[rehab] Itinerant RT Job-New Orleans, LA

[Leslie Fairall]

Job Title: Blind Rehabilitation Specialist

Department: Department Of Veterans Affairs

Agency: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Job Announcement Number: 10-408-38

SALARY RANGE:

    68,809.00 - 89,450.00 USD /year

OPEN PERIOD:

    Monday, May 24, 2010 to Tuesday, June 08, 2010

SERIES & GRADE:

    GS-0601-12/12

POSITION INFORMATION:

    Full-Time.  Monday thru Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    Permanent.


DUTY LOCATIONS:

    1 vacancy - New Orleans Metro area, LA

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:

    Applications will be accepted from United States citizens and
    nationals.

JOB SUMMARY:

    Responsible for identifying beneficiaries who have blind rehabilitation
    training potential.  Consults with Visual Impairment Services Team
    (VIST), eye clinics, Blind Rehabilitation Centers and community
    resources to locate potential clients.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

      * U.S. Citizenship

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Duties

Additional Duty Location Info:

    1 vacancy - New Orleans Metro area, LA

    Responsible for identifying beneficiaries who have blind rehabilitation
    training potential.  Consults with Visual Impairment Services Team
    (VIST), eye clinics, Blind Rehabilitation Centers and community
    resources to locate potential clients.  Responsible for the blind
    rehabilitation training, assessment and consultation on each client
    referred or found.  Uses objective and subjective assessment tools and
    methods requiring broadly based advanced knowledge in low vision,
    orientation and mobility, living skills teaching, manual skills and
    other associated disciplines.  Consults with local and regional
    resources for information.  Selects, interprets and adapts traditional
    strategies in order to meet client needs.  Develops an individualized
    rehabilitation training plan for each client with rehabilitation
    potential. Each plan includes client and/or family goals, as well as
    achievable and measurable outcomes.  Prioritizes rehabilitation
    training activities so as to maximize clients served, consistent with
    quality care and safety.  Makes use of a wide variety of complex
    training aids and devices, also uses complex assessment tools and
    trains clients on sophisticated prosthetics and sensory aids to
    accomplish the work. Works closely with local VIST, Prosthetic and
    Sensory Aids Service and the regional Blind Rehabilitation Center to
    fabricate, prescribe and obtain equipment for clients during their
    rehabilitation training.  Assesses patterns of prosthetic use and
    provides remedial or advanced instruction to maximize rehabilitation
    outcomes.  Functions as an independent provider of blind rehabilitation
    training services.  Documents assessment, rehabilitation training
    progress, consults referrals and recommendations in the clients chart.
    Provides effective patient counseling in the psychosocial adjustment to
    blindness as an integral component of the work.  Relies upon his/her
    extensive knowledge of the psychosocial issues associated with
    blindness to assist the client in achieving a greater acceptance of
    blindness and the blind rehabilitation process.
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Qualifications and Evaluations

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

    OPM's Group Coverage Qualifications Standards for Professional and
    Scientific Positions and Individual Occupation Requirements for GS-601:
    General Health Science Series. One year specialized experience
    equivalent to at least next lower grade level.

    BASIC REQUIREMENTS:  Degree: major study in an academic field related
    to the health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of
    the position.

    A.    Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an
    accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher
    degree that included a major field of study or specific course
    requirements generally as stated in basic requirements in the
    individual occupational requirements.

    Where specific course requirements are not indicated in basic
    requirements, the number of semester hours required to constitute a
    major field of study is the amount specified by the college or
    university attended.  If this number cannot be obtained, 24 semester
    hours will be considered as equivalent to a major field of study.  The
    nature and quality of this required course work must have been such
    that it would serve as a prerequisite for more advanced study in the
    field or subject-matter area.  Related course work generally refers to
    courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.

    AND

    In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements,
    applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related
    education.

    SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  Experience that equipped the applicant with
    the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully
    the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the
    work of the position to be filled.

    RATING FACTORS:  Please address all of the following rating factors:

    1.    Advanced professional knowledge of theories, principles and
    practices in the following disciplines at the journeyman level:
    Orientation and Mobility, Living Skills, Manual Skills and Low Vision.

    2.    Knowledge of the effects and implications of blindness in
    conjunction with concomitant functional losses, e.g. losses of hearing
    or tactitle perception, limb dysfunction or amputation, cognitive
    deficits, etc.  Must have knowledge of the implications of commonly
    encountered medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus,
    cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.

    3.    Knowledge of the psychosocial dynamics of blindness.  This
    knowledge must include counseling approaches that effect greater
    acceptance of blindness and the blind rehabilitation process.

    4.    Ability to communicate effectively and courteously, verbally and
    in writing, with people from a variety of backgrounds and educational
    levels and to develop and present educational material for these
    audiences.
    You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
    You will need to successfully complete a background security
    investigation before you can be appointed into this position.
    You must meet time-in-grade restrictions by the closing date of this
    announcement.
    Applicants for this position must pass a pre-employment medical
    examination.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

    You will be evaluated based upon the question responses you provide
    during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview
    questions you should be sure to site specific examples of experience,
    explain exactly what you did, and the outcome.
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Benefits and Other Info

BENEFITS:

    You may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program,
    with costs shared with your employer. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#FEHB.
    Life insurance coverage is provided. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#life
    New employees are automatically covered by the Federal Employees
    Retirement System (FERS). If you are transferring from another agency
    and covered by CSRS, you may continue in this program. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#retr
    You will earn annual vacation leave. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#VACA
    You will earn sick leave. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#SKLV
    You will be paid for federal holidays that fall within your regularly
    scheduled tour of duty. More info:
    http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#HOLI

OTHER INFORMATION:

    This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in
    the competitive civil service.
    You must submit all required information by the closing date. If
    materials are not received, your application will be evaluated solely
    on the information available and you may not receive full consideration
    or may not be considered eligible.
    The materials you send with your application will not be returned.
    If you fax your application, we will not consider it.
    Send only those materials needed to evaluate your application. Please
    do not place your application in a notebook or binder.
    You will be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.

    DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: The VA has established a Drug-Free Federal
    Workplace Policy.  All applicants tentatively selected for VA
    employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis
    to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.  Applicants who
    refuse to be tested will be denied employment with the VA for a period
    of six months.  This policy extends to random testing for the use of
    illegal drugs by employees who occupy testing designated positions
    defined as sensitive in Section 7(d) of Executive Order 12564.

    ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Proficiency in the English language is
    required for direct patient care positions.  (P.L. 95-201)

    APPLICANT'S PLEASE NOTE:  Education must be accredited by an
    accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
    in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly
    positions with a positive education requirement.)  Therefore,
    applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools
    accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S.
    Department of Education.  Applicants can verify accreditation at the
    following website:  http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
    All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing
    agency accordingly.

    NO POSTAGE PAID ENVELOPE:  In accordance with 18 USC 1719 and USC 3201
    the use of postage paid government envelopes for filing job
    applications is a violation of federal law and regulations.

    PBI INTERVIEWS: Any interviews that may be conducted will utilize the
    Performance Based Interviewing process (PBIs).  For more information on
    the performance-based interview process, see http://www.va.gov/pbi

    SPECIAL NOTE FOR CTAP/ICTAP ELIGIBLES: Agency Career Transition
    Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance
    Program (ICTAP).  Federal Employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must
    submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) CTAP
    and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice,
    a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and copy of their most
    recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
    Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a
    CTAP or ICTAP eligible.

    EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:  The United States Government does not
    discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
    national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital
    status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization or
    other non-merit factors.

    REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:  Federal agencies provide reasonable
    accommodations to applicants with disabilities.  If you need
    accommodation for any part of the application process, contact the
    hiring agency.  The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will
    be on a case-by-case basis.
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How To Apply

HOW TO APPLY:

    You must submit your application so that it will be received by the
    closing date of the announcement.

    SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS EMPLOYEES ONLY:
    Two-Way Memo âEUR" Optional Form 27

    Applicants from outside the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care
    System must submit the following information:

    1.  VA Form 10-2850c, Application for Associated Health Occupations or
    a Resume containing all information required by the VA Form 10-2850c.

    2.   Copy of most recent SF-50 that shows your current title, series,
    grade and tenure (if applicable).

    3.   Form OF-306 (Declaration of Federal Employment) All applicants
    must complete and submit this form.

    4.    Most recent Annual Performance Appraisal (If applicable).

    5.  Education above the high school level will not be credited without
    verification (e.g., transcript).  Transcript must be submitted with
    application.

    6.  Applications must be postmarked by the closing date of this
    announcement.

    THE INFORMATION ABOVE MAY BE SUBMITTED USING ONE OF THE TWO FOLLOWING
    METHODS:

    1.      Mail or hand deliver your application to:

    Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System

    1555 Poydras Street

    Suite 1300

    Attn:  Human Resources Office

    New Orleans, LA  70112

    APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY FAX OR E-MAIL.

    YOUR APPLICATION OR RESUME MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

    1.    Job announcement number, job title, and grade level.

    2.    Your full name, social security number, mailing address, and
    telephone number(s).

    3.    Education, training, and/or work experience.

    4.    Information about previous Federal employment (SF-50), including
    salary (or highest GS level)

    5.    Country of citizenship.

    6.    All other supplemental information, i.e., SF-50, Latest
    Performance Appraisal, transcript, DD-214 (if required), etc.

    7.    Application packages cannot be accepted beyond the closing time.

    8.    All applications and supplemental information must have your name
    and announcement number on each page.

    9.    Supplemental information must be mailed to the address above.

    pplication forms are available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/index.htm
    and http://vaww.va.gov/vaforms/.

    Employees are responsible for assuring that their Official Personnel
    Folder contains a complete record of education, training and work
    experience. (As appropriate)

    If education is used to qualify for this position, please include
    sufficient information in your resume so you can be evaluated. You may
    mail a list of college courses that includes hours and grades to
    provide detail.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

    Deborah Jones
    Phone: 504-558-1408 Agency Information:
    Department Of Veterans Affairs
    1555 Poydras Street
    Suite 1300
    New Orleans, LA 70112
    US

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

    Once your complete application is received we will conduct an
    evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most
    highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for
    further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a
    selection within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. You
    will be notified of the outcome.
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    Agency Information:
    Department Of Veterans Affairs
    1555 Poydras Street
    Suite 1300
    New Orleans, LA 70112
    US
    Questions about this job:
    Deborah Jones
    Phone: 504-558-1408
    Job Announcement Number:
    10-408-38
    Control Number: 1919224