Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your job position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct Occupational Therapy Services in accordance with current applicable federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, and as may be directed by the administrator, to assure that the highest degree of quality resident care can be maintained at all times.

Delegation of Authority

As an Occupational Therapist you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Job Functions

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct our occupational therapy services, as well as its programs and activities, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern nursing care facilities.

Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning therapy services.

Develop and maintain occupational therapy standards.

Assist in standardizing the methods in which occupational therapy will be accomplished.

Maintain a reference library of written therapy material, laws, professional standards of practice, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations, and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality resident care.

Review occupational therapy policies, procedures, manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.

Interpret occupational therapy policies and procedures to personnel, residents, family members, etc., as necessary.

Participate in discharge planning, development and implementation of resident care plans, resident assessments, etc., as necessary.

Assist the Quality Assessment and Assurance Coordinator in developing, implementing, and maintaining an ongoing quality assurance program for occupational therapy services.

Assist the Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.

Assume the authority, responsibility and accountability of directing the occupational therapy service.

Maintain a current file of residents treated.

Maintain treatment records, resident files, and progress notes as required.

Work with the facility’s consultants as necessary and implement recommended changes as required.

Ensure business office receives charges for therapy services rendered to residents.

Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the administrator, as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the occupational therapy department.

Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents.

Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.

Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the administrator.

Agree not to disclose assigned user ID code and password for accessing resident/facility information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.

Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.

Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility’s information system.

Committee Functions

Serve on, participate in, and/or attend various committees of the facility as required.

Provide written and/or oral reports of the occupational therapy programs and activities as required.

Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to occupational therapy services.

Personnel Functions

Determine the staffing needs of the occupational therapy department necessary to meet the needs of the residents.

Recommend the number and level of occupational therapy personnel to be employed.

Assist the administrator and/or the HR director in the recruitment and selection of competent occupational therapy personnel.

Provide guidance and training for new and/or less experienced personnel.

Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours.

Develop, maintain, and periodically update the written procedure for ensuring that professional occupational therapy personnel have valid and current licenses as required by this state.

Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.

Make appropriate reports to the administrator as required or as may be necessary, including departmental performance evaluations.

Maintain an excellent working relationship with the medical profession and other health related facilities and organizations.

Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the department.

Meet with and solicit advice from other department supervisors concerning occupational therapy; assist in identifying and correcting problem areas and/or the improvement of services.

Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.

Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the Administrator.

Ensure that departmental computer workstations left unattended are properly logged off or the password protected automatic screen-saver activates within established facility policy guidelines.

Therapy and Consultation Functions

Review request for occupational therapy and physicians’ orders.

Interview resident to determine type of treatments needed and schedule therapy as ordered.

Select rehabilitative and therapeutic activities and exercises based on medical and social history of residents.

Evaluate type of therapy most desirable after consulting with physician.

Participate in the development and implementation of resident assessments (MDS) and care plans, including quarterly reviews.

Brief resident of procedures involved in occupational therapy and prepare necessary equipment.

Assist in transporting resident to and from occupational therapy room/area.

Demonstrate to residents and staff personnel, as necessary, the procedures involved in the treatment process.

Perform occupational therapy in resident’s room as necessary.

Reassure resident before and during therapy treatment.

Prepare resident for treatment by dress/position and administer occupational therapy in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Instruct and supervise resident during therapy.

Assist residents in ambulatory training as necessary.

Recommend modifications and changes in the resident’s therapy treatment as indicated.

Ensure that all therapist notes are informative and descriptive of the care provided and of the resident’s response to the care.

Staff Development

Develop and participate 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.)

Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the facility, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.

Participate and assist in departmental studies and projects as assigned or that may become necessary.

Attend and participate in workshops, seminars, etc., to keep abreast of current changes in the health care field, as well as to maintain a professional status.

Ensure that therapy personnel attend and participate in annual facility in-service training programs as scheduled (e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection Control, etc.).

Safety and Sanitation

Assist in developing safety standards for the occupational therapy department.

Ensure that therapy personnel, residents, visitors, etc., follow established departmental policies and procedures at all times, including appropriate dress codes.

Be alert for resident safety during any/all therapy.

Comply with established safety precautions at all times.

Ensure that therapy personnel wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g., back brace, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.

Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in the development, implementation, and revision of written aseptic and isolation techniques.

Assist in identifying and classifying departmental procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids. Update as necessary.

Ensure that therapy personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.

Ensure that adequate supplies of personal protective equipment are on hand and are readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.

Ensure that therapy personnel follow established infection control procedures and universal precautions when performing duties.

Ensure 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.

Develop, implement, and maintain a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.

Report missing/illegible labels or MSDSs to the safety officer or other designated person.

Equipment and Supply Functions

Recommend to the administrator the equipment and supply needs of the department.

Provide necessary material/equipment for resident to perform required therapy.

Develop and implement procedures for the safe operation of all occupational therapy equipment.

Ensure that all personnel operate occupational therapy equipment in a safe manner.

Develop and implement procedures that ensure occupational therapy supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

Ensure that MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the therapy department.

Care Plan Functions

Assist in developing occupational therapy plans for individual residents in coordination and conjunction with the resident assessment (MDS).

Review the occupational therapy requirements of each resident admitted to the facility and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident’s care.

Ensure that care plans indicate occupational therapy when such therapy is ordered.

Participate in the development and implementation of care plans, including quarterly reviews.

Budget and Planning Functions

Prepare and plan the occupational therapy budget and submit to the administrator for his/her review, recommendations, and/or approval.

Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations, and recommend to the administrator adjustments in occupational therapy that ensure the continued ability to provide quality care.

Report suspected or known incidence of fraud relative to false billings, cost reports, kickbacks, etc.

Resident Rights

Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.

Ensure 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.

Ensure that therapy personnel knock before entering the resident’s room.

Ensure that all occupational therapy personnel are knowledgeable of the residents’ responsibilities and rights including the right to refuse treatment.

Ensure that therapy personnel honor the resident’s refusal of treatment request. Report such requests to the Director of Nursing Services.

Abide by the resident’s participation in treatment decision.

Inform the resident of consequences of not participating in prescribed therapy and document such action in the resident’s clinical record.

Review complaints and grievances made by the resident, families, and/or visitors and make oral/written reports to the administrator indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.

Maintain a written record of the resident’s complaints and/or grievances that indicates the action taken to resolve the complaint and the current status of the complaint.

Allow the resident to participate in the planning and scheduling of his or her treatment.