Occupational Therapist

Overview:

**PURPOSE STATEMENT:**

Treat patients who are recovering from injury, illness or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities.

Responsibilities:

**ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:**

• Help patients develop, recover and improve the skills needed for daily living and working.
• Review patient medical history, ask questions and observe patient’s completing tasks to evaluate condition and needs.
• Develop a treatment plan for patients, identify specific goals and types of activities that will be used to help the patient work toward set goals.
• Help people with various disabilities with different tasks, demonstrate exercises, evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and based on the patient’s health needs, identify potential improvements.
• Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient. Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids and instruct patients on how to use that equipment.
• Assess and record patient activities and progress for patient evaluations, for billing and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers.
• May work with children in educational settings, evaluating disabled children’s abilities, modify classroom equipment to accommodate children with certain disabilities and help children participate in school activities.
• May work with patients who suffer from developmental disabilities, mental illness or emotional problems.
• May teach these patients skills such as managing time, budgeting, using public transportation and doing household chores in order to help them cope with and engage in daily life activities.
• May work with individuals who have problems with drug use, alcoholism, depression or other disorders.
• Demonstrate a positive, empathetic and professional attitude towards customers always. When patient needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints. Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.

**OTHER FUNCTIONS:**

• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

**EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILL REQUIREMENTS:**

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy conferred by an accredited program.
• Two or more years’ experience working with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders with a demonstrated understanding of the principals of behavioral management preferred.
• Experience in working with children and families required

**LICENSES/DESIGNATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS:**

• Current active professional license or eligible for endorsement by the state in which the facility provides services.
• CPR and de\-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
• First aid may be required based on state or facility.

**ADDITIONAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS:**

***While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the requirements of the job, management reserves the right to add or remove duties from par******ticular jobs when circumstances***

***(e. g. emergencies, changes in workload, rush jobs or technological developments) dictate.

***

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.