What Does a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Do?

Being a certified occupational therapist assistant (OCA) requires skills in documentation, scheduling, and verbal communication. Occupational therapists need to be equipped with patient services, health care administration, and teamwork. They should know medical technologies, highly dependent, and have knowledge about health promotion and maintenance. Some of the responsibilities of OCAs include helping clients by providing rehabilitative and other services, verifying client information, and confirming the purpose of the treatment. They record the client's progress, billing, and services rendered to be used by the occupational therapist.

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Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real certified occupational therapist assistant resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage wheelchair room and walkers; recommend and implement improvements to organization and ease of use.
Provide occupational therapy services to rehabilitation, acute care, and outpatients in a hospital setting.
Provide patient and family education concerning energy conservation techniques, precautions, and proper use of adaptive equipment.
Educate patient on energy conservation techniques and adaptive equipment use.
Provide patient with different types of splints.
Train residents and health care provider in applying orthotics and prosthetics.
Provide effective and safe treatments base on the established POC while under the supervision of license physical therapists.
Perform home visits with specific clients, carry out treatment involving ROM, strengthening, and endurance training interventions.
Participate in wind care treatments and help patients adapt to the use of wheelchairs, canes, walkers and prosthetic/orthotic devices.
Work in long term facility and rehabilitation department, planning and implementing patient occupational treatment sessions.
Interview patients to determine their requirements to develop and implement appropriate treatment plans and provide appropriate therapy services.
Skil communicator who cultivates positive relationships and works collaboratively with patients, colleagues and physicians from diverse cultural and/or organizational backgrounds.
Develop and implement evidenced-based individualize care plans in an interdisciplinary environment.
Co-Instruct new staff NDT module.
Develop and implement evidenced-based individualize care plans in an interdisciplinary environment.

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as a certified occupational therapist assistant is "should I become a certified occupational therapist assistant?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, certified occupational therapist assistant careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "much faster than average" at 31% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a certified occupational therapist assistant by 2028 is 16,000.

A certified occupational therapist assistant annual salary averages $53,296, which breaks down to $25.62 an hour. However, certified occupational therapist assistants can earn anywhere from upwards of $40,000 to $70,000 a year. This means that the top-earning certified occupational therapist assistants make $20,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

Once you've become a certified occupational therapist assistant, you may be curious about what other opportunities are out there. Careers aren't one size fits all. For that reason, we discovered some other jobs that you may find appealing. Some jobs you might find interesting include a therapist, student assistant technician, physical therapist, and rehabilitation assistant.

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5 Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Resume Examples

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Judy Lane Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Contact Information Fort Lauderdale, FL (600) 555-8699 jlane@example.com Skills Federal Regulations Social Workers Patience Patient Care Budget Targets Facility Special Events Treatment Plans Small Groups Intellectual Disabilities Employment History Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant 2020 - Present Pediatric Therapy Network Fort Lauderdale, FL Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy treatment plans and interventions in school settings to children with special needs. Provided written documentation of treatment plans and outcomes for medical professionals, parents and insurance providers. Staff therapist in outpatient pediatric facility. Carried out treatment plans and strive to meet goals established by the Physical Therapist. Instructed in gait training with equipment. Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant 2010 - 2020 HCR Home Care Fort Lauderdale, FL Provide open communication with facility staff to provide optimum patient care. Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team for efficient patient care management and delivery of optimal treatment plans. Chair of Acute Care Unit Professional Practice committee. Activities Aide 2009 - 2010 Horizon Bay Management Fort Lauderdale, FL Assisted residents in daily activities Decorated for monthly/bi-weekly events Charted on residents daily Conducted room visits daily Assisted in event planning Assist in resident activities in a nursing home assist with patient physical therapy/ patient care ACHIEVEMENTS/ EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Nursing student, Dean's list, Peer mediator Perform daily, initial assessments of Preferred Daily Activities and MDS. Education Bachelor's Degree Occupational Therapy 2006 - 2009 Keiser University Fort Lauderdale, FL


Johnny Fox Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Contact Info Middletown, OH (450) 555-0085 jfox@example.com Skills MathematicsLanguage ArtsPatient CareFacilityPositive AttitudeClassroom ManagementOTAAcute CareEthicsBehavior Control Employment History Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant 2018 - Present Ps Services Middletown, OH Trained technicians, nurses and patient care assistants in proper transfer techniques to improve continuity of care. Acted as primary coordinator for oncology class being offered to rehab professionals at Providence. Attended Care Plan Meetings and collaborated with facility staff, Patients family and update Patient Care Plans. Conducted evaluations and developed treatment plans for severely handicapped children with neurological and orthopedic diagnoses within a school environment. Assist facility Admissions Director with marketing opportunities in our community. Occupational Therapist Assistants 2017 - 2018 Ps Services Middletown, OH Worked together with the OTR to complete established goals, such as ADL's, ROM, strengthening etc. Attend morning meetings and all other facility meetings, manage RUGS, and assist with scheduling when RPM is unavailable Co-treated and independently lead therapy groups with adolescents 12-17 years old with various psychiatric diagnoses in a locked residential treatment facility. Screened residents for OT services in a county-run facility with over 300 beds. Document on therapy services delivered using electronic documenting Rehab Optima. Worked with Dr. Mallory's joint replacement unit, general acute care neuro. Classroom Volunteer 2007 - 2017 Ps Services Middletown, OH Directed group activities within learning centers emphasizing spatial recognition, understanding patterns of colors and numbers for kindergarten class. Be of help to Special Education teachers when a student needs redirection within or outside of the classroom. Worked with Special Education IP students in English, History and Math classes. Aided teachers in educating and leading recreational activities with special education students. Functioned as PTA President, Room Mother, classroom volunteer, and member of the School Site Council. Education Bachelor's Degree Occupational Therapy 2004 - 2007 Mount Mary University Milwaukee, WI


