Occupational Therapy Assistants
Health Science > Therapeutic ServicesProjected Growth: Much faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Medium Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.
Common job titles of Occupational Therapy Assistants include:
.
Experience and Education
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
81.61% said they needed a Associate's Degree.
10.08% said they needed a Master's Degree.
Tasks
Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.
Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.
Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.
Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
Assemble, clean, or maintain equipment or materials for patient use.
Design, fabricate, or repair assistive devices or make adaptive changes to equipment or environments.
Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement, or administer educational, vocational, or recreational programs that restore or enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.
Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual or creative arts or games.
Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, or documenting health insurance billings.
Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
Attend care plan meetings to review patient progress and update care plans.
Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.
Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.
Attend continuing education classes.
Tools
Writing support software
Word prediction software
Wood chisels
Wood burners
Wire cutters
Wing dividers
Wheelchairs
All ToolsWalkers
Vises
Triangles
Treatment tables
Transfer belts
Trackpads
Therapeutic hot packs
Talking word processor software
Tablet computers
T squares
Surgical masks
Stretchers
Squares
Sphygmomanometers
Slip mixers
Slip joint pliers
Slings
Sliding boards
Sewing needles
Safety goggles
Safety gloves
Rotary punches
Rivet setters
Reflex hammers
Rawhide mallets
Rasps
Punching awls
Protective gowns
Precision knives
Power hand sanders
Photocopying equipment
Personal computers
Patient positioning devices
Page turners
Orthotic devices
Optical pointers
Notebook computers
Needlenose pliers
Multi-purpose saw sets
Mouthsticks
Mini screwdriver sets
Mini punch sets
Metalsmith molds
Metal shears
Mechanical stethoscopes
Macrame boards
Lower extremity braces
Light commercial washing machines
Leather scissors
Latch hooks
Laser facsimile machines
Lacing needles
Knitting needles
Joy sticks
Industrial clothes dryers
Hydrotherapy equipment
Hydraulic lifts
Heat guns
Headpointers
Hand drills
Hammers
Goniometers
Glue guns
Gait belts
Dynamometers
Desktop computers
Crutches
Crochet hooks
Continuous passive motion CPM equipment
Compressive garments
Compression devices
Communication boards
Commercial microwave ovens
Commercial cooking ovens
Cold packs
Ceramics kilns
Ceramic modeling tools
Canes
C clamps
Braille writers
Beading needles
Balance boards
Back braces
Automatic dishwashing systems
Augmentative communication systems
Arm braces
Alternative computer keyboards
Technologies
Accounting software
Billing software
Bookkeeping software
BrainTrain Captain’s Log
BrainTrain IVA+Plus
BrainTrain SmartDriver
All TechnologiesClient caseload management software
dBASE
Fifth Walk BillingTracker
FileMaker Pro
Financial record software
Graphics software
Laboratory information system LIS
Language arts educational software
Math educational software
Patient documentation software
Scheduling software
Screen reader software
SpectraSoft DocuPRO
Spreadsheet software
Text scanning software
TheraClin Systems iMAPR
Visual Health Information VHI PC-Kits
Voice recognition software
Skills
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Abilities
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity