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0-5 years of experience
Provided therapy services to multiply disabled students, 3 to 14 years of age, in a private school setting
- Evaluated children’s’ rehabilitative needs, developed student treatment plans and goals and delivered appropriate therapy interventions
- Provided therapy services to public school districts in self-contained classrooms, preschool handicap and classrooms for children with Autism
- Participated in a cooperative interdisciplinary team, attending weekly in-services while maintaining a full caseload and managing time for equipment preparation, reports and documentation
- Provided lectures to educate public school teachers on handwriting
0-5 years of experience
Treated children ages 4 – 21 with a variety of diagnoses including attention deficit disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, visual impairments, down syndrome, deaf/hard of hearing and sensory processing disorders
- Performed evaluations, observations, annual reviews, kindergarten entrance screenings and initial evaluations, attending CSE/CPSE meetings
- Consulted on a regular basis with school team members to ensure carryover of skills and successful remediation
- Maintained daily notes, progress reports and IEP goals
0-5 years of experience
Managed a caseload of 21 students at 3-5 schools for 2 days/week.
- Planned and implemented interventions for all students, both individually and in small groups
- Consulted with teachers to implement both pre-referral strategies as well as ensure carryover of strategies for students currently receiving services, in addition to maintaining communication with parents of students
- Selected and performed appropriate assessments for all newly referred students
- Maintained appropriate paperwork for all students on caseload
0-5 years of experience
Provided sensory education to children with specific vestibular, tactile, and motor interventions/activities
- Prepared children for individual or group therapy in conjunction with the classroom teacher and the supervising occupational therapist
- Provided treatment for inpatient and outpatient children with feeding difficulties in the support group
- Participated in wellness program to help children with spinal cord injuries live healthy, independent lives
- Researched the therapeutic use of weighted blankets and pressure vests for autistic children
0-5 years of experience
Screen and evaluate patients with their mobility and functional limitation
- Supervised the distribution or relief and assistive devices as well as the procurement of the these items
- Educated clients and their families on the appropriate use of assistive devices
- Advocated for the mainstreaming of disability in local government’s basic services and programs, including the basic accessibility features of the community hall and other public spaces
- Implemented home safety evaluation and treatment plan for infants thru adults as a homecare provider
- Managed database, translated pertinent data to a monthly report to Managers and Head of Delegation, as well as the intermediary and final report to the European Commission-Humanitarian Affairs
6-10 years of experience
Evaluated and treated patients in the Acute Rehab unit and In-patient. Supervise fieldwork of Occupational Therapy students.
Conduct ergonomics education and training for internal and external clinics/departments. Manage inventory and budget for
Ergonomics.
- Collaborated with IT to create new electronic Assessment forms for Occupational Therapy department.
- Improved accessibility to therapists’ evaluations and streamlined tracking of patient records by other healthcare providers.
- Involved in providing safe environment for employees and patients through participation in EOC, Safe patient handling
0-5 years of experience
Provided evaluation, intervention, education, and discharge planning for adult patients in an acute care inpatient setting
- Communicated with patients and their families to facilitate understanding of the rehab process
- Provided occupational therapy evaluation and treatment in an adult outpatient setting as needed
- Created daily caseload schedule, supervised, trained, and managed patient intervention progress for occupational therapy assistants, new employees, and students
0-5 years of experience
Participated in a community rehabilitation center and collaborated with individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury diagnosis from age 18 to 80 to increase independence in home, school, work skills and community.
- Completed documentation and billing according to departmental requirements for initial evaluations, daily notes, long term/short term goals, discharge notes, and community outings.
- Presented patient information in multi-disciplinary meetings
- Participated in providing education through in services and therapy groups.
- Participated in providing supervision, guidance, and education to Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant and cognitive therapist intern.
