, activities of daily living and other occupational therapy issues, meet regulatory requirements and support performance improvement.
Coordinates with medical equipment and orthotics providers to arrange appointments and share pertinent information.
Coordinates with home modification program for installation of equipment and other changes to support independence and safety. Ensures the proper ordering labeling and maintenance of durable medical equipment and other devices.
In cooperation with the Quality Assessment Coordinator, participates in the quality management program to support continued performance improvement.
Completes and ensures completion of documentation of clinical services, reviewing medical record to continuity and completeness.
Participate in quality studies according to the quality plan.
Recommends studies for the annual quality plan.
Participates in committees that support performance improvement.
Develops and maintains occupational therapy standards.
Assists the Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.
Reviews occupational therapy policies, procedures, manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.
Participates in completing assessments in electronic medical record as required. Maintains a current record of residents treated.
Tracks/submits appropriate charges and encounters as appropriate.
Assists in standardizing the methods in which occupational therapy will be accomplished.
Maintains communication with families and residents.
Maintains a reference library of written therapy material, laws, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations, and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality resident care.
Assumes the authority, responsibility, and accountability of directing the occupational therapy service.

Committee Functions
Serves on, participates in, and/or attends various committees of the facility as required.
Provides written and/or oral reports of the occupational therapy programs and activities as required.
Evaluates and implements recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to occupational therapy services.

Personnel Functions
Determines the staffing needs of the occupational therapy department necessary to meet the needs of the residents.
Recommends the number and level of occupational therapy personnel to be employed.
Assists the administrator and/or the personnel director in the recruitment and selection of competent occupational therapy personnel.
Provides guidance and training for new and/or less experienced personnel.
Develops work assignments and schedules duty hours.
Develops, maintains, and periodically updates the written procedure for ensuring that professional occupational therapy personnel have valid and current licenses required by this state.
Reviews complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.
Makes appropriate reports to the team as required or as may be necessary, including departmental performance evaluations.
Maintains an excellent working relationship with the medical profession and other health related facilities and organizations.
Creates and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the department.
Meets with and solicits advice from other department supervisors concerning occupational therapy, assists in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.

Nursing Care and Consultation Functions
Reviews requests for occupational therapy and physicians' orders.
Interviews resident to determine type of treatment and schedule therapy.
Selects rehabilitative and therapeutic activities and exercises based on medical and social history of residents.
Evaluates type of therapy most desirable after consulting with physician.
Assists residents in ambulatory training as necessary.
Demonstrates to residents and staff personnel, as necessary, the procedures involved in the treatment process.
Recommends modifications and changes in the resident's therapy treatment as indicted.
Assists in transporting residents to and from occupational therapy room/area.
Performs occupational therapy in resident's room as necessary.
Instructs and supervises resident during therapy.
Briefs residents of procedures involved in occupational therapy and prepare necessary equipment.
Prepares resident for treatment by dress/position and administers occupational therapy in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Reassures residents before and during therapy treatment.
Assures that all therapist notes are informative and descriptive of the care provided and of the resident's response to the care.

Staff Development
Develops and participates in programs designed for in-service education, on-the-job training, and orientation classes for newly assigned personnel. (Includes maintaining appropriate recordkeeping requirements of when classes were held, subject matter, attendance, etc.)
Develops, implements, and maintains an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the facility, its policies and procedures and to his/her job position and duties.
Participates and assists in departmental studies and projects as assigned or that may become necessary.
Attends and participates in workshops, seminars, etc., to keep abreast of current changes in the health care field, as well as to maintain a professional status.

Safety and Sanitation
Assists in developing safety standards for the occupational therapy department.
Assures that therapy personnel, residents, visitors, etc., follow established departmental policies and procedures at all times, including appropriate dress codes.
Is alert for resident safety precautions at all times.
Assists the Infection Control Coordinator in the development, implementation, and revising of written aseptic and isolation techniques.
Ensures that therapy personnel follow established infection control procedures and universal precautions when performing duties.
Assures that the therapy area is maintained in a clean and safe manner for resident comfort and convenience by assuring that necessary equipment and supplies are maintained to perform such duties/services.
Develops implements and maintains a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.
Assists in identifying and classifying departmental procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids. Updates as necessary.

Equipment and Supply Functions
Provides necessary material/equipment for resident to perform required therapy.
Recommends to the administrator the equipment and supply needs of the department.
Develops and implements procedures for the safe operation of all occupational therapy equipment.
Ensures that all personnel operate occupational therapy equipment in a safe manner.
Develops and implements procedures that ensure occupational therapy supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

Care Plan Functions
Assists in developing occupational therapy plans for individual residents in coordination with the interdisciplinary care team.
Reviews the occupational therapy requirements of each resident admitted to the program, and assists the interdisciplinary care team with planning for the resident's care.
Participates in the development and implementation of care plans, including reviews as required.
Budget and Planning Functions
Prepares and plans the occupational therapy budget and submit to the administrator for his/her review, recommendations, and/or approval.
Keeps abreast of economic conditions/situations, and recommend to the administrator adjustments in occupational therapy that ensure the continued ability to provide quality care.
Resident Rights
Maintains the confidentiality of all resident care information.
Ensures that all occupational therapy personnel are knowledgeable of the resident's rights and responsibilities.
Ensures that resident's rights to fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property, and civil rights, including the right to wage a complaint, are well established and maintained at all times.
Is knowledgeable of and participates in grievance process as per LIFE guidelines.
Abides by the resident's decision whether or not to participate in treatment.
Informs the resident of consequences of not participating in prescribed therapy and document such action in the resident's clinical record.
Allows the resident to participate in the planning and scheduling of his or her treatment.
Provides direct supervision to the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs).
Participates in the interdisciplinary care team.

Requirements:
Bachelor's Degree
Graduate of an Occupational Therapy curriculum accredited jointly by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
National Certification by the American Occupational Therapy Association or eligible for National Registration Examination of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Registration with state in which practicing
minimum of one year experience working with the frail or elderly is required.

Preferred:
Two (2) years' experience

Please email: KMcConomy@hcmmi.com