This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/542736800. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The primary purpose of this position is to provide blind and vision rehabilitation services for visually impaired Veterans and active duty Service members. The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist possesses professional knowledge of, and skill in applying concepts, principles, and practices of blind and vision rehabilitation to include assessment, planning, treatment and follow-up.
08/29/2019 to 09/05/2019
$56,945 - $89,572 per year
GS 9 - 11
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
Not required
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Excepted
11
No
No
HN-10579421-19-KH
542736800
U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist provides direct patient care and support services to an adult population of patients which is characterized by a very significant number of older male patients. Within these broad categorizations, the employee must tailor patient care and support services to meet the needs of the individual patient. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each patient's needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible.
This work involves evaluating and assessing needs, capabilities and limitations, goal setting and prescribing a treatment plan for individuals experiencing blindness/visual impairment caused by injury or disease. The Specialist works as part of a team coordinating care for blind and visually impaired veterans. The Specialist may serve as team coordinator for one or more assigned veterans during the veteran's program. As a team coordinator, the specialist is responsible for developing and coordinating the veteran's Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC) with input from the Veteran and all team members.
The essential elements are the independent evaluation, treatment, and management of a blind and vision rehabilitation program of instruction that teaches veterans with visual impairments to utilize adaptive skills and techniques necessary to cope with the demands of everyday life. These needs constitute significant physical, emotional, and social disabilities.
The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist studies visual and non-visual barriers and related processes that result in activity limitations, participation restrictions, loss of vocational and avocational opportunities, and psychological distress. In providing direct services, they use diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and instrumentation to identify and resolve or minimize these problems.
This Blind Rehabilitation Specialist is responsible for administering assessment tools to evaluate and determine each veteran's strengths and weaknesses relative to his or her expressed needs, goals, and abilities. The specialist conducts skill training that focuses on organization, tactual awareness, auditory awareness, spatial awareness, memory sequencing, problem solving, confidence-building, and integrating visual skills (when appropriate). This training is progressively challenging the blinded veteran's skills in all aspects of sensory awareness with an emphasis on adaptive and safety techniques through various media. The specialist also evaluates and trains blinded veterans in the use of various prosthetic aids.
In addition, the incumbent is regularly assigned as Team Coordinator of one veteran at a time prior to the end of their first year. He/She is responsible for providing and documenting complex professional assessment, individualized program planning, training progress, and post training demonstrated skills and recommendations.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
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.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will recommend grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/05/2019 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10579421.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/05/2019 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10579421.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/542736800. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?
Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago on a 147-acre campus, offers primary, extended and specialty care and serves as a tertiary care referral center for VISN 12. Specialized clinical programs include Blind Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury, Neurosurgery, Radiation Therapy and Cardiovascular Surgery. The hospital also serves as the VISN 12 southern tier hub for pathology, radiology, radiation therapy, human resource management and fiscal services. Hines VAH currently operates 483 beds and six community based outpatient clinics in Kankakee, Hoffman Estates, Oak Lawn, Aurora, LaSalle, and Joliet. Over 875,000 patient visits occurred in fiscal year 2018 providing care to over 57,000 Veterans, primarily from Cook, DuPage and Will counties.
Hines serves as an educational hub with more than 1660 trainees/year from many clinical disciplines. Loyola University Schools of Medicine and Nursing are the major academic affiliates in addition to 41 other affiliations with other universities and colleges which cover 71 programs.