Occupational Therapist - Acute Care, Carolinas Medical Center, Full-Time

Carolinas Medical Center Acute Care Rehabilitation Team

Join a collaborative acute care rehabilitation team at Carolinas Medical Center, Atrium Health’s flagship Level I Trauma Center and regional referral hospital. Occupational therapists work alongside physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, physicians, nurses, and case management teams to provide comprehensive care for medically complex patients across trauma, neurology, oncology, cardiac, critical care, transplant, and surgical service lines. This fast-paced environment offers opportunities to support patients throughout their acute hospitalization, helping them maximize function, promote safe discharge planning, and improve quality of life through evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Job Description:

Evaluates, plans, directs and administers programs of Occupational Therapy in an inpatient acute level setting, upon referral by the physician. Plans and conducts OT programs to restore function, prevent disability, and help patients reach their maximum level of independence. Supervises Occupational Therapy Assistants, Rehab Technicians, volunteers and students.

Essential Functions

• Provides direct therapy services to patients admitted to a level of care where service provision is required 7 days a week, including holidays (acute care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility).
• Evaluates patients, selects and administers assessment techniques, synthesizes information to establish appropriate patient care plan to include necessary modalities, procedures, exercise programs, therapeutic groups and patient education as warranted by a holistic view of the patient's diagnosis, condition, age, and contextual needs of discharge disposition.
• Gathers and interprets appropriate data from the medical record, physician reports, patient, and/or family as evidenced by documentation.
• Communicates patient's evaluation and subsequent progress to physician, referral sources, and other clinical staff and coordinates patient's schedule, treatment programs, regarding discharge planning and recommends solutions to patient care problems.
• Documents evaluations, tests, progress notes, daily treatment notes, attendance records, patient/family education, outcomes, discharge notes, and charges.

Physical Requirements
Hearing (corrected) adequate for oral/aural communication. Vision (corrected) adequate for reading. Intelligible speech and adequate language/cognitive skills to perform job duties. Sitting, standing, and walking required throughout the day. Job duties sometimes require climbing stairs, kneeling, twisting, bending; on occasion, crouching, crawling and reaching overhead. Lifting of patients, equipment or supplies will be required up to 20 pounds frequently and 50 pounds occasionally. Able to laterally transfer patients 100 pounds rarely. Must be able to demonstrate any appropriate exercise and activities to patients/caregivers. Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves, goggles, gowns, and masks are sometimes required due to possible exposure to hazardous chemicals or blood and body fluids. Work is in a fast-paced clinical environment. The work environment is primarily indoors but occasionally outdoors.

Education, Experience and Certifications

Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy required. applicable state license for OT required. BLS required per policy guidelines.