The Orthotist-Prosthetist (Advanced Practitioner) functions in Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service within the St. Louis VA Medical Center. The general responsibility of the Non-Supervisory Orthotist-Prosthetist is to provide the most complex clinical and laboratory prosthetic and orthotic services to disabled patients.

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 :

United States Citizenship:

Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Education:

A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR , A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program.

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 :

Orthotist-Prosthetist (Advanced Practitioner), GS-12: Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) 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.
• 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.

• Ability to analyze data and provide reports using CPRS, Vista, DSS, HCPCS codes and other patient database information.
• Ability to provide training to orthotists/prosthetists in new technologies and innovations in devices.
• Ability to manage and supervise employees.

(To be used if the assignment is supervisory in nature.)

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ . This position is above the full performance level. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12 .

Physical Requirements:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.