Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Job Description
The Role of the Occupational Therapist Assistant, Online Courses for Occupational Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistants in Departmental Nurses, COTAs: Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant and more about certified occupational therapy assistant job. Get more data about certified occupational therapy assistant job for your career planning.
- The Role of the Occupational Therapist Assistant
- Online Courses for Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistants in Departmental Nurses
- COTAs: Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
- An Overview of the OPT Assistant Position
- OTC Assistants: Job Opportunities in the Next Ten Years
- Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Licenses
The Role of the Occupational Therapist Assistant
There is good demand for occupational therapy. The demand is expected to increase by 40% in the next 10 years. The occupational therapist will have more responsibilities for consultation, supervision, program development, and research, which will greatly influence the roles of occupational therapy assistants.
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Online Courses for Occupational Therapy Assistant
The aides and assistants work in the offices of occupational therapists. They spend most of their time setting up equipment and working with patients. An associate's degree is required for an occupational therapy assistant to be licensed and to work in most U.S. states.
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Departmental Nurses
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be a 31% increase in the need for occupational therapy assistants between the years of 2018 and 2028, which is an incredibly high rate compared to the average for all occupations. Some occupational therapy assistants who work in departments that offer 24 hour care need to work in the evenings or on weekends, so they need to be available for shift work.
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COTAs: Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
A COTA is a certified occupational therapist assistant who supports patient well-being, rehabilitation, and recovery. COTAs can work in a variety of settings. They help patients with physical, mental, emotional, or social limitations to improve their quality of life.
COTAs keep detailed records of patient progress and provide reports to the occupational therapist. They can compare patients current levels of health to their therapy plan benchmarks. COTAs can recommend changes to treatment plans or new activities to enhance patient outcomes.
An Overview of the OPT Assistant Position
An occupational therapist assistant helps the occupational therapist provide therapy for patients. The occupational therapist assistant will help to develop treatment plans, perform routine tasks, and document the treatments progress. Strong communication and teaching skills are required for an occupational therapist assistant to be successful. You should have good critical thinking and decision-making skills.
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OTC Assistants: Job Opportunities in the Next Ten Years
The outlook for occupational therapy assistants is much faster than the average growth for all jobs, because of the needs of an aging baby-boomer population, according to the government entity. Employment is expected to grow at a faster rate than the average for all occupations over the next 10 years. The growth of occupational therapy aides is projected to be 25% slower over the next ten years.
OTs work in physical therapists' offices or speech pathologists' offices. Hospitals and nursing care facilities have other employees. Some work for home health care agencies.
Look for job openings at the American Occupational Therapy Association's JobLink online career center, job listings on individual healthcare company websites, or more general job-search sites like Indeed.com, Monster.com, and Glassdoor.com for the latest job postings. There are occupational therapy assistant volunteer opportunities at Easter Seal's camp. You can find other opportunities through the Special Olympics, local chapters of disability advocate or rights organizations.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants
You must complete an associate degree in occupational therapy to become a certified occupational therapy assistant. During the program, there are requirements for completing observation hours, supervised fieldwork or a clinical internship training. After completing the program, graduates can take the state certification exam to become an occupational therapy assistant.
COTAs can enter the career field after obtaining their state license. Occupational therapy assistants need to have good communication skills with patients who are in pain or struggling with daily tasks. Occupational therapy assistants need to be able to help their patients achieve their goals while understanding the challenges they face.
They need to be good at explaining the treatment options and help their patients make informed decisions. Physical strength is required for the role of an occupational therapy assistant, as they often need to help patients with physical tasks, such as lifting them into baths. It's important for a certified occupational therapy assistant to have good communication skills because some people they work with will be in pain.
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Occupational Therapy Assistant Licenses
OTs and other occupational therapy professions require one to take an exam in which knowledge of OT regulations and laws are tested Most states allow the person to take the exam and retest if they fail. Some states have different requirements for applying for an occupational therapy assistant license.
Most require you to pay a licensing fee with your application. You will likely be required to do a background check if you present identification. You will need to get your transcripts from the facility where you received your education.
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