QLI TBI/CVA/SCI Rehabilitation Match Code - 141630
START DATE: 8/01/2024
6404 North 70th Plaza
Omaha, NE 68104
402-573-3700
Fax 402-573-3790
Training Director
Kathy Dervin, Psy.D.
Email: kathy.dervin@qliomaha.com
Type of Facility
QLI is a post-hospital inpatient rehabilitation facility for individuals who have sustained brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, chronic pain, and other central nervous system dysfunction. At QLI, an intern's career path is impacted both by the clinical training and the unique corporate culture of one of the premiere rehabilitation facilities in the country. Although clinical models and organizational cultures are often distinct considerations, at QLI they are viewed as inextricably intertwined. Seven times voted the Best Place to Work in Omaha, QLI provides both a rich clinical experience and an opportunity to engage in a most unique organizational culture. Simply put, we are a non-profit corporation with the sole purpose of providing the highest quality rehabilitative care possible. In this role, QLI has developed a national reputation as a provider of post-hospital rehabilitation services serving patients from over 42 states and 3 countries over the past several years.
Rehabilitation Model
QLI’s rehabilitation model is based upon restoring a sense of purpose and meaning to life after injury. The model divides the rehabilitation process into three service dimensions, arranged in a hierarchy. The first dimension involves excellent basic health care and traditional restorative therapies. The second service dimension provides an active training program that focuses on the acquisition of applied and functional skills. This aspect of rehabilitation involves cutting-edge technology as well as everyday tasks to build the functional routines that will increase a person’s independence. The third dimension systematically addresses the individual's quality of life, including their acceptance of reality and enthusiasm for the future. QLI's model blends the best from medicine and education. It is within this third dimension of programming that many of QLI’s unique approaches are key, such as adaptive sports, a focus on community engagement, and developing and testing skills in a natural environment with a high degree of ecological validity.
Conceptualization of programming draws from a wide range of theoretical psychological principles and current research in many disciplines. Treatment focuses on the acquisition and maintenance of applied and functional skills, including teaching interventions that are designed to be implemented by licensed therapists and paraprofessionals working in the residents' home, therapy, and job environments. Interventions and therapies largely occur within the natural environment, and, in addition to being theoretically and scientifically sound, fit within a framework of "what makes sense." Most professionals working at QLI, and particularly those who have work experience in other health care systems, are quick to recognize that QLI's unique culture plays a significant role in their motivation and satisfaction. The creation and perpetuation of this culture has, at least in part, succeeded because psychological principles have been a driving leadership force in this company since its inception.
Internship Faculty and Supervision
The internship faculty comprises three doctoral-level an licensed psychologists. Our psychologists come from backgrounds of rehabilitation psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. Primary supervision is provided by Dr. Jeff Snell and Dr. Kathy Dervin, with secondary supervision and consultation provided by Dr. Wendy Sully. The intern's experience is not organized on a traditional rotation basis, but is focused on the development of neuropsychological practice tailored to the needs and goals of each student. Interns are provided supervision by licensed psychologists; a minimum of two hours weekly of individual supervision and two hours weekly of group or other individual supervision. Because all of our psychologists are "on-site," the opportunity for supervision and consultation exists throughout the learning opportunities that the ongoing provision of care in this environment affords. Based on QLI’s need and intern interests, a variety of additional clinical supervision opportunities with other professionals exist.
Internship Opportunities
This program is best described as an internship in neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology. The internship training conforms to Houston Conference Guidelines requirements for clinical neuropsychology, and includes aspects of assessment, treatment and interventions, consultation, research, and teaching and supervision within the training year. QLI’s unique funding structure allows for co-treatment across disciplines for the complex needs addressed within our rehabilitation program. In addition to the didactic opportunities at QLI, interns participate in monthly didactic experience across the NICPP (visiting other sites throughout the year as part of the monthly consortium meetings and in individualized site visits), and supervised clinical and research experience presented is specific to each site within the consortium. Interns at QLI carry a caseload of residents and are supervised in their work with assessment, individual and family psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational services, collaborative consultation, staff development training, family systems work, and curriculum development. Interns have the tremendous opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary setting with outstanding individuals in disciplines of Physical Therapy, Life Skills, Speech-Language Pathology, Family Services, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Psychiatry, Physiatry, Discharge Coordination, Vocational Services, Life Path Services, and others.
QLI’s beautiful 60-acre campus includes inpatient rehabilitation for 60 individuals, an assisted living facility with 52 private apartments, and a 73-room long-term care facility. Although the opportunity exists to be involved in any aspects of QLI’s clinical operations, the role of the intern is primarily focused on the inpatient rehabilitation services. QLI serves residents who have ongoing rehabilitation needs as a result of brain injury, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, and stroke. Given the combination of the inpatient nature of our facility and frequent short-term acute brain injury rehabilitation patients, we encounter the broadest spectrum of behavioral health problems. We commonly deal with anxiety and depression as it relates to adjustment following injury, and there is extensive opportunity to work with families, as they too have been affected by whatever injury brings their loved one to our campus. QLI also has a 14-apartment Family Housing unit to provide a convenient temporary residence while their family member is in treatment. At any given time we may serve individuals who present with a variety of medical and psychiatric co-morbid diagnoses.
We believe that QLI offers a rich and exciting internship training opportunity for doctoral candidates. Please contact Dr. Snell if you have any questions or would like to have additional information.
Rotations and Supervision
Structured on an individual basis, but centered on the development of outstanding neuropsychological practice skills in an inpatient rehabilitation environment. Opportunities exist in individual and family psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational services, applied and functional neuropsychological and psychological evaluation, collaborative consultation, and staff development. Neuropsychological assessment is a strong emphasis of an intern’s training at QLI, with a goal of providing reliable, valid, and useful information to residents, families, and clinical staff. Supplemental training opportunities include experiences in cognitive, psychological, speech/language, and neuropsychological assessment, family systems work, curriculum development, and vocational development. Additionally, experience in working within a relatively "flat" interdisciplinary system is present throughout this organization, working collaboratively with the variety of disciplines found within this active rehabilitation setting. Primary internship supervision is provided by Dr. Jeff Snell, Director of Internship Training, and Dr. Kathy Dervin, with a minimum of two hours weekly individual supervision and two hours weekly of group supervision or other individual supervision. Additional secondary supervision is provided by Dr. Wendy Sully. Based on agency need and intern interests, a variety of additional clinical supervision opportunities with other professionals and disciplines exist at QLI, with a goal of gaining a more comprehensive understanding of rehabilitation.
Benefits
Interns receive a 12-month stipend of $32,000. Paid vacation days and sick days are provided. Interns receive support, including some financial remuneration as well as paid time off, for approved professional conferences.
After a job offer has been completed, all employees are required to obtain a pre-employment drug screen through Comp Choice and a Criminal Background check will be completed with Secured Data. A positive drug screen for any substance that is illegal in the state of Nebraska will disqualify the candidate and the job offer will be withdrawn. Within the criminal background check results, a serious misdemeanor or felony will disqualify the candidate and the job offer will be withdrawn.
QLI will coordinate intern applicant interviews with the NICPP schedule. Interviews with QLI Psychology Department staff and an individualized virtual tour will be conducted during the invited and scheduled interview time.
QLI will hold virtual open houses and interviews in December and January.