Senior Occupational Therapist
Medforce in partnership with a Care Home based in North Dublin who provide care to the elderly are seeking Senior Grade Occupatioanl Therapists to join their Team.
Job Description: The incumbent will provide a comprehensive expert service encompassing physical, sensory, and cognitive interventions to address the Occupational Therapy requirements of residents within the service. They will collaborate with other allied health and social care professionals and provide guidance to junior occupational therapists. The Occupational Therapist must adhere to the Code of Ethics set forth by the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as a representative of the Occupational Therapy field and enhance the visibility of occupational therapy services across the organization.
- Demonstrate well-founded clinical judgment based on experience and clinical proficiency in the care of the elderly (COTE) and dementia service domains.
- Respect the values, beliefs, and needs of residents and staff, involving residents and their families in decision-making when appropriate.
- Offer support and allocate responsibilities effectively to Occupational Therapy staff within the service.
- Interpret standards of practice, professional codes of conduct, and organizational policies, ensuring their integration into Occupational Therapy practices within COTE and dementia service areas.
- Recognize when it’s necessary to escalate decisions to higher authorities and involve colleagues in the decision-making process.
- Promote initiatives within the COTE and dementia service areas to enhance professional practice in line with improved resident care.
- Exhibit understanding and respect for the roles of all members of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).
- Stay informed about developments within the COTE and dementia service areas within the organization, professional body, nationally, and internationally, and apply this knowledge as relevant.
- Maintain a healthy work-life balance and support others, such as Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy assistants, in doing the same.
- Contribute professional expertise to organizational initiatives, committees, and steering groups at local, national, and international levels.
- Provide specialized support to staff in the COTE and dementia service areas.
Managing a Caseload
- Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills when conducting Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions with residents.
- Employ advanced prioritization and planning skills to ensure residents are placed on the appropriate care pathway and that onward referrals to other services are completed promptly.
- Display an advanced proficiency in screening and prioritizing referrals based on clinical needs, while supporting all Occupational Therapy staff.
- Prioritize and optimize the effectiveness of interventions, utilizing available resources to meet the demands of the service areas.
- Collaborate with other relevant MDT colleagues for complex patient cases, ensuring a holistic approach to patient care.
- Balance clinical demands with other responsibilities, such as research, administration, service development, teaching, CPD, and staff supervision, through effective time management and organizational skills.
Planning, Maintaining, and Evaluating a Quality Service
- Demonstrate an advanced level of clinical knowledge and skills in clinical presentations and risk factors, providing senior support for decision-making among other Occupational Therapy staff.
- Possess specialist knowledge and expertise in Dementia care, conducting a range of standardized and non-standardized assessments and interventions in line with evidence-based practice.
- Monitor and report on the use of best practice clinical standards and guidelines within the occupational therapy areas and apply this specialist knowledge to the service.
- Deliver training to staff in areas highlighted in best practice clinical standards and guidelines.
- Collaborate with MDT colleagues to demonstrate advanced clinical skills in the service, assisting with advanced diagnostic, prognostic, and patient management.
- Exhibit advanced knowledge of care pathways relevant to the service.
- Identify appropriate services and supports (OT, MDT, and others) to optimize resident outcomes and identify the need for onward consultation or referral.
- Develop and implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest standards of practice are met.
- Report emerging risk issues to the therapeutic services coordinator, director of nursing, and clinical nurse managers within the service.
- Collaborate with the MDT to identify, plan, and implement interdisciplinary practices.
- Promote and lead a culture of evaluating service outcomes and data collection, implementing quality improvement initiatives as needed.
- Develop and implement strategic service and business plans, quality initiatives, audits, etc., based on up-to-date evidence-based practice and report on outcomes.
- Oversee, evaluate, and advise the therapeutic service coordinator on optimal resource utilization for effective service delivery and optimal resident and service outcomes.
- Identify personal and professional learning needs and seek support from the occupational therapy manager as required.
- Assist staff in identifying their own development needs and address these needs through planned learning, clinical supervision, and professional support.
- Provide appropriate and effective feedback and be open to receiving feedback.
Communication
- Effectively communicate oral and written information in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner, tailored to the content and the target audience.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues at clinical and management levels within the ACC site.
- Facilitate and maintain open communication within the service and department.
- Promote cross-discipline communication and evaluation processes with MDT colleagues, advocating shared discharge planning for optimal resident intervention.
- Address obstacles and conflicts constructively to ensure person-centered decision-making within the MDT.
- Establish relations and connections with community colleagues, working together to promote and enhance appropriate patient pathways for a seamless service.
- Ensure that communication with residents and families/carers is appropriate and timely, developing written resource packs for residents/carers as needed.
- Present lectures, service evaluations, audits, and research projects.
- Negotiate clearly and effectively with relevant stakeholders.
Leadership and Service Development
- Understand the principles of the operational management of the care home and take responsibility for the day-to-day management of these clinical specialty areas.
- Serve as an expert Occupational Therapy clinical resource for the MDT, occupational therapy service, and students.
- Promote the role of the occupational therapy service within the organization and at national and international levels.
- Lead senior clinical decision-making processes within the service.
- Identify and prioritize the requirements of the area within a constantly changing environment.
- Develop guidelines for safe and effective practice.
- Act as a delegate for the therapeutic services coordinator when required.
- Explore and advocate for new initiatives, practices, and care models, in alignment with best practices, to enhance the resident experience and outcomes.
- Identify and seize opportunities to contribute to strategic planning, such as the development of business cases.
- Develop and implement new service initiatives in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the therapeutic services coordinator, MDT members, and others.
- Assist the therapeutic services coordinator in staff recruitment.
- Ensure efficient stock control, including equipment audits and stock sourcing as needed.
- Serve as a role model for Occupational Therapy staff and staff from other professions, exhibiting clinical competence, a positive attitude, and enthusiasm for Occupational Therapy, and making oneself available as a resource for staff.
- Compile and analyze workload statistics for departmental purposes and service reviews.
- Lead and facilitate research projects relevant to the ACC areas at the local or national level.
- Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders on research projects.
- Coordinate and promote departmental research in alignment with the occupational therapy department and the departmental strategic plan.
- Publish research, case studies, and critical reviews in peer-reviewed publications.
- Lead the dissemination of research findings at the local and national levels within Occupational Therapy and the broader healthcare field.
Qualifications and Experience
- Possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy or an equivalent qualification recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
- Full registration with CORU is required.
- Be a member of AOTI (Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland).
- A minimum of four years of post-qualification experience.
- Prior experience at the Senior Occupational Therapist level is preferable.
- Proficiency in posture and seating assessment.
- Experience in elderly care.
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent Salary: Starting from €58,000.00 = €85,000 DOE per year.
Benefits:
- Participation in the Bike to Work scheme
- Company pension
- On-site parking Schedule:
- 12-hour shifts
- 8-hour shifts
- Day shifts
- Monday to Friday
- Must be able to reliably commute to or plan to relocate to North Dublin, County Dublin before starting work (required).
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