Full-Time
Occupational Therapist
Acute Care
Kaweah Health
1,001-5,000 employees
Non-profit hospital system delivering trauma care
Compensation Overview
$64/hr
Visalia, CA, USA
In Person
 Medical, Clinical & Veterinary (1) |
|---|
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- A valid California Occupational Therapist license is required.
- Basic Life Support certification is required.
- If assigned to the Infant, Pediatric, and Adolescent Units, one year of infant, pediatric, and adolescent experience is encouraged.
- If assigned to Home Health, a valid California driver's license and auto insurance are required, and the therapist must be willing to operate a personal vehicle as necessitated by the job.
- The therapist must pass an annual competency assessment conducted by a physical or occupational therapist.
- The therapist must meet or exceed requirements for the assigned practice setting established by appropriate regulatory bodies, including the Joint Commission, California Department of Public Health, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
- The therapist must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the population served on the assigned unit or work area.
- The therapist must be knowledgeable about growth and development and the cultural, linguistic, spiritual, gender, and age-specific needs of patients and families.
- Administer standard formal evaluations as appropriate based on patient age, diagnosis, and clinical information from chart review or patient and family interviews.
- Evaluate patient deficits without formal measures when a patient is unable to participate in formal testing.
- Complete documentation in a timely manner with clear indications of progress toward functional goals.
- Plan individual treatment programs following physician orders.
- Perform therapy treatment procedures safely and as indicated.
- Provide instruction to the team regarding patients' functional needs as needed.
- Contact physicians regarding changes in treatment plans and programs.
- Train patients and their families or caregivers regarding care needs during functional daily activities.
- Secure equipment for patients in all settings and make necessary fitting adjustments.
- Complete daily charges.
- Supervise aides and assistants in completing assigned tasks.
- Participate in continuing education to remain current in new treatment procedures and provide in-service training to department staff.
- Meet or exceed productivity requirements.
- Assist with orienting new therapists and assistants to department policies, procedures, and the physical plant.
- Provide age-appropriate services.
- For infant, pediatric, and adolescent patients, use treatment modalities and equipment appropriate to the patient's developmental level.
- Attend required department and Kaweah Health meetings.
- For infant, pediatric, and adolescent assignments, evaluate the functional capabilities of patients with physical disabilities using appropriate assessment tools, establish occupational therapy treatment goals and service plans, coordinate with a CCS case manager regarding therapy after hospital discharge, and participate in case conferences as needed.
- Assist with the day-to-day operations of the department as needed.
- Participate in the employee evaluation process through peer reviews when requested.
- Communicate effectively and provide care for patients and families as reflected in the Plan for Provision of Care.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Kaweah Health is a public, not-for-profit health system based in Visalia, California, serving the Central Valley since 1963. It operates a 581-bed medical center, a large outpatient clinic, and several facilities, offering emergency care, cancer treatment, cardiovascular services, rehabilitation, and other medical services. It is the largest hospital system in Tulare County and a certified trauma center. As a not-for-profit, it reinvests earnings back into the community to fund new services, facilities, and programs, with a strategic focus on accessible, high-quality healthcare. The organization has launched an financial recovery plan, “Operation Back in Black,” to improve finances through revenue enhancement and cost reduction, and partners with Medline to enhance supply chain and operational efficiency. Its goal is to provide broad, high-quality healthcare to its community while strengthening financial sustainability and expanding services as needed.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$8.7M
Headquarters
Visalia, California
Founded
1963
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Kaweah reported $1.1 million profit for fiscal 2026's first six months.
- Vacant-position cuts, not layoffs, helped offset projected $25 million Medicaid pressure.
- Akers Clinic, Tulare therapy, and lab consolidation expand outpatient capacity in 2026.
What critics are saying
- Gary Herbst retires June 30, 2026, forcing a nationwide CEO search during recovery.
- Burger wrongful-death litigation and RN licensing actions spotlight emergency-department failures in 2025.
- One budget shock or payer-rate cut could revive 2023 default fears and closure talk.
What makes Kaweah Health unique
- Visalia's only trauma center and largest Tulare County hospital anchors regional care.
