Occupational Therapist - Rehabilitation (STMC)

Role Overview

Occupational Therapist - Rehabilitation (STMC) at SEHA, located in the United Arab Emirates.

Role Purpose

To independently or under the supervision of senior therapists conduct all operations related to occupational therapy while observing all standards of operational rules and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

Assessment & Planning

• Undertake full comprehensive and accurate assessment of patients' physical, psychological, and social needs, including those with diverse or complex presentations and multi-pathologies, using investigative and analytical skills.
• Formulate individualized management and treatment plans using advanced clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment knowledge, skills, and options to develop a specialized program of care.
• Undertake client-centered and occupation-focused assessments and interventions.
• Receive referrals, screen, prioritize, assess, identify needs, plan interventions, implement, evaluate, adjust, and review to address patients' complex and changing needs, including the impact on carers and carers' needs using professional judgment and clinical reasoning.
• Be alert to the needs of vulnerable patient groups, including conducting risk assessments and taking appropriate action when required.
• Work under indirect supervision to diagnose, assess, plan, and implement patient-specific programs of care and rehabilitation.
• Contribute to continuous assessment of patients.
• Evaluate patient progress and alter treatment programs as and when appropriate.
• Involve patients in goals and treatment proposals; gain valid informed consent; work within the legal framework with patients who lack capacity for informed consent.
• Own caseload under the clinical supervision of a senior Occupational Therapist and deal with referrals in line with departmental policy.

Communication & Implementation

• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients, families, and carers regarding diagnosis and treatment plans to help progress rehabilitation, including with patients who may have difficulties with understanding or communication.
• Develop comprehensive discharge plans and work with relevant professionals to arrange ongoing care.
• Complete all necessary records, reports, and statistics in line with agreed occupational therapy service policy and professional guidelines; record personally generated clinical observations.
• Maintain care, adjustment as necessary, and maintenance of equipment as appropriate.
• Maintain up-to-date clinical and professional knowledge to provide a well-developed level of informed professional knowledge according to organizational requirements, including minimum CPD/CME hours per year required for re-licensing.
• Travel with patients wherever required in and out of the United Arab Emirates for treatment.
• Perform home occupational therapy treatment when required for royal or VIP patients.
• Interpret if bilingual when required.

Quality & Safety

• Promote and maintain quality in all services and ensure continuous quality improvement measures are in place; conduct method evaluation and development per standard policies and procedures.
• Comply with all safety, health, and quality control programs and procedures as applicable.
• Comply with applicable organizational competencies and precautions for environmental safety and infection control, using a series of interventions that minimize or prevent cross-infection.
• Maintain the strictest confidence in relation to patient information whether formally or informally recorded.
• Practice within the expressed limits of established policies and procedures.
• Ensure that standard operation procedures (SOP) and quality assurance tests are maintained within all sections.
• Document all interventions in appropriate format.
• Comply with and support clinical audit processes within the service and report on these as agreed.
• Communicate in a professional and courteous manner with patients, families, and other medical personnel to obtain information for records, explain procedures, clarify orders, and communicate status.
• Assist in training of students if required.

Management

• Supervise junior staff and ensure their compliance with all applicable rules and policies as implemented in the section, department, or facility.
• Maintain sufficient inventory of material supplies and equipment for performance of duties.
• Report shortage of materials to supervisor at the earliest convenience, and order and approve replenishments when necessary.

Additional Duties

• Accept any other duties which are consistent with qualifications, experience, and ability when requested by superiors.

Qualifications & Experience

• Not less than 2 years post-graduate experience as an Occupational Therapist with relevant experience with patients with the same diagnosis seen in acute care hospital or rehabilitation facilities.

Additional Information

• Minimum CPD/CME hours per year required for re-licensing as per organizational requirements.