Occupational Therapist - Emergency Department 1 Team - Regular Full-time 2025-11908

Summary of Duties:

These positions will augment the interprofessional day, evening and weekend teams to promote safe discharges and seamless transitions back to community. Occupational therapists will support the ED team in the evening, 7 days a week, to make decisions about discharging patients from the ED. Patients’ functional status will be assessed, and recommendations will be made about each patient’s ability to perform functional mobility and everyday living skills. Assistive devices and adaptive equipment may be recommended to help patients manage in their communities. Personalized strategies for patients whose cognition or mood are impaired will be provided. Targeted education will be given to patients who have had a fall or at risk for falls. The OT will collaborate with the ED Clinical Team to identify options for lowered risk to return to living in the community, based on each patient’s physical, cognitive and psycho-emotional functional presentation.

These positions will be well-suited for Occupational Therapists who are adaptive and thrive on a constantly changing caseload, who can problem-solve in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high level of productivity and competence, who are adaptive and excited to be part of innovative models of interprofessional care, and who value working in collaboration with system partners to build high performing teams not only at Sunnybrook but throughout our community– with a focus on one team.

As part of interprofessional ED clinical team, you will:

• Collaborate with patients, family, ED staff and system partners to facilitate safe and effective patient discharges from the ED or begin assessments for appropriate admissions

• Participate in daily ED rounds, conduct assessments (eg. Cognition, transfers, toileting, mobility, stairs, mood, mental health status), and liaise with system partners about recommended equipment (eg. walker, rollator, commode, bed rail, shower seats) and services to avoid hospital admission

• Act as a rehabilitation expert resource for staff, students, and other healthcare providers

• Seek opportunities for knowledge translation through evidence-based practice and implementing best practices in the ED

• Complete record keeping in a timely and clear manner

• Practice in accordance with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario standards for practice

Qualifications/Skills

• Registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

• Membership in CAOT or OSOT

• Acute care experience required

• Emergency Department experience or understanding about ED processes an asset

• Strong cognitive assessment experience required

• Physical assessment experience required

• Assessment and discharge planning experience with older adults (65 years+) who have complex health issues, including failure to cope or thrive, confusion, dementia, delirium, falls, skin ulcers, weakness and decreased mobility or ambulation required

• Ability to efficiently complete comprehensive assessments of a patient’s occupational performance issues (ADLs and IADLS, home safety, cognition and perception, mobility and physical function, psycho-emotional and mental health, and need for equipment/aides to optimize independence) in order to develop care plans that appropriately diverts an admission or effectively discharges a patient from hospital

• Strong ability to collaborate with colleagues, as necessary

• Knowledge of the health care system, community resources and eligibility criteria for system partner facilities

• Ability to personalize education to patients and family that prepares them to optimize safest return to functioning and perform life skills/ re-engage in their roles in the community

• Good working knowledge and execution of referral systems such as RM&R

• Computer literacy required

• Well-developed communication, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills

• Superior ability to quickly build trusting relationships as a new team member into an established interprofessional team environment

• Strong teambuilding skills and conflict resolution skills

• Excellent interviewing and problem solving skills

• Superior ability to manage multiple tasks and set priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to demonstrate reflective practice

• Demonstrated commitment to Person-Centred Care