CLASSIFICATION:  OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST I

 

Class Code:  6660-19                                        Date Established:  07-01-50           

 

Occupational Code:  7-4-7                                Date of Last Revision:  8-20-04

 

BASIC PURPOSE:  To develop and implement occupational therapy treatment programs to enhance the functional levels of physical, social, cognitive and psychosocial capabilities of patients with physical, mental or emotional problems in order to promote independence in daily living, vocational and leisure skills.

 

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

·        Provides occupational treatment programs as required by a physician that are supervised by a higher level Occupational Therapist, in order to meet therapy objectives.

 

·        Documents the functional capabilities of residents, patients or clients in order to develop individual treatment programs.

 

·        Assesses needs of patients and makes recommendations to improve their functional ability.

 

·        Coordinates occupational therapy programs with other treatment programs to maintain consistency throughout rehabilitation treatment program.

 

·        Charts the progress of patients, and makes notations when changes in occupational therapy functions are necessary.

 

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DISTINGUISHING FACTORS:

 

Skill:  Requires minimal skill in performing a series of routine procedures OR in operating equipment according to standardized instructions.

 

Knowledge:  Requires logical or scientific understanding to analyze problems of a specialized or professional nature in a particular field.

 

Impact:  Requires responsibility for achieving direct service objectives by assessing agency service needs and making preliminary recommendations for the development of alternative short-term program policies or procedures.  Errors at this level result in incomplete assessments or misleading recommendations causing a disruption of agency programs or policies.

 

Supervision:  Requires partial supervision of other employees doing work which is related or similar to the supervisor, including assigning job duties, providing training, giving instructions and checking work.

 

Working Conditions:  Requires performing regular job functions in an environment which includes exposure to continuous physical elements or a number of disagreeable working conditions with frequent exposure to minor injuries or health hazards.

 

Physical Demands:  Requires medium work, including continuous strenuous activities such as frequent reaching, bending, or lifting as well as performing work activities which require fine manual dexterity or coordination in operating machines or equipment.

 

Communication:  Requires summarizing data, preparing reports and making recommendations based on findings which contribute to solving problems and achieving work objectives.  This level also requires presenting information for use by administrative-level managers in making decisions.

 

Complexity:  Requires coordinating a combination of diverse job functions in order to integrate professional and technical agency goals.  This level also requires considerable judgment to implement a sequence of operations or actions.

 

Independent Action:  Requires a range of choice in applying a number of technical or administrative policies under general direction and in making routine decisions or in recommending modifications in work procedures for approval by supervisor.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST I

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MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Education:  Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in occupational therapy.  Courses of study must be approved by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation/American Medical Association in cooperation with the American Occupational Therapy Certification Board, Inc.

 

Experience:  One year’s experience as an Occupational Therapist.

 

  OR

 

Completion of an alternative experience method, as outlined in New Hampshire RSA 326-C:II and approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association.

 

License/Certification:  Possession of licensure or temporary license as an Occupational Therapist by the NH Board of Registration in Medicine.

 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR New Hampshire Hospital:

 

Satisfactory completion of specified written and physical components of the Mental Health Worker Training Program within first four weeks of Employment at New Hampshire Hospital.  Knowledge and experience with Psychiatric population is considered.  Must possess New Hampshire Driver's license and successful completion of Defensive Driving Course.

 

RECOMMENDED WORK TRAITS:  Considerable knowledge of the principles, practices, techniques and equipment of professional occupational therapy.  Knowledge of the organization and role of occupational therapy in a program for the psychiatric or developmentally disabled.  Ability to plan and supervise training in occupational therapy.  Ability to apply the principles and practices of occupational therapy to the treatment of mentally and physically ill patients/clients/residents.  Ability to direct the economical and beneficial use of occupational therapy equipment.  Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and patients/clients/residents.  Ability to understand, interpret and adapt physician's referrals to occupational  therapy treatment.  Ability to maintain records and reports of treatment administered and its effect upon patients.  Must be willing to maintain appearance appropriate to assigned duties and responsibilities as determined by the agency appointing authority.

 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:  This class specification is descriptive of general duties and is not intended to list every specific function of this class title.

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