Occupational Therapist - Dalhousie Family Medicine - Primary Health Care

Req ID: 205310
Location: Central Zone, Mumford Professional Centre and Spryfield Community Centre
Department: PHC CZ POC DFM PATIENT ONBOARDING-
Type of Employment: Casual Hourly PT long-assignment (40%) x 1 
NSGEU Healthcare Position
Posting Closing Date: 27-Jun-25

Nova Scotia Health is the largest provider of health services in Nova Scotia, with some specialized services also offered to clients throughout Atlantic Canada. We’re on a mission to achieve excellence in health, healing, and learning through working together, which is reflected in the hospitals, health centres, and community-based programs we operate across the province. Our passionate team of professionals provides a variety of high-quality inpatient and outpatient services including academic, tertiary, and quaternary care, as well as continuing care, primary health care, public health, and mental health and addictions. Join a diverse team of innovators, collaborators, and creative thinkers today.

Nova Scotia Health employs professionals in all corners of our beautiful province. We believe there's a place here for everyone to call home, from vibrant cities with exuberant nightlife to quaint towns with picturesque trails. The work-life balance that comes with a Nova Scotia Health role means you'll have the time to explore, discover, and participate in that coveted Atlantic lifestyle. Visit us today and check out www.novascotia.com to see why more people from across the globe are moving here.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Health Services Manager of Primary Health Care, the Occupational Therapist (OT) provides consultation, assessment, treatment and follow-up in the occupational performance areas of self-care, productivity and leisure with patients and families of Dalhousie Family Medicine. The objectives of treatment are to facilitate, restore and/or maintain clients' optimal level of function. The Occupational Therapist provides intervention to address clients' occupational performance components (physical, cognitive and affective) using an evidence based approach to plan, implement, and evaluate goal-directed services that contribute to the development of a care plan. The OT partners with and complements other members of the collaborative family practice team for the achievement of person and family-centred care.  The OT will collaborate and liaise with the health care team to support continuity and coordination of care and enhanced access to programs, services and community resources. The OT will act on the social determinants of health and will provide chronic disease prevention and management, health promotion, self-management supports.
 
The primary care team works together to develop and deliver services to the entire population in the community cluster, including outreach to remote areas and services to meet the needs of priority populations. This position requires work at multiple sites with travel between various community locations throughout the area.
 
The OT adheres to the COTNS Standards of Practice and the Code of Ethics and is responsible and accountable at all times for their own practice consistent with relevant legislation, professional and ethical standards. The OT is accountable to identify, analyze and evaluate activities that are reflective of quality improvement initiatives.
 
The OT ensures that the principles and practices that guide Nova Scotia Health (NSH) such as the vision, mission, values, expected behaviors, the leadership philosophy, organizational health, population health, ethics, safety, quality, partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration are integrated within the support that is provided by the work that they do and through the messages they deliver.

About You

We would love to hear from you if you have the following:

• Graduate of a C.A.O.T recognized School of Occupational Therapy
• Must be licensed with College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia (COTNS)
• BLS-C (HCP) Certification
• Knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office Programs, including Outlook
• Experience with ability to organize and maintain client health records within an EMR including continuous learning around EMR functionalities considered an asset
• Demonstrated experience working with people living with persistent pain
• Demonstrated ability with self-management support and behaviour change counselling
• Demonstrated effective communication and interpersonal skills in team based practice
• Demonstrated ability to communicate occupational therapy role in primary care
• Experience with functional assessment and intervention for a broad range of health conditions as seen in primary care
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural safety in practice, the Nova Scotia Health Diversity Framework and the TRC Calls to Action
• Evidence of trauma informed practice
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills within scope of practice including clinical judgment and problem solving skills and the ability to integrate and evaluate pertinent data (from multiple sources) to problem-solve effectively
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and strong ethical standards and a commitment to professional development and life-long learning and ability to promote client-focused care that demonstrates care for and with clients and significant others, sensitive to diverse cultures and preferences, client advocacy and social justice concerns
• Strong understanding of health promotion, population health, and the determinants of health theory and practice
• Ability to transmit information grounded in behavior change and principals of self-management intended to instruct clients and others about topics essential to health care and well-being and demonstrated ability in applying new and innovative technologies and strategies for education and patient counselling
• Ability to manage time and resources, implementing activities to promote cooperation among relevant others, collaboration across disciplines and related activities
• Ability to promote staff morale, cooperation, assertiveness and risk-taking, creative planning for change and innovations, implementation of Nova Scotia Health policies or other protocols, and ongoing professional development of self
• Ability to use factual information, prior learning and basic principles and procedures to support decisions and actions with relevant research-based evidence and integrate best practice from health-related disciplines and the humanities, arts and sciences disciplines into professional practice along with commitment to continuous learning for self, interprofessional team and supportive of interprofessional health discipline students through formal/informal mentoring opportunities
• Valid driver's license and reliable vehicle required for home/community visits
• Competencies in other languages an asset, French preferred

Please ensure your resume is up-to-date and includes all relevant education, experience, training and certifications.

Hours

• Long Assignment, Part-time (40%) position; 30 hours bi-weekly
• Beginning June 30, 2025 with a duration of July 11, 2026
• Dates are subject to change
• Shifts may include evenings, weekends & holidays
• This role will require the successful candidate to work from both the Mumford Professional Centre and Spryfield Community Centre, as required and will also include patients seen via home visits.

Compensation and Benefits

$38.43 - $49.74 hourly

Successful candidates may be eligible for our benefits package which includes health, dental, travel, long-term disability, and life insurance coverage as well as a defined benefit pension plan. 

Once You've Applied

Thank you for your interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. 

​This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Employees are encouraged to view their seniority hours and dates in their SuccessFactors online profile. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units, or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

Nova Scotia Health is committed to being a workforce that is free of discrimination, values diversity, and is representative, at all job levels, of the people we serve. We encourage all qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotian, Persons of Colour, Foreign Nationals/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply and self-identify.