OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AIDE

Job Definition:

Job Description:

• Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.
• 2) Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client’s abilities or progress.
• 3) Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
• 4) Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts, and games.
• 5) Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
• 6) Evaluate the living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
• 7) Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
• 8) Observe patients’ attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments, and record and maintain information in client records.
• 9) Perform clerical, administrative and secretarial duties such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork and scheduling appointments.
• 10) Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment, and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
• 11) Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients’ progress, attitudes, attendance and accomplishments.
• 12) Supervise patients in choosing and completing work details or arts and crafts projects.
• 13) Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
• 14) Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
• 15) Manage intra-departmental infection control and equipment security.

Activities:

• 1) Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• 2) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• 3) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 4) Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  5) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• 6) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 7) Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• 8) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 9) Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• 10) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• 11) Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• 12) Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• 13) Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Abilities:

• Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Knowledge

• 1) Therapy and Counseling — Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• 2) Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• 3) Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.