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Job Description | Duties | Working Conditions
Educational Requirements | Outlook | Salary

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Job Description: Occupational therapist aides work under the close supervision of a physician, occupational therapist, or occupational therapy assistant. They perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations.

Duties: Occupational therapist aides may perform some or all of the following duties:

• Accompany patients on outings
• Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress
• Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance patient 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
• Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment, and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies
• Demonstrate therapy techniques such as manual and creative arts and games
• Encourage patients
• Attend to physical needs of patients to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals
• Evaluate the living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients
• 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

For additional information on tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, work contexts, job zones, interests, work styles, work values, and related occupations, visit the O*Net Online, a division of the National Center for Occupational Information.

Working Conditions: The hours and days that occupational therapist aides work depends upon the facility in which they work and whether they are full- or part-time employees. Many outpatient therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend hours to accommodate patients' personal schedules. Occupational therapist aides need to have a moderate degree of strength due to the physical exertion required in assisting patients with their treatment. For example, aides may need to lift patients or support them when they are regaining the ability to walk. Constant kneeling, stooping, and standing for long periods also are part of the job.

Educational Requirements: Occupational therapist aides usually receive most of their training on the job. Qualified applicants must have a high school diploma, strong interpersonal skills, and a desire to help people in need. Applicants may increase their chances of getting a job by volunteering their services, thus displaying initiative and aptitude to the employer. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Health Science Education Curriculum Standards online.

Outlook: The estimated number of occupational therapist aides in Tennessee is 60. It is projected there will be an increase of 28 percent in this occupation through the year 2012 with 5 job openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.

Salary

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

Last updated on: January 23, 2008