0-5 years of experience
Evaluated, planned and provided treatment for patients of all ages with a variety of disabilities to help achieve a maximum level of functional independence
- Collaborated with rehabilitation team members daily to develop and carry out treatment plans to best meet patient needs/goals in preparation for discharge
- Thoroughly documented evaluations, patient treatment sessions and discharge summaries in a timely and accurate manner
- Coordinated and provided education and discharge instructions to patients and/or family members to facilitate safety and functional independence post rehab
- Supervised and directed responsibilities carried out by the Rehabilitation Assistant and Volunteer
0-5 years of experience
Accurately assessed the needs of all individuals prescriptively referred for evaluations and/or treatment.
- Plan and implemented individual progressive treatment programs intended to maintain or improve each person’s physical and/or psychosocial well-being.
- Accurately and regularly recorded all pertinent information regarding the treatment program.
- Performed Home evaluations and made recommendations for adaptive equipment in patient’s home setting. Evaluated and developed plan of care for outpatient pediatric patients. Performed evaluations, reassessment and discharges for acute care patients
0-5 years of experience
Planned, implemented and coordinated comprehensive occupational therapy services to patients in for long term care and outpatient services
- Documented initial plan, interim progress and final summaries in patient’s electronic record
- Assessed needs for aides, seating systems, and other major equipment
- Performed evaluations for accessibility and safety
- Made recommendations for discharge planning
- Developed home exercise programs
- Supervision responsibilities for COTA(S)
0-5 years of experience
Provided client-centered therapy with wide range of conditions using multiple approaches
- Performed and home safety evaluations, and in home care as needed
- Participated in daily stand-up meetings as well as key contributor in weekly team conferences
- Developed therapeutic mosaic mural program
0-5 years of experience
Held full accountability for the development, evaluation, and implementation of Occupational Therapy treatment programs; adjusted plans to ensure alignment with changing medical conditions or various severe physical and mental disabilities
- Delivered resourceful and diligent home based Occupational therapy services to a specific population (mostly geriatric), ensuring consistency with established principles and concepts of theory and practice
- Served as an integral part of the HBPC Interdisciplinary Team and Falls Prevention Team
- Advocate environmental modifications to support veteran’s ability to function safely and independently at home
0-5 years of experience
Participated as a team player with several physical, occupational, and speech language pathologists in an acute care setting
- Provided occupational therapy services on all floors in the hospital, including orthopedic, medical, surgical, stroke, oncology, IMCU and ICU
- Gained efficiency on completing 7 to 8 evaluations a day on computer documentation
- Communicated consistently with physicians, nurses, social work, and families on patient progress
- Gained cultural competency in providing services to patients from varied nationalities
0-5 years of experience
Implemented treatment sessions for a caseload of 43 students with a variety of students ranging from kindergarten through 8th grade, specifically students with Autism, students in self-contained
classrooms with Trainable Mental Disabilities, and Developmental Delays.
- Completed end-of-school year testing and goal making for upcoming school year with unique
- Collaborated and problem-solved with teachers of students on caseload to determine further needs and maximize function in the classroom.
- Attended Individualized Education Plan meetings for students on caseload.
0-5 years of experience
- Treated children with various disabilities in an integrated classroom setting
- Participated in IEP process with multidisciplinary team, family members, and school board
- Collaborated in biweekly meetings with interdisciplinary team to discuss children’s progress and revise treatment goals
- Engaged in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) training
0-5 years of experience
- Planned and directed specific therapeutic programs for pediatric outpatients
- Provided treatment to children with neurological, orthopedic, and cognitive disabilities
- Assisted children in gaining or regaining skills in social, leisure and school environments through graded individual, group therapy, and activity programs
- Assisted children with disabilities to integrate into their educational programs
6-10 years of experience
Completed OT functional skills assessments to address school performance.
- Completed daily attendance and session notes by observing and recording child’s progress.
- Developed, participated, and ran school aged group activities to promote child’s development
- Adapted equipment to assist children within the school environment such as eating utensils,
0-5 years of experience
Provided intervention to students in the public school including District 75 setting to improve student’s ability to access the general and special education curriculum, behave adaptively, and participate in activities at school.
