Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Toledo OH

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

• Assist the Occupational Therapist in the planning, development, organization, evaluation, and directing of occupational therapy activities, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the Facility.
• Facilitate Telehealth services as instructed to ensure that all required evaluations, recertifications, progress notes, and discharges are completed timely.
• Communicate with staff from related departments when planning therapy services.
• Assist in maintaining occupational therapy standards of practice.
• Maintain departmental policies and procedures, safety, environmental and infection control.
• Interpret occupational therapy procedures and recommendations to staff, residents, family members, as necessary.
• Participate in care conferences, discharge planning, and resident assessments, as necessary.
• Assist in instructing resident and family members in home programs and use of adaptive equipment.
• Assist in maintaining documentation for residents receiving occupational therapy.
• Ensure that billing for therapy services rendered are coded accurately and in accordance with current standards. All billing and daily notes must be completed on the date of service.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, and charting, as necessary.
• Report any questions or concerns to your Director of Rehabilitation and/or supervising Occupational Therapist.

Therapy Functions

• Assist in interviewing residents to evaluate daily living skills and capacities to determine extent of abilities and limitations.
• Address all goals in the Plan of Care a minimum of once per week. If a goal cannot be targeted, clearly document the rationale and communicate with the Occupational Therapist for modifications needed.
• Assist in determining appropriate treatment, selecting activities and exercises based on medical and social history of residents.
• Assist in scheduling therapy services, as needed.
• Inform resident of procedures involved in occupational therapy and prepare necessary equipment.
• Assist in transporting resident to and from occupational therapy room or area.
• Demonstrate to residents and staff personnel the procedures involved in the treatment process, as necessary.
• Perform occupational therapy in the resident’s room, if necessary.
• Reassure resident before and during therapy session.
• Prepare resident for treatment and administer occupational therapy in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Instruct and supervise resident during therapy.
• Assist in designing and adapting equipment in living environment.
• Promote participation in individual, group, and concurrent activities.
• Recommend modifications and changes in the resident’s therapy treatment, as indicated.
• Ensure that all notes are informative, follow guidelines, and are descriptive of the care provided and of the resident’s response to the care.
• Provide individualized occupational therapy services to residents according to the Plan of Care.

Staff Development

• Participate in programs designed for in-service education and on-the-job training.
• Attend and participate in workshops, seminars, to keep informed of current changes in the field, as well as to build skills and enhance growth and development.
• Attend and participate in Facility in-service training programs as scheduled (e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection Control, etc.).

Safety and Sanitation

• Follow established safety standards for the occupational therapy department.
• Follow established departmental policies and procedures at all times, including appropriate dress code.
• Comply with the Facility’s established safety precautions at all times.
• Wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies when lifting or moving residents.
• Assist in identifying departmental procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Follow established infection control procedures and universal precautions when performing duties.
• Ensure that the therapy area is maintained in a clean and safe manner for resident comfort and convenience by assuring that necessary equipment and supplies are maintained to perform such services.
• Follow reporting procedures when observing any hazardous conditions or equipment.
• Wear personal protective clothing when performing services that involve potential exposure to blood or body fluids.

Equipment and Supply Functions

• Provide necessary material and equipment for resident to perform required therapy.
• Report any inventory, equipment, or supply needs to your supervisor.
• Utilize all department equipment and supplies in an efficient manner that promotes desired therapy outcomes and minimizes waste.
• Operate occupational therapy equipment in a safe manner.

Resident Rights

• Honor the resident’s refusal of treatment request.  Report such action to your supervisor.
• Abide by the resident’s participation in treatment decision.
• Inform the resident of consequences of not participating in prescribed therapy and document such action in the resident’s clinical record.
• Report any resident complaints or grievances to the department supervisor.
• Allow the residents to participate in the planning and scheduling of their treatment, as requested.
• Adhere to all HIPAA requirements.
• Report medical concerns and changes in condition to the resident’s nurse and the therapy supervisor.

Working Conditions

• Works in office areas, therapy rooms, resident rooms, etc.
• Is involved with physicians, residents, personnel, visitors, government agencies or personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.
• Must be constantly alert for resident safety.
• Attends and participates in continuing educational programs as may be required by current regulations.
• Is subject to lifting, carrying, and supporting residents.
• Maintains communication with the residents, their families, other departments, etc., to adequately plan for the resident’s occupational therapy needs.

Education

• Must possess an Associate degree from an accredited program conferring the title of Occupational Therapist Assistant.

Specific Requirements

• Must possess a current, unencumbered, active license to practice as a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant in Ohio.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must be knowledgeable of occupational therapy procedures.
• Must possess leadership and supervisory ability and the willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other personnel.
• Must possess the ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret the programs, goals, objectives, policies, procedures, etc., of the occupational therapy service.
• Must maintain the care and use of supplies, equipment, etc., and maintain the appearance of therapy areas.
• Must be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing therapy services.

Physical and Sensory Requirements

(With or Without a Reasonable Accommodation)

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to assure that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this Facility, which may include a medical and physical examination.
• Based on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Guidelines for Nursing Homes Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the American Conference Governmental Industrial Hygienists' Threshold Limit Values for Lifting the Facility has identified that this job may require the lifting of residents, equipment, or other objects.  Accordingly, this job may require a minimum of 5 pounds and a maximum of 45 pounds lifting, periodically and or as needed.