Occupational Therapy Assistant

 

Career Profile
Occupational therapist assistants help clients with rehabilitative activities and exercises outlined in a treatment plan developed in collaboration with an occupational therapist. Activities range from teaching the proper method of moving from a bed into a wheelchair to the best way to stretch and limber the muscles of the hand. Assistants monitor an individual's activities to make sure that they are performed correctly and to provide encouragement. They also record their client's progress for the occupational therapist. In addition, occupational therapist assistants document the billing of the client's health insurance provider.

 

Job Outlook
Employment of occupational therapist assistants and aides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012. Demand for occupational therapist assistants and aides will continue to rise, due to growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function. Job growth will result from an aging population, including the baby-boom generation, which will need more occupational therapy services. Increasing demand also will result from advances in medicine that allow more people with critical problems to survive and then need rehabilitative therapy.

 

Salary
Based on information obtained from the Texas Workforce Commission's Wage Information Network from 11 local employers in the Austin-San Marcos area, entry level wages averaged $11.65 per hour in 2002. That wage has increased an average of 30 to 35 cents per year since 1997. Based on recent conversations with our Healthcare Partners the current entry level salary is $12.25

Occupational Therapy Assistant

 

Disqualifiers/Barriers
Applicants for licensure must provide necessary information regarding drug, alcohol or conviction history for determination of licensure eligibility. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to attend clinical rotations and to sit for the NBCOT certification examination to attain state licensure.

 

Important Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills
• A desire to help people in need
• Responsible
• Patient
• Good communication skills
• Willing to take directions
• Able to work as part of a team
• Caring
• Ingenuity
• Imagination in adapting activities to individual needs
• High ethical and moral standards

 

Occupational Therapy Assistant

 

Educational Programs

Austin Community College

 

License/Certification
Licensure is required in Texas for occupational therapy assistants by the Texas Board of Occupational Examiners. Graduates are eligible for sitting for the national certification examination conducted by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc (NBCOT). Successful completion of this examination is required for state licensure as a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA).

 

Length of Training/Requirements
Students should expect to spend 2 years, including summers, for a total of 6 semesters to complete the required course work for the program. Level II fieldwork must be completed within 12 months of completion of academic preparation.

 

Location of Classes
Lectures and labs are held at the ACC Eastview campus located at 3401 Webberville Road.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

 

Seton HealthCare Network
W. 38th1/2 Street
Austin, Texas
www.seton.org

 

HealthSouth Rehabilitation
Hospital of Austin
1215 Red River
Austin, Texas 78701
www.healthsouth.com

 

St. David HealthCare
Partnership
900 East 30th Street,
Suite 109
Austin, Texas
www.sdhcp.com