- Managed full caseload of students ages 3-14 in the general education setting, District 75 setting and the homecare setting.
- Experience with Sensory Integration Disorders, cognitive delays and visual perception disorders.
- Administered standardized assessments such as the PDMS-2 and Berry VMI.
0-5 years of experience
Evaluated and treated a wide range of conditions, including CVA’s, chronic and acute pain, arthritis,
joint replacements, variety of brain injuries, substance abuse, and neuropathies.
- Facilitated ADLs and assisted patients with functional mobility to increase comfort and quality of life.
- Managed a high-volume caseload and organized the daily schedules of occupational therapy
- Contributed to team meetings and collaborated with management in the decision-making process.
0-5 years of experience
Provided skilled occupational therapy services at various facilities
- Evaluated, designed and implemented POCs for patients with varying diagnoses
- Documented effectively all care provided to ensure payment for services
- Supervised and maintained logs on COTAs as mandated by state
0-5 years of experience
Administered screens, evaluations, developed therapeutic treatment/discharge plans as well as restorative/home exercise programs, program implementation.
- Supervised 2 Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants
- Overseen 2-3 caseloads, each with 6-9 patients with a wide array of varying diagnoses.
- Executed various treatment plans comprising of modalities, orthotics and various protocols with daily/triweekly/weekly progress notes in a timely fashion.
- Responsible for billing and initiating patient cases in Rehab Optima
- Responsible for patient care input in Point Click Care
6-10 years of experience
Worked as part of an intervention team including psychologist, physical therapist, speech therapist, and teachers to assess children in a play-based arena to determine eligibility for special services.
- Did several in-services to train teachers and other therapists on sensory integration dysfunction.
- Consultation to 2 county early childhood centers with 8 school districts.
- Began working on a longitudinal study to follow children who did not qualify for services to determine if slight problems with fine motor development result in decreased function in elementary school.
- Collaboration with Head Start and Help Me Grow programs
- Worked in a rural school district where visual tracking in children experiencing difficulties with fine motor was evaluated and resulted in parents seeking vision therapy with increased academic levels in reading and writing
0-5 years of experience
Worked within a transdisciplinary approach with team members in order to develop occupational therapy activities that were consistent with overall instructional curriculum.
- Directed the efforts of Service Guild volunteers as they work on occupational therapy goals with their assigned children. Offered instruction, advice, encouragement, and praise as needed to help the volunteers to maximize the child’s performance.
- Remained in the classroom and provided one-on-one with Service Guild volunteers to enable the volunteers to ask questions about working with a particular child.
- If requested by special education teacher, assume responsibility for a particular child and work with him/her on specific goals.
0-5 years of experience
Assisted two occupational therapists at a sensory integration clinic, servicing about 24 clients daily
- Prepared materials and equipment used during treatment
- Therapy focused on providing sensory input to improve self-modulation, fine and gross-motor skills and social skills
- Participated with therapist in DIR-Floortime sessions for children with Autism
- Worked primarily with Yiddish-speaking clientele
10+ years of experience
Responsible for conducting assessments/reassessments to facilitate development of measurable goal-based plan of cares, while striving to make appropriate discharge recommendations as part of a team on Acute Care, ICU, Cardiac, Skilled Nursing and Acute Rehab units. Work as part of a team to enable patients to achieve their maximum level of independence/safety with goal of maintaining productivity standards of performance while following department policies and procedures setting and maintaining a high standard of physician, patient and patient caregivers satisfaction levels.
- Patient populations treated include Orthopedic, Neurological, Cardiac, CHF, Dementia
- Direct Supervision of COTAs
- Maintaining productivity standards /time management of 95% or greater
- Work in team setting with Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, Nursing, Case Managers, Physicians via participation in daily rounds and to facilitate discharge planning
- Participated in monthly journal/article presentations on Rehab/OT with team members
0-5 years of experience
- Evaluated and treated clients ranging from age 1-7 to determine medically necessary treatment
- Collaborated with speech therapists to obtain optimal treatment needed for clients that demonstrated deficits in gross motor and fine motor play, social communication, visual perception, sensory development and ADLs.
