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As a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, you will play a vital role in supporting occupational therapists with treatment procedures and patient care. Your day will be filled with meaningful interactions—monitoring and recording patient progress, teaching and motivating individuals in daily activities, fitting adaptive equipment, and assisting physicians during exams. You'll also help maintain therapy spaces, update medical records, perform strength and sensory tests, and ensure therapy equipment is ready to go.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the Occupational Therapist with complex treatment procedures.
• Monitor and record patient responses to treatments, and report responses to occupational therapist.
• Teach and motivate patients to improve independence with items such as activities of daily living (ADLs) work reconditioning, gripping and pinching for functional activities, and general hand mobility.
• Fit patients for and teach them to use adaptive equipment under the direction of the Occupational Therapist.
• Monitor and maintain therapy equipment and supplies.
• Prepare patients for occupational therapy treatment by welcoming, comforting, providing and/or assisting patient into occupational therapy apparel or apertures.
• Prepare patient exam rooms and equipment and select instruments using aseptic and sterile techniques.
• Escort patient to exam room, obtain brief history. Update medical records for physician review.
• Perform grip strength tests, range of motion measurements and other sensory exams including Semmes-Weinstein. When necessary, package specimens to be sent to lab for analysis.
• Assist physician with patient exams and procedures. Assist in communication of plan of care to patients as prescribed by physician, including test results, scheduling of specialized tests, treatments modalities, prescription drug instructions and other patient education. Perform suture removal, casting and splinting.
• Obtain and/or update information and referrals or authorizations as necessary.

Knowledge – Skills – Abilities

Knowledge of biology, clinical judgment, medicine, cultural awareness, and consulting.
Medical documentation, interpersonal, practice-based learning and improvement, empathy, and decision making skills.