Home Health Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

JOB DESCRIPTION: CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT

RESPONSIBLE TO:    SUPERVISING NURSE

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must be a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant in the State of Texas, graduate of an Occupational Therapy School Approved by the Council of Medical Education of the American Medical Association or its equivalent.   One (1) year of experience in occupational therapy care setting that requires complete occupational therapy assessments or demonstrated ability or same area is preferred.

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS

1.   Able to bend and stand an average of 6 hours per day.

2.   Able to lift up to 50-100 pounds.

3.   Able to write up to 3 hours per day.

4.   Able to work in a stressful environment

5.   Able to drive 60 miles per day.

6.   Able to assess and communicate with ill patients, co-workers, and general public.

GENERAL CONDUCT AND APPEARANCE:

1. Possess a high degree of integrity and motivation toward professional growth.
2. Maintain neat, clean and orderly appearance.
3. Conducts self in a professional manner.
4. Demonstrate ability to direct, supervise, evaluate and provide therapy services to patients in the home as prescribed by the physician and direct professional and administrative personnel and deal tactfully with the community.
5. Remains reliable, responsible and accessible to the patients, families and personnel.
6. Presents a positive image of the Agency to the public.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Helps occupational therapy patients by providing rehabilitative services, under the direction of occupational therapists, to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments.

DUTIES:

1. Verifies client information by interviewing client; reviewing and/or recording medical history; confirming purpose of treatment.
2. Helps patients improve their quality of life by helping them compensate for limitations, such as, helping injured workers improve their motor skills and re-enter the labor force, and teaching persons with learning disabilities to prepare meals or to use public transportation and increase their independence,
3. Follows treatment plan developed in collaboration with occupational therapist by teaching techniques, such as, the proper method of moving from a bed into a wheelchair, and the best ways to stretch and limber muscles; monitoring activities to make sure they are performed correctly; providing encouragement, bringing treatment that is not having the intended effect to the attention of the therapist
4. Maintains patient occupational therapy records by recording client's progress for use by the occupational therapist.
5. Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by establishing, following, and enforcing standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations.
6. Serves and protects the occupational therapy practice by adhering to professional standards, policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards.
7. Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.