Orthotist/Prosthetist

Summary

This Orthotist/Prosthetist position functions within the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. The general responsibilities include administering, assessing, planning, evaluating or performing work concerned with providing clinical and laboratory prosthetic and orthotic services to disabled patients.

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Duties

Duties are but not limited to:

• Follows established regulations and procedures to insure patient privacy.
• Identifies biomechanical condition.
• Conducts gait analysis, range of motion, coordination and balance, motor skills, and clinical assessment studies in accordance with occupational principles for unusual conditions, multiple complex interrelated conditions, etc..
• Interviews patients to determine expectations, lifestyle, home/work environment, ability to use the device.
• Takes necessary measurements, casts or scans to develop positive molds of the affected area of the body, which are used to create the orthosis and/or prosthesis.
• Recognizes physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications.
• Assesses patient for indications/contra-indications of appropriate treatment protocols and discusses the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for purposes of developing the overall treatment plan. Has considerable influence in the development of the plan.
• Considers new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions, which include unusual problems or complications.
• Considering the information developed through the assessment as well as time management workload considerations, designs custom devices using standard components to optimize patient performance for difficult and complex conditions; may include CAD/CAM systems.
• Selects materials and components to be used in fabrication of the device and determines appropriate equipment to be used in fabrication of the device.
• Fabricates components, or selects and modifies components, and assembles these into the finished device. Uses CAD/CAM system as appropriate in this process and performs preliminary alignment.
• Fits the device on the patient, assures preliminary alignment, and performs subsequent dynamic alignment.
• Assesses and/or modifies fit and function of the device as fabricated and makes appropriate modifications to insure optimum patient outcome.
• Evaluates patient's ability to don/doff the device, provides training to the patient and/or caregiver in its use and maintenance. This may also include training the clinical staff.
• Explains procedures and processes to the patient to reduce anxiety and gain support and cooperation in all stages of the process.
• Maintains the patient's record, including the electronic record, in accordance with established JCAHO/ABC/BOC/Medical Center/VISN policies.
• Attends professional and manufacturer's training seminars.
• Completes mandatory training per hospital requirements.
• Maintains professional credentials and/or competency.
• Observes appropriate, established infection control guidelines.
• Follows environmental and occupational safety guidelines.
• Communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patient and caregiver in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the O/P treatment plan. (PM&R, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, vascular, podiatry, oncology, etc.)
• Conducts in-service training for O/P staff, VSO's, as well as staff in other disciplines regarding O/P technologies.\
• Provides guidance and direction to lower graded O/P staff when applicable.
• Manages the daily operations of a small Lab.
• Plans clinical schedule for Orthotics and Prosthetics and assures appropriate staff coverage
• Conducts site surveys of commercial vendors to insure vendor regulatory compliance
• Evaluates the ability of a vendor to provide a product
• Responsible for accreditation compliance
• Develops short & long range plans/goals for the lab in accordance with local, VISN, Headquarters direction
• Develops budget plan for lab
• Manages inventory of stock items, fabrication materials, and components
• Assures safe workplace considering environmental concerns, OSHA/JCAHO regulations
• Conducts quality assurance activities
  
  

VA Careers - Prosthetics: https://youtube.com/embed/3NUvF5jjErQ

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday-Friday

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

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  United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR, (2) A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program.
• Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign degree programs must have proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in orthotics and prosthetics
• Board Certification. Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement.
  
  

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)

Grade Determinations: GS-12

• Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as an orthotist/prosthetist functioning as a full member of the clinical team which includes significant involvement in treatment plan development for the most complex types of conditions.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment- specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by the ABC, BOC, the National Committee for Orthotic/Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), the International Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists (IAOP), the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), etc.
• 2. Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database (NPPD), knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software (PNS) package, Decision Support System (DSS), and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and certification requirements for individuals.
• 3. Ability to analyze data and provide reports using CPRS, Vista, DSS, HCPCS codes and other patient database information.
• 4. Ability to provide training to orthotists/prosthetists in new technologies and innovations in devices.
  
  

Preferred Experience: Customer service oriented, willing to adapt to new policies and procedures, flexible, team oriented and organized.



Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.



Physical Requirements: Lifting (25 lbs and over); Carrying (25 lbs and over); Pushing and pulling; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Standing for extended periods; Repeated bending. Ability for simultaneous mental and muscular coordination.

Education



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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