Occupational Therapy Assistant, Associate of Applied Science

Occupational Therapy Assistant, Associate of Applied Science

This program is designed to prepare students to work as occupational therapy assistants. Occupational therapy assistants work with patients of all ages whose lives have been affected by impairment or disease. Occupational therapy assistants under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist assist people in overcoming, adapting to, and/or preventing physical and psychosocial problems caused by disease, substance abuse, mental illness, amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke, arthritis and birth defects, to name a few. Occupational therapy assistants help people obtain or regain skills in the areas of self-care, school, work, play and leisure. Jobs may be found in a variety of places such as hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, home health, and community based centers.

Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program should demonstrate entry-level skills of an occupational therapy assistant; critical thinking skills; practice skills within the standards and ethics established by this profession; are responsible for lifelong learning, and will obtain a general education background sufficient to transfer to a four-year college.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852-4929. ACOTE's phone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program has been granted re-accreditation through the year 2023/2024.

Graduates of this program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). The pass rates for graduates attempting the national certification exam within twelve (12) months of graduation from this program (irrespective of the number of attempts) can be found at https://www.nbcot.org/en/Educators/Home#SchoolPerformance. Most states such as Maryland require licensure in order to practice. This licensure is based upon the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Students enrolled in the OTA program should be aware that a prior felony conviction may affect the graduate's ability to sit for the National Certification Examination and/or attain state licensure. For further clarification, contact NBCOT at 301-990-7979 or the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice at 410-402-8560.

Program objectives

Upon completion of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, students will be able to:

1. PROFESSIONALISM

• Demonstrate behaviors consistent with AOTA Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, and Maryland licensure.
• Show respect for client and right to self-determination.
• Describe issues/trends affecting the profession.
• Explain the importance of identifying professional abilities and competencies related to job responsibilities.
• Demonstrate advocating for client rights.
• Express a commitment to the profession via participation in AOTA, MOTA, etc.
• Support advocating for the profession and his/her own need for supervision.
• Show professionalism in written, email, and verbal interactions with supervisor.
• Demonstrate emerging interprofessional competencies.

2. TERMINOLOGY

• Demonstrate working knowledge of psychiatric, pediatric, and physical dysfunction diagnoses and medications.
• Use medical terms and abbreviations appropriately.
• Apply working knowledge of Practice Frameworks.
• Identify terminology found in health promotion and wellness programs.
• Differentiate terminology and documentation standards based on the setting.

3. COMMUNICATION

• Capture accurate treatment information in oral, written, and electronic format.
• Show compliance with standards for reimbursement required by state and federal agencies.
• Explain to client, family, and healthcare team rationale for therapy and progress, taking into consideration the nonverbal cues and culture of patient/family.
• Demonstrate advocating for own role and role of caregiver.

4. ASSESSMENTS

• Administer selected assessments within the practice guidelines established by AOTA and the Maryland Practice Board.
• Demonstrate data collection for screening/evaluation.
• Assess need for reassessment of client.

5. TREATMENT

• Support the development of an occupational-based treatment program.
• Demonstrate strong observational skills.
• Create treatment goals.
• Articulate to client/others reasoning behind treatment program.
• Demonstrate use of the activity analysis for development of treatment program.
• Appraise scholarly journals for use in EBP.
• Select, adapt, and sequence treatment activities to maximize participation and independence in client.
• Create a planned treatment program which promotes independence in areas of occupation.
• Use modalities and assistive technology when indicated to promote functional independence in living skills.
• Use self therapeutically in the treatment process.
• Demonstrate collaboration with other team members/caregivers when implementing treatment program.
• Identify local resources to refer client and/or family members.
• Demonstrate group leadership and implement group intervention.
• Demonstrate awareness of and adherence to safety regulations.
• Apply skills necessary to anticipate potential safety issues with clients.
• Use professional literature to make EBP decisions in collaboration with OTR.
• Cite coping skills with caregiver.
• Demonstrate client/family centered care.

Total Credits Required for Degree: 70*