- Developed family and client-centered individualized plans and goals while providing accurate
6-10 years of experience
Performs all consults in 90 bed hospital; tripled number of patients consulted during period of employment
- Leads eight or more groups weekly on adolescent unit, adult ITUs, and detox/dual diagnosis unit
- Developed sensory rooms on all five inpatient units and consults with partial hospital to implement sensory modalities in their program
- Communicates feedback in adolescent treatment planning rounds
- Educates staff regularly regarding implementing sensory modalities with the patient population
- Supervises new Occupational Therapists in Rehab Department
0-5 years of experience
Provided pediatric therapy services in intermediate, middle, and high school setting, daycares, clinic, and in the homes.
- Administered and scored evaluations in aforementioned settings.
- Developed treatment plans to be carried out in the home for after school.
- Collaborate with other disciplines and/or school employees to provide a holistic approach to treating pediatric patients
0-5 years of experience
Provided and supervised play-based intervention to children with special needs from birth to 13 years of age.
- Provided support and consultation to care givers, parents, and other developmental staff.
- Worked with service coordinators to document and report progress and development of clientele.
- Trained with multi-disciplinary team in relation to therapeutic strategies.
- Responsible for assessment, implementation and discharge of OT client’s therapeutic program.
0-5 years of experience
- Served adolescent, teenage and young adult (ages 12-21) students with autism spectrum disorders
- Evaluated and updated IEPs for students in support of academic and functional goals
- Collaborated with older and graduating students on transition to adulthood
0-5 years of experience
Provided direct and consultant services to several school districts.
- Collaborated with a variety of teachers and many teams to help establish occupational therapy goals and objectives to compliment the established procedures of each classroom.
- Participated in transition planning for short and long term goals with a variety of children.
- Supervised college students during clinical assignments.
0-5 years of experience
- provided services to patients in Long-term care unit; patient diagnoses included Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia
- participated in screening and assessment of individual patients referred for Occupational Therapy; services were provided in accordance to their plan of care
- consulted and collaborated with families, nursing and rehab staff in order to develop plan of care for patients
- attended comprehensive care plan meetings to discuss patient progress and make the appropriate recommendations
- maintained notes, records and reports for patients receiving Occupational Therapy services
- supervised Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants (COTAs) during implementation of treatment plan for patients
- reviewed session and progress notes created by COTAs to ensure accuracy and efficiency
- participated in completion of the Rehabilitation section of Minimum Data Set (MDS 2.0) for reimbursement
0-5 years of experience
Observing patients doing tasks, ask the patient questions, and review the patient’s medical history
- Using the observations, answers, and medical history to evaluate the patient’s condition and needs
- Establishing a treatment plan for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished
- Supervise one to two COTAS along with daily productivity/evaluations
- Educating a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient
- Recommending special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct patients how to use that equipment
0-5 years of experience
- Evaluated and treated patient population, including Cerebral Palsy, Poliomyelitis, Developmental Disabilities Muscular Dystrophies, CVA, TBI, orthopedic injuries, MI, seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, autism, PICU patients and Guillan-Barre syndrome
- Screened integrated school children for need of occupational therapy intervention and referred them to relevant services
- Taught and trained basic Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers
- Taught diploma students for multi category Mental Retardation (MR) course
- Arranged home care therapy for requested clients
0-5 years of experience
Short term/long term adult/geriatric population with orthopedic, neurological, pulmonary and/or cardiac diagnoses.
- Assisted residents with stretches and strengthening exercises to increase range of motion and strength to increase occupational participation.
- Instructed residents in proper body mechanics with bed mobility and transfers.
- Educated residents in wheelchair mobility and adapted devices to increase independence during activities of daily living.
