Occupational Therapist

Overview

SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital - Neuro Transitional Center

Position: Occupational Therapist

Location: St. Louis, MO

Type of Employment: PRN

We are seeking an Occupational Therapist at SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital - Neuro Transitional Center. This is an exciting opportunity to change lives.  The Neuro Transitional Center has 12 beds and is designed to provide intensive rehabilitation to individuals with an acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury who are unable to safely return home at the time of discharge from an inpatient rehab hospital due to the severity of their impairments. Currently, 93% of our patients return to their homes at discharge from NTC, and now will not have to leave the state to receive this level of service.    

Responsibilities

Evaluates all assigned patients and develops, implements and modifies the plan of care in accordance with the patient’s needs and collaboration with the transdisciplinary team. Responsible for directed transfer of skills learned by patients during formal therapy into the evenings, weekends and community through team collaboration, communication and training of the Neuro Rehab Coaches. Serves as a primary therapist for assigned patients and works within a transdisciplinary team philosophy. Delivers therapy across multiple environments, modifying the structure and stimuli to maximize patient success. Serves as an educator of patients, families, students, coworkers and self. Performs other professional duties associated with the care of the patient and enhancement of the Neuro Transitional Rehabilitation program.

• Completes a comprehensive evaluation on assigned patients according to Neuro Transitional Rehab (NTR) guidelines for timeliness and completeness. Incorporates appropriate standardized testing, required NTR standardized outcome measures, NTR functional neuro evaluation, interest inventory, and functional needs assessment per NTR policy.    
• Utilizes clinical reasoning, evidence based practice and team collaboration to develop appropriate plan of care identifying patient strengths and impairments.  Develops long term and short term goals within the appropriate domain(s) to meet expected outcomes both within the community and home.  Identifies the expected level of assistance and supervision to be achieved within the predicted length of stay. 
• Actively participates in team conferences and family conferences, collaborating with the transdisciplinary team to identify, plan and educate on the following: patient strengths and impairments, creative solutions to overcome barriers, patient progress, home modification recommendations, special equipment needs and any changes to the expected outcomes.  Receives feedback from family regarding goals, progress and meaningfulness.    
• Ongoing participation in discharge planning to facilitate a safe discharge home.  Identifies the time frame needed for family training in the facility and completes the training as needed. Completes a home evaluation as needed prior to discharge to identify safety hazards, home modifications and equipment needed.  Collaborates with the transdisciplinary team to recommend discharge services and resources.
• Ongoing participation in discharge planning to facilitate a safe discharge home.  Identifies the time frame needed for family training in the facility and completes the training as needed. Completes a home evaluation as needed prior to discharge to identify safety hazards, home modifications and equipment needed.  Collaborates with the transdisciplinary team to recommend discharge services and resources. 
• Demonstrates flexibility in all aspects of caseload management including accepting coverage and problem solving to effectively and efficiently manages individual, concurrent, and group treatment sessions based on patient care needs. 
• Serves as the Primary Therapist for assigned patients, ensuring cognitive impairments are addressed using errorless learning as needed and incorporating evidence based practice across appropriate domains.  Ensures weekly functional activities are prepared and the weekly patient schedule is complete and includes meaningful activities. Completes weekly appointment physician follow ups  and provides regular written feedback in patient notebook.     
• Completes medical record documentation in a clear, concise, accurate and timely manner, inclusive of assessments, daily activities progress notes,  weekly goal summary updates, residential recommendations and discharge recommendations etc.  Completes charge entry using approved formats in compliance with state, federal guidelines and in accordance with NTR policies and procedures. Ensures care is provided under signed, valid physician orders and within insurance approval, as indicated and necessary for clinical care of the patient.
• Participates in student program as assigned and appropriate, providing a positive learning environment for students with appropriate supervision, development of learning objectives and completion of student evaluations. 
• Actively creates an individualized professional development plan with clinical management. Identifies and initiates own professional growth, actively pursuing professional development through continuing education, self study and involvement in professional activities and organizations.  Applies learned information in order to meet the strategic objectives of the organization.
• Actively participates in patient and professional advocacy efforts that may include lobbying activities, health fairs, community level events, professional memberships, fundraising/charitable activities
• Adheres to discipline specific State Practice Act and other regulatory agencies.  Maintains professional licensure in good standing and completes all state mandated continuing education requirements.  Performs in an ethical manner in accordance with discipline specific professional code of conduct. 
• Understands the organization’s performance improvement methodology to improve quality of services provided.  Demonstrates awareness of organizational performance improvement initiatives and follows through with the action plans.  Offers feedback through staff meetings, focus groups, direct supervisor and informal conversation in order to maximize performance improvement outcomes.  
• Occasionally transports patients on community outings.
• Performs other duties as requested.

Qualifications

• Current state licensure or eligibility for state licensure as an Occupational Therapist required
• Certified BLS or completion in the first 90 days of employment required

Additional Data

Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled/Veterans