Career:
Occupational Therapy Aide
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.
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What Occupational Therapy Aides do:
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
- Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
- 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.
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
- Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.
- Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
- Evaluate the living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
- Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.
- Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.
What work activities does an Occupational Therapy Aide do?
| Importance | Activities | |
|---|---|---|
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
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Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
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Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
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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. |
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Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
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Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
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Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
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Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
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Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
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Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
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Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
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Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
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Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
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Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
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Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. |
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Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
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Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
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Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
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Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
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Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
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Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
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Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
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Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
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Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
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Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
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Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
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