Occupational Therapist Assistant - Certified, Inpatient Rehab - Community Health System

*All positions are located in Fresno/Clovis CA*

Community Medical Centers has been providing central California with the highest level of care available in the region. Community Regional Medical Center measures up with top hospitals nationally and is the 3rd largest in California! With 685 beds, we are home to the only comprehensive Burn and Level I Trauma center between Los Angeles and Sacramento. The 56,000 square-foot emergency department is one of the largest and busiest in California! We have an 84-bed Level III NICU and plan to significantly expand pediatric specialty care. Our hospital serves 2.5 million people within 9 counties, averaging a daily census of 641 patients. We're affiliated with UCSF as a teaching facility; trained 3,000 Medical Doctor's to date plus continuous invests in research and training grants.

Rehab services are provided across the continuum, including a Neuroscience center and Primary Stroke Center, Joint Replacement Center of Excellence, Level III NICU, and the Leon S. Peters Rehabilitation Center.

Our staff is a balanced mix of seasoned clinicians, recent graduates and everything in between.  This offers an optimal environment for mentoring and implementation of the most current evidenced based practice. We support regular continuing education to maintain currency and further develop our staff. Our therapists regularly share knowledge through mentoring and in-services.

Being located within a Level 1 Trauma & Burn Center and teaching facility provides unique opportunities. We are able to admit patients to Acute Rehab at a higher level of acuity and initiate the rehab process earlier because we have access to the specialists in the acute environment.  We also work closely among the rehab therapy teams to improve continuity of care between settings. Additionally, access to the educational process offered in a teaching hospital offers opportunities to attend Grand Rounds, interact with physicians in the residency program, and learn from various healthcare professionals in the teaching environment.

Responsibilities:

The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant 1 (COTA1) is a novice to proficient clinician. Performs occupational therapy procedures as delegated by a Licensed Occupational Therapist to help acute or rehabilitative patients with mental or physical disabilities attain or regain the highest level of functional independence, and assesses and reports on the patients' progress. Responsibilities include selecting therapeutic activities and equipment most appropriate for treatment, assessing and recording patients' responses and progress, and determining when to adjust or advance patients from less to more strenuous activities. Functions within established technical standards and guidelines, but may receive further technical guidance/direction from Occupational Therapist in handling unusual situations.

Accountabilities

1. SECTION 1: Planning, Preparing and Documentation
2. Collects and prioritizes data in a systematic and ongoing process based on the patient’s immediate condition or anticipated needs.
3. Timely communication of response to treatment to the treatment team using the most effective method.
4. Anticipation of patient care issues considered in planning and preparation of treatment course.
5. SECTION 2: Treatment, Implementation, Patient Education
6. Implements the patient’s plan of care established by a Physical Therapist/Occupational Therapist considering the current condition of the patient, patient/family teaching and care coordination.
7. Provides treatment in a competent manner within own scope of practice while complying with treatment contraindications and precautions.
8. Organizes patient care and discharge planning efficiently and prioritizes appropriately to create a collaborative and communicative environment for all members of the healthcare team.
9. Evaluates the effectiveness of the patient’s plan of care in an ongoing, systematic and criterion-based process, including patient responses and the attainment of expected outcomes.
10. For CCS-eligible patients, assists with the coordination of referral to a CCS-paneled provider or a CCS/MTU for the patient who may continue to require therapy services after hospital discharge.
11. Clearly and appropriately communicates with the primary therapist all pertinent information regarding the patient’s response to treatment, patient’s progress, and needs for reassessment or therapist intervention.
12. Provides patient and family education specific to the plan set forth by the primary therapist including evaluation of the effectiveness of the teaching and clear documentation of education provided.
13. SECTION 3: Quality of Practice and Patient Safety
14. Participates in unit and hospital-based quality improvement activities.
15. Demonstrates an ongoing awareness of patient condition and environment to optimize patient safety and reduce risk.
16. Suggests program modification to primary therapist, including actively seeking assistance with patient care when appropriate.
17. SECTION 4: Education and Professional Practice Evaluation
18. Participates in ongoing hospital and unit specific educational activities.
19. Demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning by inservices, projects, and competencies, seeking both formal and independent learning experiences to maintain and develop clinical and professional skills and knowledge that reflect current specialty practice.
20. Engages in self-evaluation of practice, identifying areas of strength as well as areas where professional development would be beneficial.
21. Acknowledges informal feedback regarding one’s own practice from patients, peers, professional colleagues, and others and takes action to improve performance.
22. SECTION 5: Collegiality, Leadership and Research
23. Shares knowledge and skills with peers and provides feedback regarding their practice and/or role performance.
24. Communicates in a professional, caring manner at all times to support a healthy work environment.
25. Embraces teamwork to meet organizational goals through direct participation or supporting active team participants.
26. Teaches others to succeed by mentoring and/or preceptorship.
27. Utilized evidence-based practice to guide clinical practice.
28. SECTION 6: Ethics
29. Adheres to laws, rules and ethics pertinent to licensure.
30. Uses the Patient Bill of Rights to guide practice and deliver care in a manner that preserves and protects patient autonomy, dignity and rights.
31. Acts as a patient advocate by initiating action to improve healthcare.
32. Participates in resolving ethical issues of patients, colleagues or systems via chain of command and Ethics Committee referral, as appropriate. Complies with reporting of illegal, incompetent or impaired practice.
33. SECTION 7: Competence in Skills
34. Demonstrates competence in all required clinical skills based on functional and positional (unit/department) work assignment.
35. Demonstrates competence in using function-specific and position specific computer applications and other technology and successfully utilizes them to perform all required duties.
36. Demonstrates effective time management including meeting productivity targets including accurate and timely charge entry, appropriate co-signature as required by licensure and hospital policy and communication with primary therapist as indicated.
37. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education
• High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED) or Completion of a CHS Approved Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Certificate required
• Graduate of an accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant program or qualifies for state licensure through the process of challenging the licensing exam required
• Associate's Degree in Occupational Therapy or related field preferred

Licenses and Certifications
• OTA - Current State of California Occupational Therapy Assistant License required
o Exception may be made for Occupational Therapy Assistant License Applicant with a requirement to obtain licensure within 180 days of hire or transfer into position
o COTA - Current Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) required within 90 days of hire or transfer into position
o BLS - Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers by American Heart Association (AHA) required

Disclaimers:

• Pay ranges listed are an estimate and subject to change.
• If any bonuses are noted, they are only applicable to external hires meeting criteria.