Rehabilitation Assistant
Company: IWK Health
Req ID: 218211
Department/Program: Occupational Therapy, Children's Medical Care
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly PT long-assignment (90% FTE) for 12 months x 1 position(s)
Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $25.8361 - $31.9256 /hour
Closing Date: 26 March 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)
IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults, and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families, and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.
Promoting an anti-racist environment and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities that also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportion of transgender and non-binary people of any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but we have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases, and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Manager of Rehabilitation Services and accountable to the Professional Practice Leaders for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, the Rehabilitation Assistant will be under the direction and supervision of registered Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. The Rehabilitation Assistant (OTA and PTA) acts as an active member of the care team, providing client and family-centered service to children, youth, and their families. The Rehabilitation Assistant participates in the overall plan of care for the patient and family in the provision of activities that address movement, function, occupation, and education components of rehabilitation care. The Rehabilitation Assistant is responsible for specific, assigned therapy services in keeping with their training, skill, knowledge, and ability. Working collaboratively with their team, the Rehabilitation Assistant participates in the provision of safe, competent, ethical care, focusing on the goals and needs of the patient and family. The Rehabilitation Assistant will provide detailed and accurate patient documentation using OPOR-CIS and adhere to the IWK Clinical Documentation policy. The Rehabilitation Assistant will be required to provide services with the Kids’ Rehab Clinic (0.5), Specialty Seating and Mobility (0.2), and with the Community and School Therapy Teams (0.2). The Rehabilitation Assistant participates in team and discipline meetings, Health Centre-related activities/committees, Pediatric Rehabilitation sub-committees, providing coverage for other RAs as needed, and preceptoring student learners as appropriate. The Rehabilitation Assistant also checks and cleans equipment, maintains treatment and storage areas, and orders necessary supplies. Location of work is primarily at the IWK Main campus, but the RA will be required to drive their own vehicle to schools and home visits within the Central Health zone, one or two days per week, to see clients.
The Rehabilitation Assistant is expected to follow the Canadian “Competencies for Occupational Therapist Assistants” and the “Essential Competency Profile for Physiotherapist Assistants in Canada”.
Hours of Work
Monday - Friday days, flexibility required, occasional evenings and weekends.
Your Qualifications
• Graduate from a recognized OTA and PTA College Program (which includes a minimum of 500 clinical hours, and meets standards for future accreditation through the joint accreditation process of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada), or completion of a recognized Community College Rehabilitation Assistant Program, which includes clinical placements for Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy components required
• Minimum one (1) year of experience as a Rehabilitation Assistant (OTA/PTA) required
• Experience working with children and youth with various disabilities preferred
• Knowledge of various health conditions and their impact on health, well-being, and quality of life is required
• Knowledge and experience working with clients who use manual and/or power mobility, including mobility training, is considered an asset
• Knowledge of rehab equipment, adaptive devices, materials, and tools required
• Successful completion of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (BLS) Program within the last 12 months, or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate
• Demonstrated competence in electronic communication, working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs required
• Previous work attendance may be considered
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team required
• Excellent time management, organization, and problem-solving skills required
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to family-centered care required
• Demonstrated ability to establish and promote interpersonal & community relationships required
• Ability to work evenings and weekends when operationally required
• Valid minimal Class 5 Nova Scotia driver’s license and reliable transportation required
• Competencies in other languages are considered an asset
Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.
Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing), you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.
This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. 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.
An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.
If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.
Job Segment:
Pediatric, Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Therapy, Healthcare