- 2026 youth mental-health expansion adds 22 beds and admits children as young as 12.
- Kaweah's residency, nursing, and clinic pipeline deepens local training and physician recruitment.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
Flexible Work Hours
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 8%1 year growth
↑ 8%2 year growth
↑ 8%Kaweah Health board appoints Jonna Schengel as Zone 2 representative. The Kaweah Health Board of Directors has appointed Jonna Schengel, PT, MA, Ed.D., to serve as the Zone 2 representative, filling the seat vacated by the retirement of Lynn Havard Mirviss, RN, Ed.D. Schengel will serve out the remainder of the term through Dec. 4, 2026. Schengel is currently the Dean of Career Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Development, Industry and Technology, Manufacturing, Nursing and Allied Health at College of the Sequoias (COS). Selected from a pool of highly qualified candidates, she brings extensive expertise in healthcare education and workforce development to the board. A Visalia resident since 1991, Schengel has deep roots in the local healthcare community. She worked as a physical therapist and founded Central California Physical Therapy Specialists before selling the practice in 2011. At COS, she developed the physical therapist assistant program and significantly expanded the nursing program, further demonstrating her commitment to building the regional healthcare workforce. "I understand how important Kaweah Health is to the vitality of the Central Valley, not just for the employees who work here, but also for the patients," Schengel said. "Ultimately, I want Kaweah Health to be the premier provider of healthcare in the Central Valley." With her strong background in health sciences and educational leadership, Schengel looks forward to contributing her experience, perspective, and commitment to supporting the mission and future of Kaweah Health. Kaweah Health is the community name for the Kaweah Delta Health Care District, a public hospital district serving the greater Visalia area. The district covers 183 square miles, encompassing all of Visalia and Goshen and parts of Ivanhoe and Farmersville. The district is divided into five equally populated zones, each represented on the board by a locally elected member. Board members serve four-year terms and may run for re-election without limit.
Kaweah Health graduates nursing staff as shortage plagues county. VISALIA, Calif. - Kaweah Health has graduated an inaugural class of nurses under a new partnership that seeks to address a shortage in Tulare County. In 2020, the hospital partnered with Unitek College, an institution that offers higher education in medicine and nursing throughout the country. It has physical campuses in California, Nevada, and New Mexico. Thirteen graduates received their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees this month. The new nurses come at an opportune time, as there has been a decline in the number of people working in hospitals across the nation and the Central Valley. The COVID-19 pandemic left significant impacts in the medical field - like stress and excessive workloads - which made the nursing shortage worsen... Kaweah Health officials say the hospital faced a 25% nursing shortage in 2021. That figure sparked the urge to close the gap and improve nurse capacity in the county. The college proposed creating a program within Kaweah Health for prospective nurses who are interested in studying and working at the same time. Dianne Cox, chief human resources officer at Kaweah Health, says the nursing shortage at its hospital is now 7%. "We have 70 vacancies of registered nurses and about 1000 direct patient care registered nurses positions available. We're doing very well with recruitment and retention," Cox said. "We really believe that we will have solved our nursing shortage in Visalia and Tulare County." The program is primarily available to hospital employees, though there are some exceptions. To apply, employees must go through a testing process and provide references. Currently, 160 employees are enrolled. After the 13 graduates who completed the program this month, the hospital expects roughly 50 participants will graduate each year after. Interim Chief Nursing Officer Scott Baker says this program has great potential, especially since it could help fill vacancies by nursing staff who will soon retire. "As we grow this program, and as we hire more of these nurses, this is going to feed the hospital," Baker said. "Having this pool of nurses to pull in will refresh that, and as we grow them into clinical experts, it really balances out what we're going to be losing." Kaweah Health has also partnered in recent years with Porterville College and San Joaquin Valley College's radiologic technology program to boost training and medical staffing.
FRESNO, Calif. (KGPE) - Kaweah Health was recently recognized as being a top 100 hospital in the nation for spine surgery by Healthgrades.
Kaweah Health named in employment discrimination case.
You'll learn first-hand why so many have picked Kaweah Health to pursue their career in healthcare, and why Kaweah Health was named Healthgrades® America's 100 Best Hospitals™ for 2023.