Johnny Fox Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Middletown, OH (450) 555-0085 jfox@example.com Experience Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant2018 - Present Ps Services•Middletown, OH Trained technicians, nurses and patient care assistants in proper transfer techniques to improve continuity of care. Acted as primary coordinator for oncology class being offered to rehab professionals at Providence. Attended Care Plan Meetings and collaborated with facility staff, Patients family and update Patient Care Plans. Conducted evaluations and developed treatment plans for severely handicapped children with neurological and orthopedic diagnoses within a school environment. Assist facility Admissions Director with marketing opportunities in our community. Occupational Therapist Assistants2017 - 2018 Ps Services•Middletown, OH Worked together with the OTR to complete established goals, such as ADL's, ROM, strengthening etc. Attend morning meetings and all other facility meetings, manage RUGS, and assist with scheduling when RPM is unavailable Co-treated and independently lead therapy groups with adolescents 12-17 years old with various psychiatric diagnoses in a locked residential treatment facility. Screened residents for OT services in a county-run facility with over 300 beds. Document on therapy services delivered using electronic documenting Rehab Optima. Worked with Dr. Mallory's joint replacement unit, general acute care neuro. Classroom Volunteer2007 - 2017 Ps Services•Middletown, OH Directed group activities within learning centers emphasizing spatial recognition, understanding patterns of colors and numbers for kindergarten class. Be of help to Special Education teachers when a student needs redirection within or outside of the classroom. Worked with Special Education IP students in English, History and Math classes. Aided teachers in educating and leading recreational activities with special education students. Functioned as PTA President, Room Mother, classroom volunteer, and member of the School Site Council. Skills MathematicsLanguage ArtsPatient CareFacilityPositive AttitudeClassroom ManagementOTAAcute CareEthicsBehavior Control Education Bachelor's Degree Occupational Therapy2004 - 2007 Mount Mary University•Milwaukee, WI

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Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 27% of Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants are proficient in Patients, Home Health, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Physical strength, Detail oriented, and Compassion.

We break down the percentage of Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Patients, 27%
Skilled communicator who cultivates positive relationships and works collaboratively with patients, colleagues and physicians from diverse cultural and/or organizational backgrounds.
Home Health, 12%
Assist Occupational Therapist with plan of care, treatment plans and treatment in Outpatient/Home Health Care setting.
Patient Care, 10%
Provided documentation to support patient care provided.
Rehabilitation, 9%
Provided occupational therapy services to rehabilitation, acute care, and outpatients in a hospital setting.
Acute Care, 6%
Provide 1:1 occupational therapy in an acute care surgical setting.
Quality Care, 5%
Provided quality care while maintaining profitability.

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Most certified occupational therapist assistants list "patients," "home health," and "patient care" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important certified occupational therapist assistant responsibilities here:

Arguably the most important personality trait for a certified occupational therapist assistant to have happens to be physical strength. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "assistants and aides need to have a moderate degree of strength because of the physical exertion required to assist patients" Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that certified occupational therapist assistants can use physical strength to "implement ue strengthening(hep) * adls * neuromuscular reeducation * transfer/bed mobility * adaptive equipment training * treatment and documentation"

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many certified occupational therapist assistant duties rely on detail oriented. This example from a certified occupational therapist assistant explains why: "occupational therapy assistants and aides must quickly and accurately follow the instructions, both written and spoken, of an occupational therapist." This resume example is just one of many ways certified occupational therapist assistants are able to utilize detail oriented: "described plan of care to customers, staff and or family while accurately explained details of care plan. "

Another skill that is quite popular among certified occupational therapist assistants is compassion. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a certified occupational therapist assistant resume: "occupational therapy assistants and aides frequently work with patients who struggle with many of life’s basic activities" This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "demonstrated compassion and positive relationships with patients and their families. "

A certified occupational therapist assistant responsibilities sometimes require "interpersonal skills." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "occupational therapy assistants and aides spend much of their time interacting with patients and therefore should be friendly and courteous" This resume example shows how this skill is used by certified occupational therapist assistants: "provide excellent customer service through strong interpersonal skills and building relationships with patients. "

See the full list of certified occupational therapist assistant skills.

Those certified occupational therapist assistants who do attend college, typically earn either occupational therapy degrees or medical assisting services degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for certified occupational therapist assistants include liberal arts degrees or psychology degrees.

Once you're ready to become a certified occupational therapist assistant, you should explore the companies that typically hire certified occupational therapist assistants. According to certified occupational therapist assistant resumes that we searched through, certified occupational therapist assistants are hired the most by Encore Rehabilitation Services, Life Care Solutions, and Life Care Centers of America. Currently, Encore Rehabilitation Services has 64 certified occupational therapist assistant job openings, while there are 43 at Life Care Solutions and 42 at Life Care Centers of America.

Since salary is important to some certified occupational therapist assistants, it's good to note that they are figured to earn the highest salaries at Constellation Health Services, Life Care Centers of America, and Legacy Health. If you were to take a closer look at Constellation Health Services, you'd find that the average certified occupational therapist assistant salary is $68,643. Then at Life Care Centers of America, certified occupational therapist assistants receive an average salary of $68,237, while the salary at Legacy Health is $63,535.

View more details on certified occupational therapist assistant salaries across the United States.

If you earned a degree from the top 100 educational institutions in the United States, you might want to take a look at Aegis Therapies, RehabCare Group East Inc, and Encompass Health. These three companies have hired a significant number of certified occupational therapist assistants from these institutions.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious certified occupational therapist assistants are:

Encore Rehabilitation Services64 Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants Jobs
Life Care Solutions43 Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants Jobs
Life Care Centers of America42 Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants Jobs

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What Therapists Do

A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients. Some of their duties include diagnosing patient's problems, performing counseling services, monitoring medication progress, customizing therapy activities for pain management, and consulting other health professionals as needed. Therapists must have extensive knowledge with the medical industry to detect patients' conditions easily and provide effective medications.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take therapist for example. On average, the therapists annual salary is $2,647 higher than what certified occupational therapist assistants make on average every year.

While the salaries between these two careers can be different, they do share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both certified occupational therapist assistants and therapists positions are skilled in patients, patient care, and rehabilitation.

As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a certified occupational therapist assistant responsibility requires skills such as "home health," "acute care," "quality care," and "occupational therapy." Whereas a therapist is skilled in "social work," "group therapy sessions," "crisis intervention," and "mental health." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

Therapists really shine in the government industry with an average salary of $55,972. Whereas certified occupational therapist assistants tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $55,605.

The education levels that therapists earn is a bit different than that of certified occupational therapist assistants. In particular, therapists are 39.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a certified occupational therapist assistant. Additionally, they're 2.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Student Assistant Technician?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Now we're going to look at the student assistant technician profession. On average, student assistant technicians earn a $23,451 lower salary than certified occupational therapist assistants a year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Certified occupational therapist assistants and student assistant technicians both include similar skills like "patients," "patient care," and "rehabilitation" on their resumes.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, certified occupational therapist assistant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "home health," "quality care," "adaptive," and "compassion." Meanwhile, a student assistant technician might be skilled in areas such as "fieldwork," "adl," "iadl," and "mental health." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On the topic of education, student assistant technicians earn similar levels of education than certified occupational therapist assistants. In general, they're 1.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Physical Therapist Compares

A rehabilitation assistant performs support tasks to assist nurses or therapists in providing care services to patients and maintaining the smooth flow of operations in clinics. Their daily tasks often include greeting patients, answering inquiries, helping patients during treatments and training, and providing personal care by assisting them in hygienic and physical tasks. They may also prepare and process documents, handle calls and correspondence, organize files, liaise with external business partners such as vendors and suppliers, maintain records, and arrange schedules.

The third profession we take a look at is physical therapist. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than certified occupational therapist assistants. In fact, they make a $19,774 higher salary per year.

While looking through the resumes of several certified occupational therapist assistants and physical therapists we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "patients," "home health," and "rehabilitation," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a certified occupational therapist assistant is likely to be skilled in "patient care," "body mechanics," "healthcare professionals," and "adaptive equipment," while a typical physical therapist is skilled in "physical therapy treatment," "direct patient care," "physical therapy assistants," and "outpatient clinic."

Additionally, physical therapists earn a higher salary in the professional industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $74,879. Additionally, certified occupational therapist assistants earn an average salary of $55,605 in the education industry.

Physical therapists typically study at higher levels compared with certified occupational therapist assistants. For example, they're 11.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 17.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Rehabilitation Assistant

Rehabilitation assistants tend to earn a lower pay than certified occupational therapist assistants by about $18,077 per year.

While their salaries may vary, certified occupational therapist assistants and rehabilitation assistants both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "patients," "home health," and "patient care. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a certified occupational therapist assistant might have more use for skills like "acute care," "quality care," "body mechanics," and "healthcare professionals." Meanwhile, some rehabilitation assistants might include skills like "customer service," "money management," "mental illness," and "vital signs" on their resume.

Rehabilitation assistants earn a higher salary in the telecommunication industry with an average of $42,480. Whereas, certified occupational therapist assistants earn the highest salary in the education industry.

In general, rehabilitation assistants reach similar levels of education when compared to certified occupational therapist assistants resumes. Rehabilitation assistants are 3.8% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020