Occupational Therapist Assistant

Job Summary:

Administers occupational therapy treatment to patients under the direction of and as an assistant to the Occupational Therapist.

Job Duties:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Administers evidence\-based occupational therapy interventions to address the physical, cognitive, functional, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance as directed by the Occupational Therapist.
• Instructs, motivates, and assists patients to learn and improve in all aspects of everyday life activities through functional therapeutic intervention.
• Observes patients during treatments, compiles and evaluates data on patients' responses and progress, and reports orally or in writing to the Occupational Therapist.
• Fits patients for, adjusts, and trains patients in the use and care of orthopedic braces, prostheses, and adaptive equipment to enable a patient's ability to perform their everyday activities.
• Coordinates occupational therapy with other types of therapeutic activities.
• Assists the Occupational Therapist as needed.
• Demonstrates knowledge of social determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions. This includes an understanding of the epidemiological factors that impact the public health and welfare of populations.
• Directs, gives instructions to, and monitors treatments administered by Therapy Aides.
• Performs clerical duties such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering the telephone, taking messages, scheduling appointments, and filling out forms as needed
• Assists in educating patients with home exercise programs and use of equipment.
• Considers specific patient variables, such as communication skills, motivation, and stamina, and adapts techniques and/or makes adjustments to equipment to meet the needs of the patient.

LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Performs work under general supervision.
• Handles moderately complex issues and problems, and refers more complex issues to higher\-level staff.
• Possesses solid working knowledge of subject matter.

Qualifications:

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduate from a program for Occupational Therapy Assistants accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
• Must possess a valid driver's license with a driving history verified through a motor vehicle report that meets requirements for Cherokee Nation underwriting rating.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Problem/situational analysis. • Ability to identify and seek needed information.
• Detail\-oriented.
• Customer/client orientation.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and depth perception. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess and maintain an Occupational Therapist Assistant License issued by the Oklahoma Medical Board.
• Must possess Basic Life Support (BLS) and maintain it throughout employment. Can be obtained during orientation.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• The employee must not be and will not be under sanction by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) or by the General Services Administration (GSA) or listed on the OIG's Cumulative Sanction Report, or the GSA's List of Excluded Providers, or listed on the OIG's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).
• Must meet and maintain pre\-employment and periodic background investigation and adjudication for child care.
• To ensure that providers operate within their certification limits, delegation of higher\-level procedures from the Occupational Therapist to the Occupational Therapist Assistant is only permitted upon completion of the corresponding coursework.
• Level 1: OTA may perform internal vaginal treatment and external perineal (or pelvic floor) muscle treatment.
• Level 2: OTA may perform anorectal treatment.