Occupational Therapist

KEY FUNCTION:
Provide a holistic, client, and family-centred approach to assessment, analysis and treatment to optimize safety, functional ability, and well-being to enable participation in activities of daily living for older adults with multiple complex health needs. Provide care to patients in acute care transitioning to the Acute and Reactivation Care Centre.

REPORTING:
Under the general direction of the Clinical Manager, Acute and Reactivation Care.

DUTIES:
1. Administer and perform complex standardized and non-standardized assessments in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
2. Analyze and interpret assessment findings to establish patient centered goals.
3. Perform a comprehensive medical history and physical assessment of patients to establish a clinical impression for intervention as required.
4. Treat patients to optimize functional independence and physical performance promoting optimal function, mobility, physical activity and overall health and wellness.
5. Recommend and educate compensatory and remedial strategies, activity modification, adaptive equipment, and assitive devices to promote safety and maximize functional independence.
6. Provide care during transition from acute care to Acute and Reactivation Care and additional care destination outside of HSN, including partnership with internal and community resources to maximize successful transitions.
7. Provide guidance, supervision and delegation of appropriate interventions to the reactivation workers as required in accordance with the standards defined by the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO).
8. Implement strategies to address patient safety issues and mitigate risk within the acute setting and transition to community.
9. Educate patients and families in coping strategies, decision-making, and utilization of personal and community resources, and make referrals to community resources as required.
10. Act as a professional resource to build capacity in geriatric best practice for internal health care providers and community partners.
11. Collaborate with clients, families, interprofessional team members, and community partners throughout the therapy process and advocate to ensure client needs are met.
12. Document assessment findings, analysis, treatment plans, client goals, client’s ongoing progress, effectiveness of treatment plan, and government/insurance/legal forms according to the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) standards and HSN policy.
13. Educate and provide internships to student Occupational Therapists (OT)/Occupational Therapist Assistants/Physical Therapist Assistants, other members of an interprofessional health care team as required.
14. Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information is maintained.
15. Follow service-specific, Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and Infection Prevention and Control practices, including monthly workplace inspections.
16. Evaluate patient care and satisfaction on an ongoing basis and formulate solutions for improvement.
17. Determine and align improvement projects with HSN’s Strategic Plan; monitor and adjust to achieve goal outcomes.
18. Contribute to learner development by providing academic support, mentorship, preceptorship and supervision as required.
19. Participate in education and training specific to current, relevant federal and provincial health and safety and Occupational Therapy practice legislation, standards and guidelines.
20. Educate and promote health, safety and wellness in the work place.
21. Represent the department or program on various committees and in meetings as required.
22. Perform other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:
1. Current Certificate of Registration in good standing with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) is required.
2. Certification as an Assistive Devices Program (ADP) authorizer is preferred.
3. Ministry of Labour “Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps” training certificate is required.

EXPERIENCE:
1. Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working within a healthcare environment.
2. Recent experience working with older adults is required.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:
1. Demonstrated knowledge of community support services, home and community care, rehabilitative services, adult day programs and other social services.
2. Demonstrated ability to mentor assistants.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of typical and atypical anatomy/neuroanatomy, physiology/neurophysiology, social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, and education), and development across the lifespan.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of health assessment tools (e.g. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), Barthel Index, Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Clock Drawing Test, Phonemic/Semantic Fluency, Trails Making Test, Kingston Standardized Cognitive Assessment (KSCA), Brain Network Activation (BNA), Geriatric Depression Scale, and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia).
5. Demonstrated knowledge of OT theory, other theoretical frameworks relevant to the area of practice, and the Canadian Practice Process Framework (CPPF).
6. Demonstrated knowledge of Specialized Geriatric Services across the continuum, primary care, community support services (i.e. Alzheimer’s society, Home and Community care, etc.) and other partners in care.
7. Demonstrated knowledge and application of client and family-centred models of care.
8. Demonstrated knowledge of COTO standards of practice and guidelines.
9. Demonstrated knowledge of current health care and privacy legislation.
10. Demonstrated knowledge of evidence-based geriatric clinical practice and best practice in geriatric care.
11. Demonstrated knowledge of outcome measures and research process/methodology.
12. Demonstrated ability to exercise professional judgment, clinical reasoning, and critical thinking with the ability to apply ethical frameworks and choose the optimal assessment and treatment intervention.
13. Demonstrated knowledge of OT techniques relevant to the area of practice.
14. Demonstrated training, experience or utilization of quality improvement methodology for process improvement.
15. Demonstrated ability to independently identify issues, plan improvements, measure success and continue improvement.
16. Demonstrated excellent computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office software (e.g. Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook) and patient information systems.
17. Demonstrated superior interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
18. Demonstrated ability to manage routine correspondence, multiple tasks/projects, diversified workload and rapidly changing priorities and challenging deadlines.
19. Demonstrated discretion and maturity when handling confidential information.
20. Demonstrated commitment to the safety of co-workers and patients.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:
1. Successful Vulnerable Sector Check is required.
2. Demonstrated ability to meet the cognitive, emotional, and environmental demands of the job.
3. Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
4. Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.
5. Demonstrated professionalism in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.
6. Demonstrated positive work record and good attendance record.
7. Demonstrated ability to meet the physical and sensory demands of the job.
8. Ability to travel between local sites.

Selection Process: Candidates will be selected for this position on the basis of their skill, ability, experience and qualifications as identified in the resume and completed Application Form submitted. The Hospital reserves the right to conduct a formal interview where required. This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Health Sciences North is committed to providing accommodations to applicants with disabilities to enable their participation in the recruitment, assessment, selection and hiring stages of employment.

HSN THANKS ALL APPLICANTS.
ONLY THOSE SELECTED FOR INTERVIEWS WILL BE CONTACTED.
WE WILL NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS AFTER THE CLOSING DATE AND TIME.