- Documented resident progress for daily notes and participated in collaboration with physical therapist.
- Participated in weekly meetings with care management teams.
- Recorded resident’s progress. Provided visual and tactile cues to ensure safety of residents during functional activities.
- Worked primarily with THP, TKR, cardiac, neurological conditions, stroke, dementia
- Treatment interventions included cognitive retraining, ADL retraining, edema management, NDT, Modified Constrained Induced Therapy, balance training, transfer techniques, energy conservation techniques, feeding interventions, strengthening exercises, increasing safety awareness
- Daily consultations with all disciplines to insure the best quality care for residents’ rehabilitation
- Screens and Analyzes residents for proper bed and wheelchair positioning
0-5 years of experience
Responsible for the evaluation, coordination and administration of occupational therapy services in both a short-term and long-term rehabilitation unit.
- Applies the NDT, Motor Learning and the Biomechanical frame of reference to patients to improve movement, mobility and function during ADLs.
- Evaluate, administer and monitors adaptive equipment for the individual needs of patients.
- Provide transfer and positioning trainings to nursing staff
- Supervise four COTAs and two volunteers
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Medicare and other reimbursement regulations
- Experience with a wide range of diagnoses which includes Congestive Heart Failure, Arthritis, Diabetes, Cancer, Dementia and COPD.
0-5 years of experience
Collaborate with rehab team to evaluate and treat shared daily caseload 20 to 30 SAR patients with primary diagnoses including orthopedic injuries/surgeries, cardiopulmonary
diseases/surgeries, spinal injuries/surgeries, CVAs, dementia, and generalized weakness
- Utilize clinical knowledge to assess LTC resident needs for restorative OT services, positioning,
- Evaluate and develop treatment plan for outpatient OT on a as needed basis
- Participate in weekly multidisciplinary rehab meeting
- Provide patient education and/or family training in preparation for discharge from services
- Member of in-service committee to identify topics or needs for improvement as well as presenting brief in-services for rehab team as needed
- Provide supervision of level II fieldwork students
0-5 years of experience
- Provided OT services in an outpatient pediatric sensory integration gym
- Full caseload of children 3-15 years old with wide range of diagnoses (autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, developmental disorders, fine and gross motor delays, physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders, feeding issues, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, etc.)
- Developed intervention plans and strategies to increase function in the child’s school, home, and community environments
- Led individual as well as group sessions in order to develop a child’s flexibility, social skills, sensory processing, and behavior and emotional regulation in a group setting
- Collaborated closely with families, teachers, physical therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, etc. to provide team approach to care
0-5 years of experience
Plan and execute treatment plans for geriatric patients based on diagnosis and initial evaluation in the sub-acute/long-term care setting.
- Perform wheelchair evaluations for proper out-of-bed positioning.
- Perform home evaluations for modifications and adaptations needed prior to discharge.
- Gained knowledge on American Health Tech billing and treatment planning software.
- Completed MDS documents and monitored RUG scores.
0-5 years of experience
in a hospital-based clinic with a variety of treatments including postoperative rotator cuff therapy, knee replacement therapy, and back therapy
- Visited patients in their rooms and assisted with PROM/AAROM, & functional mobility after surgery
- Collaborated with other therapist in postpartum group therapy to educate new mothers on pelvic muscles strengthening exercises, and trigger points release techniques
- Assisted in the outpatient rehabilitation clinic with a variety of treatment and diagnoses including post-surgery of the upper extremity and/or hands
0-5 years of experience
- Assisted Occupational Therapist with individualized client treatment.
- Applied modalities and used equipment to prepare clients with various physical injuries for therapy.
- Performed additional tasks as required by the Occupational Therapist.
0-5 years of experience
Evaluate, plan, and implement treatments for adult and pediatric cases.
- Initiate one on one interventions including (balance training, cardiac and orthopedic, sensory processing, concussion)
- Complete client documentation including progress and goals of intervention
- Evaluate, plan, and implement treatments for adults (rehabilitation and long term care)
- Initiate one on one interventions including (activities of daily living re-training, balance training, cardiac and orthopedic)
- Complete client documentation including progress and goals of intervention
0-5 years of experience
Help students improve decision making, abstract reasoning, memory, sequencing, coordination and perceptual skills, using computer programs (Fast ForWord, Interactive Metronome, PointScribe Handwriting Program)
- Collaborated & communicated effectively with Physical Therapists & Speech-Language Pathologists.
- Individualized curriculum development and therapeutic goals for students; leader for group therapies
- Behavior modification & implementation of individual behavioral plans.
- Promethean Smart Board technology
0-5 years of experience
Provide skilled occupational therapy in the skilled nursing setting for patients with a wide variety of diagnoses using a variety of profession-specific techniques, modalities and tools, including manual lymph drainage and lymphedema specific wrapping.
- Utilize the SMART electronic HIM system to document patient relevant content.
- Completed evaluation, treatment and discharge planning, as well as patient education, family training and collaboration with team members regarding patient care.
- Supervise certified occupational therapist assistants to ensure proper implementation of patient plan of care
- Orient new occupational therapists and certified occupational therapist assistants on patient documentation in physical chart and electronically. Educated new OTs/COTAs on location of supplies and procedures for communicating patient specific information between departments.
- Serve as the facility point-person for wheelchair modification.
0-5 years of experience
Early Interventionist for the Infant Learning program of Anchorage, Coaching Model
- Neuro Motor, Sensory Motor, Developmental, and Psychosocial evaluation for the 0-3 population
- Parent support and education utilizing the coaching model, DIR Floor time, and developmental education of children with varying conditions.
- Case management of primary caseload, including parent support, Individual Family Service planning, community connection and support, and assistance with transitioning to the school district.
- Home visiting and support in the home and other areas of the natural environment with routine based exercises and therapeutic activities.
0-5 years of experience
Evaluate and provide occupational therapy services in sub-acute rehabilitation setting for adult population of diverse diagnoses.
- Supervise and work as a team with several COTAs and PRN therapists. Work in conjunction with nursing staff, administration, and environmental staff within facility.
- Work with a cohesive rehab team of 15 full-time OT, PT, and ST staff members.
- Supervise Level one and two occupational therapy students
0-5 years of experience
Complete thorough evaluations, including perceptive/fine motor skills, cognitive skills, sensory motor processing, functional activities of daily living, muscle tone, range of motion/mobility, orthopedic/splinting
needs, and movement analysis.
- Educate and demonstrate (verbally or written) therapy techniques to parents that can be incorporated into a home program; assist families in home program facilitation.
- With parent input, develop individualized goals for each child incorporating functional abilities with the objective to increase daily living skills.
- Develop and implement treatment program to meet the individual needs of the child.
- Responsible for timely documentation of evaluation results, progress reports, discharge reports, and daily
- Provide clinical supervision to Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants and students.
0-5 years of experience
Provide comprehensive acute care services primarily in cardiovascular/pulmonary units
- Evaluate and treat patients with neurological and orthopedic conditions
- Established and implement individual treatment plans focused achieving BADLs
- Provide appropriate discharge recommendations post acute care
- Utilize EPIC EMR system for documentation and chart reviews
6-10 years of experience
- Perform rotations through three clinics, including in-patient, outpatient and extended care, reporting to clinic directors.
- Develop a caseload of patients via physician referrals.
- Provide treatments to diverse populations, including stroke victims, post cardiac care, amputees, orthopedic patients, hip and knee replacements, severe arthritic clients, etc.
- Utilize multiple modalities including heat, ice, ultrasound, iontophoresis, fluid therapy, paraffin treatment, and splinting.
- Track and monitor patient progress through the continuum of care and make modifications to treatment plans.
- A member of the Ergonomic team, requiring review of employee occupational related injuries, evaluation of work stations, and recommendations to improve ergonomic factors.
Occupational Therapist Duties and Responsibilities
In order to help patients recover from trauma, overcome specific challenges, or simply improve their overall quality of life, occupational therapists perform an array of tasks. Based on the job listings we analyzed, they usually take on these duties and responsibilities:
Evaluate Patients Before they begin treating a patient, occupational therapists must first administer a variety of tests to evaluate the patient’s needs, limitations, and capabilities. The information they gather from those tests must also be shared with the patient, the patient’s family (if necessary), physicians, and members of allied health groups.
Analyze Evaluation Results Once an occupational therapist has fully evaluated their patient, they must then analyze the results of that evaluation to form realistic treatment goals along a proposed timeline. They also use their analysis to create a comprehensive treatment program.
Select and Implement Treatment Techniques Before the treatment program begins, it’s important that occupational therapists select treatment techniques that not only accomplish the desired goals, but also fit the capabilities and deficits of each specific patient.
Supervise
Treatment If an occupational therapist’s patient is going to be treated by other medical professionals, such as physicians and nurses, the occupational therapist will need to supervise those appointments to ensure that the patient receives complete and total treatment.
Provide Documentation Over the course of each patient’s treatment program, it’s essential that occupational therapists thoroughly document test results, goals, techniques used, and results achieved. Those records help form a comprehensive health history for the patient that can be used in the future.
Occupational Therapist Skills and Qualifications
Occupational therapists should be analytical thinkers with a love for both research and helping other people. Depending on where they’re employed, occupational therapists may also need knowledge and experience in specific areas, such as pediatric or geriatric care. Employers typically favor occupational therapists with the following skills and qualifications:
- Analytical thinking – as discussed earlier, occupational therapists evaluate patients before beginning treatment. Because of this, it’s essential that they possess strong analytical skills
- Problem-solving skills – when developing and modifying treatment programs, occupational therapists must use problem-solving skills to address and adapt to new or changing problems
- Communication skills – since occupational therapists are required to share their findings as well as their patients’ progress with family members and other healthcare professionals, they need excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Attention to detail – when working with a patient, even the smallest detail can have a huge impact on overall health. So, it’s crucial that occupational therapists have a keen eye for detail
- Bedside manner – a warm and compassionate bedside manner can go a long way in terms of making patients feel comfortable and optimistic, so it’s important for occupational therapists to have an outstanding bedside manner
Occupational Therapist Education and Training
Occupational therapists are required to have a master’s degree in occupational therapy, as well as a bachelor’s degree, typically in a field such as biology or physiology. Some occupational therapists may also choose to obtain a doctoral degree. In order to become a practicing occupational therapist, all occupational therapists must pass a national exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapists. Additional optional certifications may also be obtained through the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Occupational Therapist Salary and Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational therapists earn a yearly median salary of $83,200, with the lowest paid earning $54,560 per year and the highest paid earning $120,440. Employment of occupational therapists is expected to grow 24 percent by 2026, a rate that’s much faster than that of all other occupations. This means that 31,000 new occupational therapist positions will become available during that time period.
Helpful Resources
If you want to become an occupational therapist, take a look at this list of resources we assembled to help you achieve that goal:
American Occupational Therapy Association – AOTA, as mentioned earlier, provides occupational therapists with a variety of certifications. It also offers job resources, student resources, an annual conference, events, and more
Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy – this book serves as a handy reference guide for students, practitioners, and researchers alike. It’s particularly useful for students who are working to become occupational therapists
Occupational Therapist Networking Group – with more than 16,000 members, this LinkedIn group is the perfect place to discuss, connect, and network with fellow occupational therapists and occupational therapy students
Healthcare Support Cover Letter Examples
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Last edited by: Gabriela Barcenas, CPRW, Content Writer II -
Gabriela Barcenas
CPRW, Content Writer IIGabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career adviser. With 10 years of digital media experience and five years of resume writing expertise, her publication history includes fashion, education, travel, social justice, equitable design and career advice.
