Manages and directs orthotic laboratory personnel, materiel, equipment, administration, and activities. Constructs, fabricates, assembles, repairs, and adjusts orthopedic orthoses as directed by medical officers; and supervises orthopedic orthoses activities.
experience in functions such as fabricating, adjusting, and repairing orthopedic orthoses. Also, experience performing or supervising functions such as fabricating and repairing orthoses.
experience managing functions such as operating orthotic laboratory activities.
Plans and directs enlisted personnel phases of orthotic activities. Evaluates orthotic laboratory requirements for supplies, equipment, and personnel. Ensures local application of policies and procedures as directed. Develops and improves working environment for professional personnel for economy of time and operation. Coordinates orthotic laboratory technical and administrative activities to achieve an integrated rehabilitation program. Coordinates required checks for accuracy and compliance with directives. Responsible for budget management. Consults associate corps chief on policies and procedures affecting orthotic personnel. Supervises continuing education. Supervises curriculum and training development for continuing education. Evaluates adequacy of formal and clinical practical phases of training program, and recommends changes. Performs orthotic advisory duties. Assists orthopedic physicians regarding types of orthoses needed by patients in clinical situations, in any special problem that may be encountered with proposed orthosis, and in checking completed work with appropriate professional staff member. Researches, evaluates, and reports new orthotic orthoses to the orthopedic staff. Constructs, measures, fabricates, and repairs orthopedic orthoses. Constructs orthoses for spinal, lower and upper limbs, casts and corrects shoes as prescribed by orthopedic physician. Fabricates spinal, lower and upper limb, and feet orthoses from thermosetting and thermoplastic plastics. Adjusts orthoses to ensure proper fit. Repairs and refits worn or broken orthotic orthoses in same manner as original construction. Constructs orthopedic orthoses. Cuts and fashions supports and straps. Pads, polishes, fits, and adjusts assembled orthosis to patient. Measures, fabricates, and repairs plastic orthoses. Rebuilds and modifies stock shoes. Receives instructions from orthopedist on corrective shoe pattern. Takes measurements of all foot parts. Removes portion of shoes to install corrective orthosis. Uses various pads and cushions to compensate for differences in leg length. Constructs and install wedges, elevating shoe parts to relieve pain in metatarsal joints. Attaches orthopedic heel to stock shoes for patients with deformed gait. Selects and installs stock arch supports and adjusts to fit. Restores shoe to original appearance as close as modifications will permit. Makes plaster impressions of body parts to be fitted. Receives instructions from orthopedist concerning desired therapeutic effects to be achieved. Wraps wet plaster bandage around parts to be fitted to form cast. Marks surface outline of bone nerve, muscle, and blood vessel points of part on wet plaster cast, employing knowledge of anatomy to ensure orthosis will be correctly fitted. Removes cast from body parts when plaster is set, and fills cast with plaster mixture to make positive impression of part.