Occupational Therapy Aide

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.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA); Direct Service Professional (DSP); Direct Support Professional (DSP); Occupational Rehabilitation Aide; Occupational Therapist Aide (OT Aide); Occupational Therapy Aide (OT Aide); Rehabilitation Aide (Rehab Aide); Rehabilitation Services Aide; Restorative Aide

Tasks

• Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
• Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
• Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
• Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
• Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
• 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.
• Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
• Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
• Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
• Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
• Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.
• Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.

Knowledge

• Therapy and Counseling
• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Psychology
• Computers and Electronics
• Education and Training
• Medicine and Dentistry
• Public Safety and Security

Skills

• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Expression
• Deductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Information Ordering
• Inductive Reasoning
• Category Flexibility
• Finger Dexterity
• Trunk Strength
• Near Vision