Overview

Make Lives Better Including Your Own. If you want to work in an environment where you can become your best possible self, join us! You’ll earn more than a paycheck; you can find opportunities to grow your career through professional development, as well as ongoing programs catered to your overall health and wellness. Full suite of health insurance, life insurance and retirement plans are available and vary by employment status. Additional benefits offered include, but are not limited to:

• Tuition Reimbursement
• Pet Insurance
• Adoption Reimbursement Benefits
• Variety of Associate Discounts

Veterans, transitioning active duty military personnel, and military spouses are encouraged to apply. Please note, Brookdale is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.

Responsibilities

Provides and directs high quality Occupational Therapy services to patients, including screening, assessment, treatment, program planning and implementation. Promotes rehab services within the Community, attends meetings and care conferences, performs administrative and billing duties within specified guidelines and timeframes. Demonstrates personal and professional work behaviors which promote the practice of occupational therapy within the Community. Adheres to applicable principles and practices of occupational therapy, Brookdale policy and procedures and State / Federal regulations.

Optimizes the functional abilities and skills of patients by conducting patient screens, initiating referrals; evaluating and treating appropriate patients; effectively participating in the care planning process; appropriately documenting progress toward identified objectives and communicating patient status and needs to the patient, the patient’s family, the staff and other professionals as appropriate.

Conducts therapy evaluations using standardized tests, specifically selected to assess the individual patient after thorough review of the resident’s medical record, in order to determine patients’ baseline status and identify impairments, functional deficits and potential to improve based on normative data.

Establishes individual patient plan of care, based on current evidence, to optimally address patient-specific goals and to comply with service delivery parameters in accordance with the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual, Managed Care Contract or other guidelines specific to skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Develops treatment plans by identifying a problem list, including long and short-term goals and methods to achieve identified goals.

Coordinates treatment plan with patient, family and other team members. Implements and conducts skilled treatment as outlined in the treatment plan. Monitors patient’s response to intervention and modifies treatment as indicated to attain goals in accordance with physician’s orders. Adapts treatment to meet the individual needs of the patient.

When appropriate, refers patients for treatment to Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA) by completing evaluation and initial plan of treatment and communicating necessary and sufficient information. Supervises and directs OTA in the implementation of the treatment plan. Provides on-going guidance and consultation with the OTA to ensure optimal delivery of treatment interventions.

Develops appropriate home program to maintain and enhance the performance of the patient in his/her own environment. Participates in transition / discharge planning. Provides / recommends / fabricates adaptive devices, orthotics or prosthetics. Trains patient, family and appropriate staff in the use or application of the above.

Reviews the quality and appropriateness of the total services delivered and of individual patient’s outcomes for effectiveness and efficiency, using predetermined criteria such as Section GG of the MDS and other standardized tests and measures.

Participates in patient, family and staff education. Confers formally and informally with other team members in coordinating the total rehabilitation program of the patient. Attend in-service training and facility meetings as required.

Utilizes the Community electronic medical record to review the patient’s medical chart, complete forms such as patient screens, physician orders, transition documentation. Documents evaluation, treatment encounter notes, progress reports, re-certifications, discharge notes and other required patient data in the Therapy electronic medical record. Utilizes guidelines for skilled documentation

Submits billing, payroll and expense documentation in an accurate and timely manner, meeting all regulatory guidelines. Assists in the collection of statistics as directed.

Complies with all Infection Control, Universal Precautions, and OSHA standards for the healthcare professional. Assists with and participates in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Programs as required. Adheres to established confidentiality standards as required by Brookdale concerning patient information.

Attends in-service training as well as provides education to members of the patient care team and members of the community.

Consistently demonstrates sound judgement in the evaluation, planning, implementation and follow-up of patient therapy programs.

Demonstrates strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Assumes responsibility for ongoing continuing education and professional development.

Complies with Human Resource policies including, but not limited to, maintaining professional licensure in good standing, staying current for personnel file items (TB Test, CPR Certification, etc.), complying with State / Federal / Brookdale wage and hour law regulations, device management and Learning Management System (LMS) completion.

This job description represents an overview of the responsibilities for the above referenced position. It is not intended to represent a comprehensive list of responsibilities. An associate should perform all duties as assigned by his/her supervisor.

Qualifications

Education and ExperienceBachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program required. Previous occupational therapy experience preferred.

Certifications, Licenses, and Other Special RequirementsSuccessful completion of the NBCOT Certification Exam. Current license to practice within the state.

Management/Decision MakingUses limited independent judgment to make decisions based on precedents and established guidelines. Solves problems using standard procedures and precedents. Knows when to refer issue to supervisor and when to handle them personally.

Knowledge and SkillsHas a working knowledge of a skill or discipline that requires basic analytic ability. Has an overall understanding of the work environment and process. Has a working knowledge of the organization. Basic computer software skills. Ability to work holidays and weekends as operation demands. Ability to maintain the highest standards of ethical professional and clinical judgment. Ability to address staff and patients in a courteous and friendly manner as well as accept constructive criticism. Must be willing to communicate with patients of various levels of functioning and various types of personalities. Willingness to communicate perceived physical and emotional needs of patients to other skilled staff to assist with addressing their care needs.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Standing
• Walking
• Sitting
• Use hands and fingers to handle or feel
• Reach with hands and arms
• Climb or balance
• Stoop, kneel, crouch crawl
• Talk or hear
• Taste or smell
• Ability to lift: up to 50 pounds
• Vision
• Requires interaction with co-workers, residents or vendors
• Occasional weekend, evening or night work if needed to ensure shift coverage
• On-Call on an as needed basis
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases and infections
• Potential injury from transferring, repositioning, or lifting residents
• Exposure to latex
• Possible exposure to blood-borne pathogens
• Possible exposure to various drugs, chemical, infectious, or biological hazards
• Subject to injury from falls, burns, odors, or cuts from equipment
• Requires Travel: Occasionally

Brookdale is an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace.