CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Occupational Therapist Assistants

The Benchmark Job Description below represents the specific Position Characteristics of the job used in the Salary Survey. Benchmark Job Descriptions should be inspected carefully to review the degree of matching between an organizations' Job and the Salary Survey Benchmark. Matching internal Jobs to Salary Survey Benchmark Jobs should not be done on Job Title alone. A thorough comparison of Salary Survey Benchmark to Internal Job Descriptions is recommended. A good overlap should exist on any comparisons used on critical Job Dimensions and Competencies.
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Summary Job Description Tasks
Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training. Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior, and maintain this information in client records.
 
Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
 
Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
 
Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
 
Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, and the care and use of adaptive equipment.
 
Evaluate the daily living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally or emotionally disabled clients.
 
Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
 
Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
 
Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes and behavior.
 
Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.
 
Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement and administer educational, vocational, and recreational programs that restore and enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.
 
Design, fabricate, and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to equipment and environments.
 
Assemble, clean, and maintain equipment and materials for patient use.
 
Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.
 
Perform clerical duties such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, and documenting health insurance billings.
 
Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
 
Demonstrate therapy techniques such as manual and creative arts, or games.
 
Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.
 
Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.
 
Communicate and collaborate with other health care professionals involved with the care of a patient.
 
Attend continuing education classes.
 
Attend care plan meetings to review patient progress and update care plans.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Important Knowledge Competencies Competency Description
Psychology Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 
Education and Training Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 
English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 
Therapy and Counseling Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 
Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 
Medicine and Dentistry Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
 
Public Safety and Security Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Important Skill Competencies Competency Description
Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
 
Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
 
Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
 
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
 
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
 
Judgment and Decision Making Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
 
Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
 
Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
 
Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
 
Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
 
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
 
Instructing Teaching others how to do something.
 
Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
 
Learning Strategies Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
 
Persuasion Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
 
Negotiation Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
 
Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
 
Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
 
Systems Analysis Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
 
Systems Evaluation Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
 
Management of Personnel Resources Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Important Ability Competencies Competency Description
Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
 
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
 
Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
 
Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
 
Written Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
 
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
 
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
 
Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
 
Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
 
Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
 
Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
 
Category Flexibility The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
 
Originality The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
 
Selective Attention The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
 
Arm-Hand Steadiness The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
 
Finger Dexterity The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
 
Static Strength The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
 
Fluency of Ideas The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
 
Flexibility of Closure The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
 
Multilimb Coordination The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
 
Perceptual Speed The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
 
Visualization The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
 
Time Sharing The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
 
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Tools/Technology Example Product Category
Accounting software Accounting software
 
Billing software Accounting software
 
Bookkeeping software Accounting software
 
BrainTrain Captain's Log Computer based training software
 
BrainTrain IVA+Plus Computer based training software
 
BrainTrain SmartDriver Action games
 
Client caseload management software Medical software
 
Database software Data base user interface and query software
 
Email software Electronic mail software
 
Fifth Walk BillingTracker Accounting software
 
FileMaker Pro software Data base user interface and query software
 
Financial record software Accounting software
 
Graphics software Graphics or photo imaging software
 
Laboratory information system LIS software Medical software
 
Language arts educational software Computer based training software
 
Math educational software Computer based training software
 
Microsoft Access Data base user interface and query software
 
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software
 
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software
 
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software
 
Microsoft Word Word processing software
 
Patient documentation software Medical software
 
Scheduling software Calendar and scheduling software
 
Screen reader software Device drivers or system software
 
SpectraSoft DocuPRO Medical software
 
Spreadsheet software Spreadsheet software
 
Text scanning software Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
 
TheraClin Systems iMAPR Medical software
 
Visual Health Information VHI PC-Kits Medical software
 
Voice recognition software Voice recognition software
 
Web browser software Internet browser software
 
Word processing software Word processing software
 
dBase Data base user interface and query software
 
Alternative computer keyboards Keyboards
 
Arm braces Arm orthopedic softgoods
 
Augmentative communication systems Adaptive communication switches for the physically challenged
 
Automatic dishwashing systems Commercial use dishwashers
 
Back braces Back or lumbar or sacral orthopedic softgoods
 
Balance boards Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapy
 
Beading needles Bead accessories
 
Braille writers Braille devices for the physically challenged
 
C clamps C clamps
 
Canes Canes or cane accessories
 
Ceramic modeling tools Clay or modeling tools
 
Ceramics kilns Kilns for firing ceramics
 
Cold packs Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
 
Communication boards Letter or symbol boards for the physically challenged
 
Compression devices Vascular sequential compression devices or tubing
 
Compressive garments Vascular or compression apparel or supports
 
Continuous passive motion CPM equipment Continuous passive motion CPM devices or accessories
 
Crochet hooks Crochet hooks
 
Crutches Crutches or crutch accessories
 
Desktop computers Desktop computers
 
Dynamometers Dynamometers
 
Fax machines Facsimile machines
 
Gait belts Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
 
Glue guns Glue guns
 
Goniometers Goniometers
 
Hammers Hammers
 
Hand drills Power drills
 
Hand sanders Power sanders
 
Headpointers Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
 
Heat guns Heat guns
 
Hydraulic lifts Clinical hydraulic lifts or accessories
 
Hydrotherapy equipment Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks
 
Industrial dryers Clothes dryers
 
Joy sticks Game pads or joy sticks
 
Knitting needles Hand sewing needles
 
Lacing needles Lacing or stringing accessories
 
Latch hooks Weaving accessories
 
Leather scissors Leather accessories
 
Light commercial washing machines Laundry type washing machines
 
Lower extremity braces Leg orthopedic softgoods or accessories
 
Macrame boards Macrame accessories
 
Mechanical stethoscopes Mechanical stethoscopes or accessories
 
Metal shears Shears
 
Metalsmith molds Precious metal die castings
 
Microwave ovens Commercial use microwave ovens
 
Mini punch sets Punches or nail sets or drifts
 
Mini screwdriver sets Screwdrivers
 
Mouthsticks Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
 
Multi-purpose saw sets Saws
 
Needlenose pliers Needlenose pliers
 
Notebook computers Notebook computers
 
Optical pointers Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
 
Orthotic devices Orthotics or foot care products
 
Ovens Commercial use ovens
 
Page turners Page turners for the physically challenged
 
Patient positioning devices Positioning devices
 
Personal computers Personal computers
 
Photocopying equipment Photocopiers
 
Precision knives Utility knives
 
Protective gowns Medical staff isolation or cover gowns
 
Punching awls Awls
 
Rasps Rasps
 
Rawhide mallets Leather accessories
 
Reflex hammers Reflex hammers or mallets
 
Rivet setters Rivet tools
 
Rotary punches Leather accessories
 
Safety gloves Protective gloves
 
Safety goggles Goggles
 
Sewing needles Sewing needles
 
Sliding boards Patient shifting boards or accessories
 
Slings Arm orthopedic softgoods
 
Slip joint pliers Slip or groove joint pliers
 
Slip mixers Clay or modeling tools
 
Sphygmomanometers Blood pressure cuff kits
 
Squares Squares
 
Stretchers Patient stretchers or stretcher accessories
 
Surgical masks Medical staff isolation or surgical masks
 
T squares T squares
 
Tablet computers Tablet computers
 
Talking word processor software Voice synthesizers for the physically challenged
 
Therapeutic hot packs Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
 
Trackpads Touch pads
 
Transfer belts Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
 
Treatment tables Mats or platforms for rehabilitation or therapy
 
Triangles Triangles
 
Vises Bench vises
 
Walkers Walkers or rollators
 
Wheelchairs Wheelchairs
 
Wing dividers Leather accessories
 
Wire cutters Wire cutters
 
Wood burners Wood burning tools
 
Wood chisels Wood chisels
 
Word prediction software Writing aids for the physically challenged
 
Writing support software Writing aids for the physically challenged
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Prerequisite Qualification Category Education and Experience Level
Required Level of Education Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
 
On-Site or In-Plant Training Up to and including 1 month
 
On-the-Job Training Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
 
On-Site or In-Plant Training None
 
On-the-Job Training Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
Alternate Job Title(s)
Behavior Specialist
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant/Licensed (COTA/L)
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant-Licensed (COTA-L)
Health Service Worker
Independent Living Specialist
Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapist Assistant
Occupational Therapist Assistants
Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)
Occupational Therapy Technician
Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)
Rehabilitation Assistant
School Based Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Health Care
Job Family: Medical Therapists
Benchmark Title: Occupational Therapist Assistants
 
 
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