Profession occupational therapy assistant

Occupational therapy assistants support occupational therapists by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement. They work under the supervision of an occupational therapist.  

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Personality Type

• Social / Realistic

Knowledge

• Vocational rehabilitation

  The rehabilitation process of persons with functional, psychological, developmental, cognitive and emotional impairments or health disabilities to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining or returning to employment or other useful occupation.

• Movement techniques

  The various types of movement and physical postures undertaken for relaxation, body-mind integration, stress reduction, flexibility, core support and rehabilitation purposes, and that are required for or underpin occupational performance.

• Supervision of persons

  The act of directing one individual or a group of individuals in a certain activity.

• Occupational physiology

  The complex physiology of specific jobs and its relation to disorders and medical conditions and the way to optimize health, work ability, and productivity.

• Occupational science

  The study of everyday activity including the behaviours, characteristics, and patterns of behaviour and productivity.

• Health care occupation-specific ethics

  The moral standards and procedures, ethical questions and obligations specific to occupations in a health care setting such as respect for human dignity, self-determination, informed consent and patient confidentiality.

• Hygiene in a health care setting

  The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting such as hospitals and clinics. It can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment used and infection control methods.

• Community-based rehabilitation

  The method of rehabilitation which involves the creation of social programs for the impaired or disabled persons to allow them integration into the community.

• Ergonomics

  The science of designing systems, processes and products that complement the strengths of people so that they can use them easily and safely.

Skills

• Interact with healthcare users

  Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.

• Assist healthcare users achieve autonomy in everyday activities

  Assist healthcare users to achieve autonomy in all types of activity, like dressing, cooking, eating, and using a computer.

• Instruct on the use of special equipment for daily activities

  Instruct on how to use specialised equipment such as wheelchairs and eating aids in their daily activities.

• Develop therapeutic relationships

  Maintain the individual therapeutic relationship to engage the individual's innate healing capacities, to achieve active collaboration in the health education and healing process and to maximise the potential of healthy change.

• Apply techniques of occupational therapy

  Apply occupational therapy techniques, such as retraining, and splinting in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients, and advising patients on their daily activities.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Exercise patience

  Have patience by dealing with unexpected delays or other waiting periods without becoming annoyed or anxious.

• Empathise with the healthcare user

  Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.

• Ensure safety of healthcare users

  Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.

• Follow clinical guidelines

  Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.

• Monitor patients' progress related to treatment

  Observe and report on healthcare users' response to medical treatment, monitoring their progress or decay on a daily basis and modifying the treatment procedures whenever necessary.

• Communicate effectively in healthcare

  Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.

• Facilitate healthcare user's engagement in occupations

  Identify meaningful and healthy occupations and strategies in partnership with the healthcare user, to enable him to reach his goals.

• Remediate healthcare user's occupational performance

  Remediate or restore the cognitive, sensorimotor, or psychosocial components of the healthcare user`s occupational performance.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB