Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapist Assistant

The Occupational Therapy Assistant pathway is designed to prepares an individual to work under the direction of a certified Occupational Therapist to administer treatment pertinent to restorative, preventive, and maintenance programs.

Program Description

Occupational Therapy Assistant

The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum is a two‐year program of study that prepares an individual to work under the direction of a certified Occupational Therapist to administer treatment pertinent to restorative, preventive, and maintenance programs. The focus is on the development and facilitation of function to perform those tasks essential to productive living and to the mastery of self and the environment. This program prepares the graduate to practice in a variety of health care and community settings as a member of a professional team. Opportunities for employment are varied and extensive. Admission to the program is selective and competitive. An associate’s degree is granted upon successful completion of the program. Graduates of the 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.

Industry standards referenced are based on the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.’s Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Suggested Course Sequence

Technical Certificate Required Courses

Course Number	Course Name	Semester Credit Hours (SCH)	Lecture SCH Breakdown	Lab SCH Breakdown	Clinical SCH Breakdown	Total Contact Hours	Program Certifications
OTA 1113	Foundations of Occupational Therapy	3	3	0	0	45	-
OTA 1121	Medical Terminology	1	1	0	0	15	-
OTA 1132	Therapeutic Anatomy	2	2	0	0	30	-
OTA 1213	Pathology of Psychiatric Conditions	3	3	0	0	45	-
OTA 1223	Pathology of Physical Disability Conditions	3	3	0	0	45	-
OTA 1233	Pathology of Developmental Conditions	3	3	0	0	45	-
OTA 1242	Pathology of Orthopedic Conditions	2	2	0	0	30	-
OTA 1315	Kinesiology	5	4	2	0	90	-
OTA 1413	Therapeutic Media	3	2	2	0	60	-
OTA 1423	Occupational Therapy Skills I	3	2	2	0	60	-
OTA 1433	Occupational Therapy Skills II	3	2	2	0	60	-
OTA 1513	Group Process	3	2	2	0	60	-
OTA 1913	Fieldwork I: Psychosocial/Specialty	3	1	0	6	105	-
OTA 2443	Occupational Therapy Skills III	3	2	2	0	60	-
OTA 2714	Concepts in Occupational Therapy	4	3	2	0	75	-
OTA 2812	Healthcare Systems	2	2	0	0	30	-
OTA 2935	Fieldwork I: Physical Dysfunction/Pediatrics	5	1	0	12	195	-
OTA 2946	Fieldwork II: Physical Dysfunction	6	0	0	18	270	-
OTA 2956	Fieldwork II	6	0	0	18	270	-
OTA 2961	Occupational Therapy Transitions	1	1	0	0	15	-
OTA 2971	Therapy Transitions II	1	1	0	0	15	-
-	Total	65	40	14	54	1620	-

General Education Core Courses

Overview

To receive the Associate of Applied Science degree, a student must complete all of the required coursework found in the Career Certificate option, Technical certificate option, and a minimum of 15 semester hours of General Education core. The courses in the General Education Core may be spaced out over the entire length of the program so that students complete some academic and Career Technical courses each semester or provided primarily within the last semester. Each community college will specify the actual courses that are required to meet the General Education Core Requirements for the Associate of Applied Science degree at their college. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Section 9 Standard 3 of the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement1 describes the general education core.

Section 9 Standard 3: 

3. The institution requires the successful completion of a general education component at the undergraduate level that 
   1. is based on a coherent rationale. 
   2. is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree program. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours of the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent.
   3. ensures breadth of knowledge. These credit hours include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics. These courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession.

General Education Courses

Course Number	Course Name	Semester Credit Hours (SCH)	Lecture SCH Breakdown	Lab SCH Breakdown	Total Contact Hours	Lecture Contact Hour Breakdown	Lab Contact Hour Breakdown	Certification Name
-	Humanities/Fine Arts	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Social/Behavioral Sciences	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Math/Science	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Academic Electives	6	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Total	15	-	-	-	-	-	-

1. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. (2017). The principles of accreditation: Foundations for quality enhancement. Retrieved from Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Course Descriptions

OTA 1113 Foundation of Occupational Therapy

Description

This intake course is an introduction to the field of occupational therapy including history, role orientation, professional organizational structure, legal and ethical implications, legislation, practice arenas, and the process of service delivery.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	3	0	0	45

Prerequisite

None

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Articulate understanding of the history of occupational therapy, philosophical base of the profession. ^B.2.2 
   • Heritage of the certified Occupational Therapy Assistant 
   • Identify significant events and dates and the socio-political climate in the development of the profession and to meet today’s current and future occupational needs. 
   • Identify significant individuals who influenced the development of the profession and the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) heritage. 
2. Articulate the role of Occupational Therapy Assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process along with the importance of and rationale for supervision and collaborative work between the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in that process. ^B.2.3 
   • Identify the roles and responsibilities of the occupational therapist, the occupational therapy assistant, and the occupational therapy aide in the profession according to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) roles documents. 
   • Discuss the professional relationships among roles. 
   • Discuss responsibility participation in a supervisory relationship, including service competency. 
   • Explain the importance professional development and formal continuing education. 
   • Describe the role of consultation in occupational therapy practice. 
3. Demonstrate the knowledge of the occupational therapy philosophy.^B.2.4 
   • Define the holistic approach to patient care. 
   • Discuss the relationship of the biopsychosocial components to the holistic approach.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role of occupational therapy professional. organizations, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Code of Ethics, Core Values, and Attitudes of Occupational Therapy Practice, and AOTA Standards of Practice and use them as a guide for ethical decision making in professional interactions, client interventions, and employment settings. ^{B. 2.10} 
   • Identify the functions and influence of national, state, and local occupational therapy associations and other related professional associations. 
   • Identify the methods of promotion occupational therapy by educating other professionals, consumers, third party-payers, and the public. 
   • Identify the basic concepts presented in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Code of Ethics, Core Values and Attitudes of Occupational Therapy, and 13 Postsecondary Occupational Therapy Assistant (AOTA) Standards of Practice. 
   • Explain and give examples of how the role of professional is enhanced by knowledge of and involvement in international, national, state and local occupational therapy association and related professional associations. 
   • Discuss strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure that practice is consistent with current and accepted standards. 
   • Explain applicable state and federal laws to include the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Vulnerable Adult Act. 
5. Describe theories, models, and frames of reference inherent to occupational therapy practice. ^B.2.1 
   • Identify the basis for selected theoretical framework. 
   • Identify the individuals responsible for selected theoretical framework. 
6. Differentiate among occupation, activity, and purposeful activity as viewed by the profession of occupational therapy. ^{B.2.3, B.2.5} 
   • Define the terms, occupation, activity and purposeful activity. 
   • Describe the dynamics of occupation and purposeful activity, including the interaction of performance areas, performance components, and performance contexts. 
   • Explain the role of occupation in the promotion of health and prevention of disease and disability for the individual, family, and society. 
   • Articulate the importance of balancing areas of occupation with the achievement of health and wellness. 
7. Explain areas of occupational performance. ^B.2.3 
   • Define activities of daily living. 
   • Define play and leisure activities. 
   • Define work and production activities. 
   • Discuss the relationship of each performance area to each other.
   • Discuss the balance of performance areas to the achievement of health and wellness.
   • Discuss and assistive and adaptive equipment. 
8. Demonstrate basic therapeutic communication skills. ^B.3.21 
   • Identify nonverbal and verbal components of active listening. 
   • Explain the dynamics of feedback in interpersonal skills. 
9. Explain the individualization of occupational therapy. ^{B.1.2,B.2.5, B.2.6} 
   • Describe the environment and sociocultural considerations that impact individual intervention.
   • Discuss the role of occupation in the promotion of wellness for the individual, family and society. 
   • Analyze the effects of health, disability, and disease processes, and traumatic injury to the individual within the content of the family and society. 
   • Discuss individual perceptions of quality of life, well-being, and occupation to promote wellness. 
10. Demonstrate competence in basic computer use, including the ability to use databases and search engines to access information, word processing for writing, and presentation software (i.e. PowerPoint). 
11. Articulate the influence of social conditions and the ethical context in which humans choose and engage in occupations. 
12. Articulate the importance of using statistic, tests, and measurements. 
13. Recognize and communicate the need to refer to specialist (both internal and external to the profession) for consultation and intervention. ^B.3.17 

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1 B.2.2, B.2.3, B.2.4, B.2.5, B.2.10, B.3.17, B.3.21

OTA 1121 Medical Terminology

Description

This intake course is a study of medical language relating to body systems including diseases, physical conditions, abbreviations, and symbols as applied to occupational therapy. Professional language for occupational therapy will be included.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
1	1	0	0	15

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss word components, terms, procedures, abbreviations, and symbols related to body systems. 
   • Identify combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes related to the various body systems.
   • Use medical terminology correctly including spelling and pronunciation. 
   • Utilize abbreviations and symbols related to the body systems and physical conditions related to occupational therapy. 
2. Communicate information using medical terms in a clear, concise manner. 
   • Comprehend medical terminology as viewed in medical charts. 
   • Discuss medical terminology used in medical charts.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

OTA 1132 Therapeutic Anatomy

Description

This intake course will focus upon the structures of the human body and their respective functions. Emphasis will be placed upon the muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
2	2	0	0	30

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the anatomical position and major planes of the body. ^{B 1.1} 
   • Identify descriptive terms including midline, proximal, distal, medial, lateral, ipsilateral, and contralateral. 
   • Identify sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes. 
   • Describe the three normal curves of the spine. 
2. Discuss the structure and basic functional implications of the skeletal system. ^{B 1.1} 
   • Identify selected bones, joints, and other skeletal structures. 
   • Describe bone composition and long bone structure. 
   • Describe various functions and disorders of the skeletal system. 
3. Discuss the structure and basic functional implications of the muscular system. ^{B 1.1} 
   • Describe the structures of an individual muscle. 
   • Describe the molecular events that result in muscle contraction and relaxation. 
   • Define terms related to the muscular system including origin and insertion. 
   • Explain how muscles work in controlled opposition to produce coordinated movements. 
   • Identify selected muscles. 
4. Discuss the structure and basic functional implications of the nervous system. ^{B 1.1} 
   • List the divisions of the central and peripheral nervous systems. 
   • Describe the types, structures, and functions of neurons. 
   • Define action potential, nerve fiber transmission, synapse, grey matter, and white matter. 
   • Identify distinctive brain areas and their corresponding functions. 
   • Describe the spinal cord, including vertebral distributions and ascending/descending tracts. 
   • Differentiate between clinical differences between upper and lower motor neuron lesions.
   • Identify major peripheral nerves including dermatomes, myotomes, and plexus formations.
   • Describe the reflex arc and its function. 
   • Differentiate between efferent and afferent impulses.
   • List the twelve cranial nerves and their functions. 
   • Identify selected nerve segments, muscle innervations, sensory distributions, and motor features of paralysis.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B 1.1

OTA 1213 Pathology of Psychiatric Conditions

Description

This intake course provides a basic knowledge of psychiatric disorders encountered in occupation therapy practice. Emphasis is on etiology, prognosis, and management of various psychiatric conditions. The role and function of the OTA in the treatment process is also emphasized.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	3	0	0	45

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify selected models of psychosocial occupational therapy (OT). ^{B 1.1, B. 1.2, B.1.3, B.2.1, B.2.2} 
   • Compare selected models. 
   • Identify terminologies. 
   • Explain Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 
2. Explain the occupational therapy process as it relates to psychosocial dysfunction. ^{B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.2.8} 
   • Discuss the steps involved in the occupational therapy process. 
   • Identify the patient’s strengths and weaknesses within the OT process.
   • Identify the patient’s strengths and weaknesses related to environmental and community factors affecting the individual.
   • Establish a treatment plan based on the patient’s strengths and weaknesses. 
   • Discuss the importance of documentation throughout the OT process. 
3. Describe the OTA role in treating persons with psychosocial disabilities. ^{B.3.1, B.3.2} 
   • Discuss roles of occupational therapy practitioners in treating patients with psychosocial disabilities. 
   • Explain appropriateness of OT interventions as related to psychosocial dysfunction. 
4. Describe psychosocial disabilities commonly referred to the profession of occupational therapy. ^{B.3.3, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.19, B.3.20} 
   • Describe various selected psychosocial disability conditions. 
   • Identify etiologies of selected psychosocial conditions. 
   • Identify the signs and symptoms of selected conditions. 
   • Discuss precautions and contraindications associated with selected conditions. 
   • Define the implications for early interventions. 
   • Define general occupational therapy treatment considerations associated with selected conditions. 
5. Explain principles of mental health throughout the lifespan. ^{B 1.1, B.1.2} 
6. Identify concepts related to introductory psychology, introductory sociology, and abnormal psychology. ^{B 1.1, B.1.2, B.3.5,} 
7. Understand the effects of mental illness within the cultural context of family and society on occupational performance. ^{B 1.1, B.1.2, B.3.5}

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B 1.1, B.1.2, B.1.3, B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.2.8, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.5 B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.19, B.3.20

OTA 1223 Pathology of Physical Disability Conditions

Description

This intake course provides a basic knowledge of selected diseases and conditions encountered in occupational therapy practice. Emphasis is on etiology, prognosis, and management of various pathological physical conditions. The role and function of the OTA in the treatment process is also emphasized.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	3	0	0	45

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify selected models of occupational therapy for physical dysfunctions. ^B.2.1 
   • Compare selected models. 
   • Identify terminologies. 
2. Explain the occupational therapy (OT) process as it relates to physical dysfunction. ^{B.2.5 B.4.3}
   • Discuss the steps involved in the OT process. 
   • Identify within the OT process the patients strengths and weaknesses. 
   • Establish a treatment plan based on the patient’s strengths and weaknesses. 
   • Discuss the importance of documentation throughout the OT process. 
3. Discuss psychosocial aspects of physical dysfunction. ^B.2.6 
   • Identify adaptions required by the patient to cope with the physical disability.
   • Discuss the impact of physical disabilities on sexuality, work, family, and school. 
   • Discuss the influence of age, gender, and culture of individuals with physical disabilities.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of physical disabilities referred to the profession of occupational therapy. ^B.3.1 
   • Described selected physical disability conditions. 
   • Identify the etiology of selected conditions. 
   • Identify the signs and symptoms of selected conditions. 
   • Discuss precaution and contradictions associated with selected conditions. 
   • Explain the implications for early interventions.
   • Describe general occupational therapy treatment considerations associated with the condition. 
5. Described the occupational therapy assistant’s role in treating individuals with physical disabilities. ^B.3.2 
   • Discuss roles of occupational therapy practitioners. 
   • Explain selected interventions as related to physical dysfunctions.
6. Understand the physical effects of physical disability within the cultural context of family and society on occupational performance. ^B.3.13

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.3.1, B.3.2., B.3.13, B.4.3

OTA 1233 Pathology of Developmental Condition

Description

This intake course provides a basic knowledge of selected diseases and conditions encountered in occupational therapy practice. Emphasis is on etiology, prognosis, and management of various pathological developmental conditions. The student will compare and contrast normal and abnormal developmental patterns. The role and function of the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) in the treatment process is also emphasized.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	3	0	0	45

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify selected models of occupational therapy specific to developmental conditions. ^{B 1.1, B.2.1} 
   • Compare selected models. 
   • Identify terminologies.
2. Explain human development and incorporate theories and principles of human development to patient care across the lifespan. ^B.1.1 
   • Identify milestones in gross and fine motor development. 
   • Explain stages of cognitive development. 
   • Explain stages of psychosocial development. 
   • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pediatric human development. 
3. Describe selected developmental conditions commonly referred to occupational therapy. ^{B 1.1} 
   • Identify etiologies of selected developmental conditions. 
   • Identify the signs and symptoms of selected developmental conditions. 
   • Discuss the precautions and contraindications associated with selected developmental conditions. 
   • Explain the implications for early interventions. 
   • Discuss environmental and community factors affecting the individual.
   • Describe basic influences contributing to health.
   • Describe general occupational therapy treatment considerations associated with a specific developmental condition.
4. Explain the occupational therapy (OT) process as it relates to developmental conditions. ^{B 1.1} 
   • Discuss the steps involved in the OT process. 
   • Identify the patient’s strengths and weaknesses within the OT process. 
   • Discuss a treatment plan based on the patient’s strengths and weaknesses. 
   • Discuss the importance of documentation throughout the OT process. 
5. Describe the OTA role in treating persons with developmental conditions. ^B.1.1 
   • Discuss roles of occupational therapy practitioners in treating patients with developmental disabilities. 
   • Explain appropriateness of OT interventions as related to developmental dysfunction. 
6. Understand the effects of physical disability within the cultural context of family and society on occupational performance. ^B.1.1

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B 1.1, B.2.1

OTA 1242 Pathology of Orthopedic Conditions

Description

This intake course provides a basic knowledge of selected orthopedic conditions encountered in occupational therapy practice. Emphasis is placed upon mechanisms of pathology and basic treatment approaches. The role and function of the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) in the treatment process is also emphasized.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
2	2	0	0	30

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge of orthopedic conditions related to the profession of occupational therapy. ^B.2.6 
   • Describe selected orthopedic conditions. 
   • Identify the etiology of selected conditions. 
   • Identify the signs and symptoms of selected conditions. 
   • Discuss precautions and contraindications associated with selected conditions. 
   • Discuss psychosocial aspects of selected orthopedic conditions. 
2. Explain the occupational therapy (OT) process as it relates to orthopedic conditions. ^{B.3.5 B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.10, B.3.14, B.3.16, B.4.3} 
   • Discuss the steps involved in the OT process. 
   • Identify within the OT process the patient’s strengths and weaknesses.
   • Establish a treatment plan based on the patient’s strengths and weaknesses. 
   • Discuss the importance of documentation throughout the OT process. 
   • Describe general occupational therapy treatment associated with selected conditions.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.6, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.10, B.3.14, B.3.16, B.4.3

OTA 1315 Kinesiology

Description

This intake course studies individual muscles and muscle functions, biomechanical principles of joint motion, gait patterns, normal movement patterns, and goniometry.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
5	4	2	0	90

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Describe types of motion and joint movements. ^B.1.1 
   • Describe linear, curvilinear, rotary, and other types of motion. 
   • Describe joint movements including flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, external rotation, and circumduction. 
   • Perform joint motions. 
2. Identify important landmarks in surface anatomy. ^B.1.1 
   • Palpate bony prominences.
   • Locate muscles, tendons, and ligaments. 
3. Identify selected joints and their structural components. ^B.1.1 
   • Identify the types of joints and joint structures. 
   • Identify the forces of motion that act upon joints. 
   • Identify planes and axes of joint motion. 
4. Identify the principles and characteristics of muscle. ^B.1.1 
   • Identify origin and insertion of selected muscles. 
   • Trace the muscles and/or tendons that act upon selected joints. 
   • Identify actions of selected muscles. 
   • Identify innervations for selected muscles. 
   • Define selected terms related to muscle leverage. 
   • Define muscle irritability, contractility, extensibility, and elasticity. 
   • Differentiate between concentric and eccentric muscle contractions. 
   • Explain the roles of muscle as an agonist, antagonist, stabilizer, or neutralizer. 
5. Demonstrate components of gait. ^B.1.1 
   • Explain the phases of gait. 
   • Differentiate possible causes of gait deviation including Trendelenberg gait and hemiplegic gait. 
6. Differentiate between normal posture and postural deviations. ^B.1.1 
   • Identify components of normal posture. 
   • Identify postural deviations and causes. 
7. Determine accurate range of motion measurements using goniometry. ^{B. 3.3} 
   • Identify the anatomical position, planes, and axes as points of reference. ^B.1.1 
   • Define ROM, AROM, PROM, and AAROM. 
   • Perform goniometric measurements at selected joints. 
   • Document goniometry findings. 
   • Discuss precautions and contraindications for goniometry testing.
   • Utilize computer software programs to enhance goniometric measurements. 
8. Perform manual muscle testing for selected muscles. ^B.1.1 
   • Discuss manual muscle testing grades. 
   • Identify the steps in manual muscle testing processes. 
   • Test selected muscles. 
   • Document test results. 
   • Discuss precautions and contraindications for manual muscle testing. 
   • Utilize computer software programs to enhance manual muscle testing.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.1.1, B.3.3

OTA 1413 Therapeutic Media

Description

This manipulation course provides knowledge and use of tools, equipment, and basic techniques of therapeutic media. Emphasis is given to analysis and instruction of activities frequently used as occupational therapy media in multiple community and clinical settings.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	2	2	0	60

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss the use of therapeutic media for various populations in selected settings. ^{B.3.20, B.3.2} 
   • Discuss the role of the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) as an activity director. 
   • Explore the role of the OTA in multiple community‐based settings.
   • Employ logical thinking, critical analysis, problem‐solving, and creativity. 
2. Identify components of activity analysis. ^B.2.7 
   • Identify the physical and environmental requirements to perform an activity. 
   • Identify precautions and contraindications in performing an activity. 
   • Determine acceptable criteria for completion of the activity. 
   • Identify adaptations and/or modifications of the activity or environment. 
   • Perform analysis of selected activities. 
   • Analyze performance areas, components, and contexts for selected activities. 
   • Demonstrate ability to grade and adapt the environment, tools, materials, occupations, and interventions. 
3. Explain purposeful activity as a means of therapeutic intervention. ^{B.2.2, B.2.3, B.2.4, B.2.5} 
   • Explain historical roots of purposeful activity including arts and crafts. 
   • Define the essential qualities of purposeful activity. 
   • Complete individualized arts and crafts project. 
   • Explain the therapeutic value of individualized arts and crafts projects.
   • Describe the meaning and dynamics of occupation and activity including the interaction of areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, activity demands, context(s), and client factors. 
4. Demonstrate ability to select and adapt appropriate activities for patients and clients in a variety of settings. ^{B.1.2, B.3.2, B.3.6, B.3.8, B.3.9} 
   • Analyze movement patterns essential for task accomplishment. 
   • Select an appropriate activity for the patient/client’s needs. 
   • Adapt an activity to a patient/client’s specific needs.
   • Recognize cultural and ethnic considerations when selecting and adapting an activity. 
   • Exhibit the ability to analyze tasks relative to areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, activity demands, context(s), and client factors. 
5. Demonstrate skill and safety in use of tools for performance of selected tasks. ^B.2.8 
   • List safety precautions related to equipment and hand tools. 
   • Demonstrate use of selected equipment and hand tools. 
   • Demonstrate care and maintenance of selected equipment and tools. 
   • Use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations. 
6. Promote occupational therapy by educating other professionals, service providers, consumers, and the public. ^B.4.2 
7. Demonstrate the ability to participate in the development and marketing of service delivery options. ^B.4.7

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.1.2, B.2.2, B.2.4, B.2.5, B.2.7, B.2.8, B.3.2, B.3.6, B.2.8, B.3.9, B.3.20, B.4.2, B.4.7

OTA 1423 Occupational Therapy Skills I

Description

This manipulative course provides fundamental knowledge of practice skills used with patients/clients across the life span and with various diagnoses. Observation and documentation techniques will be introduced.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	2	2	0	60

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss appropriate communication in health care relationships. ^{B.3.19, B.3.21, B.3.1} 
   • Explain appropriate communication in professional settings including consumers, family, and other professionals. 
   • Demonstrate the ability to educate the client, caregiver, family, and significant others to facilitate skills in areas of occupation as well as prevention, health maintenance, and safety.
   • Use the teaching–learning process with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public; collaborate with the occupational therapist and learner to identify appropriate educational methods. 
   • Provide therapeutic use of self, including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction. 
2. Explain the use of occupation therapy terminology as it relates to practice.^B.2.3 
   • Identify terminology described in the occupational therapy practice framework. 
   • Identify occupational therapy uniform terminology. 
3. Demonstrate selected practice skills, using sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process. ^{B.2.8, B.3.3, B.3.8, B.3.1, B.3.13} 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of body mechanics. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of basic positioning. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of transfers. 
   • Demonstrate use of ambulation aids including associated ambulation patterns. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of basic wheelchair features and mobility. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of measuring vital signs. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of infection control including standard precautions. 
   • Explore environmental modifications including wheelchair accessibility. 
   • Explore occupational therapy assessments related to relevant practice areas. 
   • Demonstrate appropriate treatment interventions for feeding.
   • Explain the application of sling use with selected diagnoses including precautions. 
4. Explain adaptations relating to activities of daily living. ^{B.3.8, B.3.15} 
   • Identify the need for assistive/adaptive equipment. 
   • Identify assistive/adaptive equipment appropriate for individual treatment.
   • Construct assistive/adaptive equipment. 
   • Present assistive/adaptive equipment. 
5. Articulate the importance of using statistics, tests, and measurements. ^B.3.3 
6. Articulate the importance of professional research and literature and the continued development of the profession. ^B.5.1 
7. Simulate articulation of the unique nature of occupation as viewed by the profession of occupational therapy and the value of occupation to support participation in context(s) for the client. ^B.2.4 
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for consumers.
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for potential employers. 
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for colleagues.
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for third‐party payers.
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for regulatory boards.
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for policymakers.
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for other audiences. 
   • Describe how the professional would adapt the presentation for the general public.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.3, B.2.4, B.2.8, B.3.1, B.3.3 B.3.8, B.3.13, B.3.15, B.3.19, B.3.21, B.5.1

OTA 1433 Occupational Therapy Skills II

Description

This manipulative course provides intermediate practice skills used with patients/clients across the lifespan and with various diagnoses.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	2	2	0	60

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Continue to use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process. ^B.2.8 
2. Review the use of occupation therapy terminology as it relates to practice. ^B.2.3 
   • Identify terminology described in the occupational therapy practice framework. 
   • Identify occupational therapy uniform terminology. 
3. Demonstrate selected practice skills. ^{B.3.13, B.3.14, B.3.15, B.3.16} 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of physical agent modalities. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of static orthotics. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of therapeutic exercise to address range of motion, strength, and/or endurance. 
   • Discuss precautions and adaptions for the implementation of therapeutic exercise. 
   • Demonstrate appropriate treatment interventions for dysphagia. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of balance training. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of advanced positioning techniques. 
4. Explain the need for and use of compensatory strategies when desired life tasks cannot be performed. ^{B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.9} 
5. Provide training in self-care, self-management, home management, and community and work integration. ^{B.3.11, B.3.12} 
6. Provide fabrication, application, fitting, and training in orthotic devices used to enhance occupational performance and training in the use of prosthetic devices. ^B.3.16 
7. Enable feeding and eating performance (including the process of bringing food or fluids from the plate or cup to the mouth, the ability to keep and manipulate food or fluid in the mouth, and to initiate swallowing) and train others in precautions and techniques while considering client and contextual factors. ^B.3.13 
8. Recognize the use of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities as a preparatory measure to improve occupational performance. Based on the intervention plan, demonstrate safe and effective administration of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities to achieve established goals while adhering to contradictions and precautions. ^B.3.14

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.3, B.2.8, B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.11, B.3.12, B.3.13, B.3.14, B.3.15, B.3.16

OTA 1513 Group Process

Description

This manipulative course introduces theory and research findings explaining group dynamics. The course teaches the student how to facilitate group effectiveness and the skills to apply that knowledge in practical situations. Methods and skills necessary to plan, write, lead, and evaluate an occupational therapy group will be taught. The course focuses on the importance of group activity intervention primarily with the psychiatric population.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	2	2	0	60

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss concepts of group process. ^{B.2.1, B.3.2, B.3.21, B.2.10} 
   • Define groups including parallel, project, egocentric, cooperative, and mature. 
   • Define group dynamics. 
   • Explain the importance of groups. 
   • Identify effective group skills. 
   • Discuss group process as applied to psychosocial settings. 
   • Identify the steps of a therapeutic group plan. 
   • Describe basic features of the theories that underlie the practice of occupational therapy.
   • Describe selected theories of group development.
   • Demonstrate oral and written communication skills. 
   • Employ logical thinking, critical analysis, problem‐solving, and creativity. 
   • Effectively interact through written, oral, and nonverbal communication with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner.
   • Identify strategies for analyzing issues and making decisions to resolve personal and organizational ethical conflicts. 
2. Identify components of effective group leadership. ^B.2.11 
   • Demonstrate the ability to set limits and provide appropriate structure. 
   • Describe different leadership approaches. 
   • Describe the general principles of therapy group leadership. 
3. Describe group norms and roles. 
   • Explain group roles. 
   • Explain group norms. 
   • Contrast individual roles with group roles. 
4. Differentiate between process and content as related to group functioning. ^B.2.1 
   • Define group process. 
   • Define group content. 
   • Discuss the impact of motivation on groups. 
5. Explore specific group activities for skilled intervention with persons with psychiatric conditions. ^{B.3.6, B.3.19, B.3.8, B.3.9} 
   • Identify problem behaviors common in psychiatric populations and their impact on groups. 
   • Describe attention‐getting behaviors of group members. 
   • Apply appropriate intervention for psychotic patient behavior. 
   • Identify the need for adaptation, modification, and gradation of group activities for individuals with psychiatric conditions.
6. Describe practice theories/frames of reference guiding group development. ^{B 2.1} 
   • Identify selected approaches for group development. 
   • Describe selected approaches for group development. 
   • Select appropriate approaches for individual needs of groups. 
   • Apply models of occupational performance and theories of occupation. 
7. Lead selected activity groups. ^{B.2.6, B.2.11, B.3.1} 
   • Develop a group treatment protocol. 
   • Identify precautions and contraindications for safety. 
   • Identify the impact of contexts on functional and cognitive performance. 
   • Apply therapeutic use of self in relation to responding to patients’ symptoms and behaviors. 
   • Demonstrate effective group leadership using an appropriate format for activity groups. 
8. Provide therapeutic use of self‐including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction. ^B.3.1

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B 2.1, B.2.6, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.6, B.3.9, B.3.19, B.3.21

OTA 1913 Fieldwork IA Psychosocial/Specialty

Description

This course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to observe and participate in clinical fieldwork. The student will also begin to develop professional work habits. Students are expected to function as participant observers in the assigned clinical setting.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	1	2	6	105

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a beginning ability to participate in a clinical setting as a participant observer. ^{B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.21, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.9} 
   • Demonstrate ability to use the holistic concept when observing, evaluating, and treating patients/clients in a variety of settings. 
   • Employ logical thinking, critical analysis, problem‐solving, and creativity. 
   • Integrate academic learning with clinical practice, and use appropriate oral and written communication skills. 
   • Demonstrate effective written and verbal reporting skills. 
   • Differentiate between personal and professional feelings associated with the client/therapist relationship and staff/institution relationship.
   • Identify various evaluation tools, as well as their administration, scoring, and interpretation. 
   • Demonstrate ability to formulate treatment goals and implement treatment plans. Assist with the development of occupation‐based intervention plans and strategies (including goals and methods to achieve them) based on the stated needs of the client as well as data gathered during the evaluation process in collaboration with the client and others. Select occupationally based goals and methods to achieve them in the scope of the occupational therapy practice framework. 
   • Identify community resources for discharge planning and follow‐up.
   • Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of the role of sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity factors and lifestyle choices in contemporary society (e.g., principles of psychology, sociology, and abnormal psychology).
   • Articulate the influence of social conditions and the ethical context in which humans choose and engage in occupations. 
   • Explain the role of occupation in the promotion of health and the prevention of disease and disability for the individual, family, and society. 
   • Use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process.
   • Express support for the quality of life, wellbeing, and occupation of the individual, group, or population to promote physical and mental health and prevention of injury and disease considering the context (e.g., cultural, physical, social, personal, spiritual, temporal, virtual). 
2. Demonstrate professional work behavior. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.2.12, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.21} 
   • Adhere to professional code of ethics and confidentiality. 
   • Adhere to policies and procedures of the clinical setting. 
   • Adhere to the dress code policy of the particular clinical setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective time management skills by structuring time while in clinical settings and completing assignments in a timely fashion. 
   • Effectively interact through written, oral, and nonverbal communication with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner. 
3. Demonstrate awareness of roles and interaction between health professionals and patients. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.1, B.3.10, B.3.21, B.3.22, B.4.9} 
   • Establish professional rapport with supervising clinical instructor. 
   • Describe appropriate patient/therapist interaction. 
   • Identify the various roles in which an occupational therapist does, or could, function in the setting to which the student is assigned. 
   • Articulate the role of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process along with the importance of and rationale for supervision and collaborative work between the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in that process.
   • Provide therapeutic use of self including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction. 
   • Describe the role of the occupational therapy assistant in care coordination, case management, and transition services in traditional and emerging practice environments. 
   • Describe the use of appropriate home and community programming to support performance in the client’s natural environment and participation in all contexts relevant to the client.
4. Demonstrate documentation and use of technology within the treatment setting. ^{B.3.18, B.4.1, B.4.2, B.4.3} 
   1. Use proper terminology and grammar in documentation.
   2. Identify specific documentation formats within the treatment setting to include electronic documentation system.
   3. Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services, adhering to applicable facility, local, state, federal, and reimbursement agencies. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services. 
5. Apply models of occupational performance and theories of occupation. ^{B.2.1, B.2.2}

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.2.12, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.10, B.3.21, B.3.22, B.4.1, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.6, B.4.9

OTA 2443 Occupational Therapy Skills III

Description

This manipulative course provides intermediate practice skills used with patients/clients across the lifespan with various diagnosis.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
3	2	2	0	60

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Continue to use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process. ^B.2.8 
2. Demonstrate selected practice skills. ^{B.3.8, B.3.11, B.3.15, B.3.16, B.3.18} 
   • Explain the principles and concepts of joint protection, energy conservation, and work simplification. 
   • Demonstrate principles and concepts of soft tissue and joint mobilization. 
   • Demonstrate techniques of edema reduction. 
   • Explain the role that technology plays within the occupational therapy profession. 
   • Explain principles and concepts of driving with a disability. 
   • Discuss basic principles and concepts of dynamic splinting. 
   • Explain basic principles and concepts of industrial therapy. 
3. Demonstrate selected assessments in occupational therapy. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5} 
   • Obtain necessary intake information before assessing the patient. 
   • Select relevant areas of assessment. 
   • Select appropriate assessment instrument based on intake information. 
   • Demonstrate ability to administer assessment procedures according to standardized or recommended techniques. 
   • Report results of assessment and reassessment. 
4. Explore alternative and emerging treatment approaches in the practice of occupational therapy. ^{B.3.6, B.4.2} 
   • Explain the concept of hippotherapy, aquatic therapy, and pet therapy. 
   • Discuss an emerging treatment approach of occupational therapy. 
5. Describe evaluation techniques for activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation, including evaluation of occupational performance listed below. ^{B.2.3, B.3.2, B.3.3} 
   • The occupational profile, including participation in activities that are meaningful and necessary for the client to carry out roles in home, work, and community environments. 
   • Client factors, including body functions (e.g., neuromuscular, sensory, visual, perceptual, cognitive, mental) and body structures (e.g., cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary systems). 
   • Performance patterns (e.g., habits, routines, roles) and behavior patterns.
   • Cultural, physical, social, personal, spiritual, temporal, and virtual contexts and activity demands that affect performance.
   • Performance skills, including motor (e.g., posture, mobility, coordination, strength, energy), process (e.g., energy, knowledge, temporal organization, organizing space and objects, adaptation), and communication and interaction skills (e.g., physicality, information exchange, relations). 
6. Provide development, remediation, and compensation for physical, cognitive, perceptual, sensory (e.g., vision, tactile, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, pain, temperature, pressure, vestibular and proprioception), neuromuscular, and behavioral skills. ^B.3.9 
7. Describe modification of environments (e.g., home, work, school, or community) and adapt processes, including the application of ergonomic principles. ^B.3.8 
8. Articulate principles of and demonstrate strategies with assistive technologies and devices (e.g., electronic aids to daily living, seating systems) used to enhance occupational performance. ^{B.3.8, B.3.15} 
9. Teach compensatory strategies, such as use of technology, adaptations to the environment, and involvement of humans and nonhumans in the completion of tasks. ^{B.3.15, B.3.18, B.3.19,B.3.8} 
10. Identify strategies for effective, competency‐based legal and ethical supervision of non– professional personnel. ^B.4.9 
11. Describe the ongoing professional responsibility for providing fieldwork education and the criteria for becoming a fieldwork educator. ^{B.2.10, B.2.9, B.2.11, B.3.21, B.4.9}

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.3, B.2.8, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.11, B.3.15, B.3.16, B.3.18, B.3.19, B.3.21, B.4.2, B.4.9

OTA 2714 Concepts in Occupational Therapy

Description

This manipulative course studies occupational therapy treatment techniques for a variety of diagnoses while incorporating theoretical concepts.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
4	3	2	0	75

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Explain selected therapeutic techniques for treatment. ^{B.2.1, B.2.2} 
   • Demonstrate selected techniques from ROOD approach. 
   • Demonstrate selected techniques from Neuro‐Developmental Treatment. 
   • Demonstrate selected techniques from Movement Therapy. 
   • Demonstrate selected techniques from Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. 
   • Demonstrate selected sensory integration techniques. 
   • Demonstrate selected tactile desensitization techniques.
   • Demonstrate selected treatment interventions for remediating perceptual and cognitive impairments. 
2. Explain specialized techniques for selected diagnoses. ^{B.1.3, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.3.16}
   • Discuss appropriate treatment interventions for orthopedic conditions.
   • Describe appropriate treatment interventions for amputations, including use of prosthetics. 
   • Describe appropriate treatment interventions for degenerative diseases. 
   • Describe appropriate treatment interventions for cardiopulmonary diseases (MI, CHF, COPD, etc.). 
   • Describe appropriate treatment interventions for burns.
   • Describe appropriate treatment interventions for spinal cord injuries. 
3. Explain factors that influence selection of treatment techniques and activities. B.2.1, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.3.2, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.17, B.4.8, B.5.1, B.5.3 
   1. Identify the influence of performance contexts on the selection of treatment techniques and activities. 
   2. Discuss adaptation, modification, and gradation of treatment techniques and activities. 
   3. Employ logical thinking, critical analysis, problem‐solving, and creativity. 
   4. Articulate the importance of using statistics, tests, and measurements. 
   5. Explain the role of occupation in the promotion of health and the prevention of disease and disability for the individual, family, and society. 
   6. Provide therapeutic use of occupation and activities (e.g., occupation‐based activity, practice skills, preparatory methods). 
   7. Grade and adapt the environment, tools, materials, occupations, and interventions to reflect the changing needs of the client and the sociocultural context. 
   8. Discuss discharge planning by reviewing the needs of the client, caregiver, family, and significant others; resources; and discharge environment, and identify those needs to the occupational therapist, client, and others involved in discharge planning. This includes, but is not limited to, identification of community, human, and fiscal resources; recommendations for environmental adaptations; and home programming. 
   9. Recommend to the occupational therapist the need for termination of occupational therapy services when stated outcomes have been achieved or it has been determined that they cannot be achieved. Assist with developing a summary of occupational therapy outcomes, recommendations, and referrals.
   10. Use professional literature to make evidence‐based practice decisions in collaboration with the occupational therapist that are supported by research.
4. Participate in the documentation of ongoing processes for quality improvement and implement program changes as needed to ensure quality of services. 
   1. Discuss an emerging treatment approach of occupational therapy. ^{B.4.2, B.4.7, B.4.8}

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.1.3, B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.5, B.2.6, B.3.2, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.16, B.3.17, B.4.2, B.4.7, B.4.8, B.5.1, B.5.3

OTA 2812 Healthcare Systems

Description

This intake course is designed to examine the context of service delivery for occupational therapy. Various models of health care, education, community, and social systems will be examined.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
2	2	0	0	30

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Describe current challenges in traditional and community health care and efforts to reform the current delivery system. ^{B.4.1, B.4.2} 
   • Discuss the function and structure of the health care delivery system. 
   • Describe the evolution of the health care delivery system in the United States. 
   • Discuss the changes in the health problems of the population regarding past, present, and future trends. 
   • Discuss problems of access to the health care delivery system.
2. Discuss the practice of occupational therapy in various practice settings, including medical, community, school, and early intervention settings. ^{B.2.5, B.4.2} 
   • Discuss the role of occupational therapy. 
   • Identify the various professionals involved. 
   • Define related terms and concepts. 
   • Analyze the potential for success in these environments. 
3. Analyze the various roles of the occupational therapy assistant as a practitioner, advocate, research assistant, and educator. ^{B.2.9, B.4.2}
   • Discuss the role of the OTA to assist the consumer in gaining access to occupational therapy services. 
   • Discuss the need for advocacy on behalf of the consumer and the profession.
4. Explain reimbursement mechanisms related to various practice settings. ^{B.4.3, B.4.4} 
   • Discuss factors involved in cost. 
   • Explain selected terms related to reimbursement cost. 
   • Discuss the importance of fiscal considerations for occupational therapy providers and consumers. 
   • Explain how financial issues affect quality of care. 
   • Identify professional responsibilities and issues when providing service on a contractual basis. 
5. Explain how federal and state regulatory and legislative bodies affect practice. ^{B.4.1, B.4.3} 
   • Identify the government and other agencies that influence healthcare policies and procedures. 
   • Identify guidelines established by government agencies as related to healthcare. 
   • Identify the systems and structures that create federal and state legislation and regulation and their implications and effects on practice.
   • Discuss the role and responsibility of the practitioner to address changes in service delivery policies to affect changes in the system. 
6. Analyze and discuss how history, theory, and the sociopolitical climate influence practice. ^{B.2.2, B.4.1} 
7. Demonstrate knowledge of global social issues and prevailing health and welfare needs. ^{B.2.2, B.3.6, B.4.1} 
8. Describe the contexts of health care, education, community, and social models or systems as they relate to the practice of occupational therapy. ^{B.21, B.3.19, B.4.1, B.4.6, B.4.7} 
9. Identify potential impacts of social, economic, political, geographic, or demographic factors on the practice of occupational therapy. ^{B.2.2, B.4.1} 
10. Identify the role and responsibility of the practitioner to address changes in service delivery policies, to affect changes in the system, and to recognize opportunities in emerging practice areas. ^{B.2.5, B.3.6, B.4.2, B.4.6} 
11. Review and give examples of how the role of a professional is enhanced by knowledge of and involvement in international, national, state, and local occupational therapy associations and related professional associations. ^B.4.5 
12. Identify the variety of informal and formal ethical dispute–resolution systems that have jurisdiction over occupational therapy practice. ^{B.2.10, B.4.5 B.4.8} 
13. Identify strategies for analyzing issues and making decisions to resolve personal and organizational ethical conflicts. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10} 
14. Identify strategies to assist the consumer in gaining access to occupational therapy services. ^B.4.2 
15. Identify the skills necessary to follow a research protocol including accurate and confidential collection of data and related documentation. ^{B.2.5, B.3.3, B.5.1, B.5.3} 
16. Demonstrate the ability to participate in the management of service delivery options. ^{B.4.7, B.4.8}

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.5, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.6, B.4.1, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.5, B.4.6, B.4.7, B.4.8

OTA 2935 Fieldwork IB Physical Dysfunctions/Pediatrics

Description

This application course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to apply his or her knowledge in clinical fieldwork. The student will also begin to develop professional work habits. Students are expected to function as participant observers in the clinical setting.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
5	1	0	12	195

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Participate in a clinical setting as a participant observer. ^{B.2.3, B.2.7, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.21, B.4.2, B.4.3} 
   • Use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process.
   • Demonstrate ability to use the holistic concept when observing, evaluating, and treating patients/clients in a variety of settings. 
   • Employ logical thinking, critical analysis, problem‐solving, and creativity. 
   • Integrate academic learning with clinical practice, and demonstrate oral and written communication skills. 
   • Demonstrate effective written and verbal reporting skills.
   • Differentiate between personal and professional feelings associated with the client/therapist relationship and staff/institution relationship. 
   • Identify various evaluation tools, along with their administration, scoring, and interpretation. 
   • Administer selected assessments using appropriate procedures and protocols (including standardized formats) and use occupation for the purpose of assessment.
   • Articulate the influence of social conditions and the ethical context in which humans choose and engage in occupations. 
   • Explain the role of occupation in the promotion of health and the prevention of disease and disability for the individual, family, and society. 
   • Demonstrate ability to formulate treatment goals and implement treatment plans. 
   • Explain the need for and use of compensatory strategies when desired life tasks cannot be performed. 
   • Assist with the development of occupation‐based intervention plans and strategies (including goals and methods to achieve them) based on the stated needs of the client as well as data gathered during the evaluation process in collaboration with the client and others. Intervention plans and strategies must be culturally relevant, reflective of current occupational therapy practice, and based on available evidence. 
   • Observe therapeutic use of occupation and activities (e.g., occupation‐based activity, practice skills, preparatory methods).
   • Identify community resources for discharge planning and follow‐up. 
2. Demonstrate professional work behavior. ^{B.1.2, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.21} 
   • Adhere to professional code of ethics and confidentiality.
   • Adhere to policies and procedures of the clinical setting. 
   • Adhere to the dress code policy of the particular clinical setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective time management skills by structuring time while in clinical settings and completing assignments in a timely fashion. 
   • Demonstrate a positive attitude toward customers and service delivery.
   • Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of the role of sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity factors and lifestyle choices in contemporary society. 
   • Effectively interact through written, oral, and nonverbal communication with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner. 
3. Demonstrate appropriate interaction towards consumers and professionals at the clinical settings. ^{B.2.4, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.2, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.21, B.3.22, B.4.9}
   • Establish professional rapport with supervising clinical instructor. 
   • Describe appropriate consumer/student interaction. 
   • Identify the various roles in which an occupational therapy assistant does, or could, function in the setting to which the student is assigned. 
   • Explain the need for supervisory roles, responsibilities, and collaborative professional relationships between the occupational therapist and the occupational therapy assistant. 
   • Articulate the role of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process along with the importance of and rationale for supervision and collaborative work between the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in that process. 
   • Describe skills of collaboration with occupational therapists on therapeutic interventions as appropriate. 
   • Express support for the quality of life, wellbeing, and occupation of the individual, group, or population to promote physical and mental health and prevention of injury and disease considering the context. 
4. Complete documentation appropriate to the clinical setting. ^{B.2.1, B.3.3, B.3.17, B.3.18, B.3.21, B.4.1, B.4.3, B.4.4} 
   • Describe components related to planning and guiding intervention in selected setting such as clinical problem‐solving. 
   • Identify formats of documentation. 
   • Practice documentation using the various formats. 
   • Gather and share data for the purpose of screening and evaluation including, but not limited to, specified screening tools; assessments; skilled observations; checklists; histories; consultations with other professionals; and interviews with the client, family, and significant others. 
   • Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services, adhering to applicable facility, local, state, federal, and reimbursement agencies. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services. 
   • Demonstrate knowledge of various reimbursement systems (e.g., federal, state, third party, private‐ payer) and documentation requirements that affect the practice of occupational therapy.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.1.2, B.2.1, B.2.3, B.2.4, B.2.7, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.4, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.17, B.3.18, B.3.21, B.3.22. B.4.1, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.4, B.4.9

OTA 2946 Fieldwork IIA

Description

This application course synthesizes previous didactic instruction and clinical experiences obtained in Fieldwork I. In Level IIA, the student may encounter a variety of populations in a traditional or non‐traditional based setting. The student will assume increasing responsibilities under supervision as appropriate for the setting. (6 sch: 18 hr. clinical)

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
6	0	0	18	270

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Manage support service. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.17, B.4.3, B.4.4, B.4.6} 
   • Adjust priorities according to the needs of the program, department, and others. 
   • Comply with the institution’s policies and procedures. 
   • Maintain work area, equipment, and supplies in a manner conducive to efficiency and safety. 
   • Demonstrate a knowledge of the implications of treatment costs and financial support on occupational therapy services. 
   • Gather and share data for the purpose of screening and evaluation including, but not limited to, specified screening tools; assessments; skilled observations; checklists; histories; consultations with other professionals; and interviews with the client, family, and significant others. 
   • Administer selected assessments using appropriate procedures and protocols (including standardized formats) and use occupation for the purpose of assessment.
   • Demonstrate skills of collaboration with occupational therapists on therapeutic interventions. 
   • Understand when and how to use the consultative process where appropriate with specific consumers or consumer groups as directed by an occupational therapist.
   • Recognize and communicate the need to refer to specialists (both internal and external to the profession) for consultation and intervention. 
2. Enhance professional practice. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.4.9} 
   • Participate responsibly in the supervisory relationship.
   • Adjust to change and modify own behavior according to the demands of the situation. 
   • Assume responsibility for professional behavior and growth. 
   • Demonstrate a knowledge of professional standards and the code of ethics. 
3. Demonstrate professional work behavior. ^{B.2.5, B.2.8, B.2.10, B.3.21}
   • Adhere to professional code of ethics and confidentiality. 
   • Adhere to policies and procedures of the clinical setting. 
   • Adhere to the dress code policy of the particular clinical setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective time management skills by structuring time while in clinical settings and completing assignments in a timely fashion. 
   • Demonstrate a positive attitude toward customers and service delivery. 
   • Use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process. 
   • Express support for the quality of life, wellbeing, and occupation of the individual, group, or population to promote physical and mental health and prevention of injury and disease considering the context.
   • Effectively interact through written, oral, and nonverbal communication with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner. 
4. Collect data regarding patient’s occupational performance in accordance with the occupational therapy practice framework. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.17, B.4.3, B.4.9} 
   • Articulate the role of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process along with the importance of and rationale for supervision and collaborative work between the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in that process.
   • Identify when to recommend to the occupational therapist the need for referring clients for additional evaluation.
   • Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services, adhering to applicable facility, local, state, federal, and reimbursement agencies. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services. 
   • Gather necessary information before assessing the patient. 
   • Select relevant areas to assess. 
   • Select the correct methods to assess the relevant areas.
   • Obtain complete information from staff, family members, patient, and records. 
   • Administer the assessment procedures according to standardized or recommended techniques. 
   • Adapt assessment method when usual procedures are not practical. 
   • Interpret assessment data correctly. 
   • Report the results of assessment and reassessment(s) accurately and completely. 
   • Reassess the patient’s programs and progress at regular intervals. 
5. Develop a treatment plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.22, B.4.3} 
   • Assist with the development of occupation‐based intervention plans and strategies (including goals and methods to achieve them) based on the stated needs of the client as well as data gathered during the evaluation process in collaboration with the client and others. Intervention plans and strategies must be culturally relevant, reflective of current occupational therapy practice, and based on available evidence. 
   • Establish relevant and attainable short‐term goals that reflect the assessment data. 
   • Report the treatment plan orally and in writing. 
   • Report treatment orally and in writing. 
   • Establish long‐term goals. 
   • Collaborate with the patient in establishing goals. 
   • Collaborate with other practitioners to establish overall goals for patients.
   • Establish treatment priorities with patient, family, and significant others. 
   • Respond to changes in the patient’s physical and emotional status during administration of the assessment procedure. 
6. Implement a treatment plan with appropriate supervision. ^{B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.3, B.2.7, B.2.10, B.3.1, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.9, B.3.14, B.3.16, B.3.19, B.3.21, B.4.6} 
   • Participate in discussions at case conferences, rounds, in‐services, and staff and other pertinent meetings.
   • Review progress with patient, family, and significant others at regular intervals.
   • Instruct family, significant others, and staff in activities which support the treatment programs. 
   • Demonstrate the ability to educate the client, caregiver, family, and significant others to facilitate skills in areas of occupation as well as prevention, health maintenance, and safety. 
   • Use the teaching–learning process with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public. Collaborate with the occupational therapist and learner to identify appropriate educational methods. 
   • Prepare the patient for initial and ongoing treatment.
   • Present assessment purposes/procedures to patient/family/significant others in a manner consistent with their level of understanding. 
   • Intervene at signs of patient fatigue or frustration. 
   • Set limits in response to undesirable physical and social behavior. 
   • Select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. 
   • Provide fabrication, application, fitting, and training in orthotic devices used to enhance occupational performance and training in the use of prosthetic devices.
   • Recognize the use of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities as a preparatory measure to improve occupational performance. Based on the intervention plan, demonstrate safe and effective administration of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities to achieve established goals while adhering to contraindications and precautions. 
   • Plan treatment based upon an accurate analysis of activities. 
   • Adapt treatment activities to reach desired goals. 
   • Explain the steps of the activity at the patient’s level of understanding. 
   • Maintain a therapeutic relationship with the patient. 
   • Implement established treatment plan. 
   • Provide therapeutic use of occupation and activities (e.g., occupation‐based activity, practice skills, preparatory methods). 
   • Provide training in self‐care, self‐management, home management, and community and work integration. 
   • Provide development, remediation, and compensation for physical, cognitive, perceptual, sensory (e.g., vision, tactile, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, pain, temperature, pressure, vestibular and proprioception), neuromuscular, and behavioral skills. 
   • Provide therapeutic use of self-including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction.
   • Adhere to treatment precautions and contraindications. 
   • Use praise or other reinforcers to elicit desired behavior. 
   • Utilize wellness activities in treatment. 
   • Select treatment activities that demonstrate an understanding of occupational therapy theory. 
   • Use purposeful activities to maximize patient performance. 
   • Use a variety of possible strategies for achieving treatment goals. 
   • Manage time effectively. 
7. Evaluate treatment plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.21, B.4.8} 
   • Determine the logical sequence of treatment activities to attain the established goals. 
   • Modify goals as patient’s condition or response to treatment changes. 
   • Modify own behavior according to the demands of the situation. 
   • Monitor and reassess, in collaboration with the client, caregiver, family, and significant others, the effect of occupational therapy intervention and the need for continued or modified intervention, and communicate the identified needs to the occupational therapist. 
8. Develop discharge plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.11, B.3.12, B.3.13, B.3.15, B.3.18, B.4.3} 
   • Develop discharge and follow‐up programs in accordance with patient’s discharge environment. 
   • Recommend to the occupational therapist the need for termination of occupational therapy services when stated outcomes have been achieved or it has been determined that they cannot be achieved. Assist with developing a summary of occupational therapy outcomes, recommendations, and referrals. 
   • Collaborate with patient, family, significant others, and staff to formulate discharge and follow‐up plans. 
   • Modify environments (e.g., home, work, school, or community) and adapt processes, including the application of ergonomic principles when appropriate. 
   • Provide training in techniques to enhance mobility, including physical transfers, wheelchair management, and community mobility, and participate in addressing issues related to driving.
   • Enable feeding and eating performance (including the process of bringing food or fluids from the plate or cup to the mouth, the ability to keep and manipulate food or fluid in the mouth, and to initiate swallowing) and train others in precautions and techniques while considering client and contextual factors.
   • Promote the use of appropriate home and community programming to support performance in the client’s natural environment and participation in all contexts relevant to the client. 
   • Grade and adapt the environment, tools, materials, occupations, and interventions to reflect the changing needs of the client and the sociocultural context. 
   • Teach compensatory strategies, such as use of technology, adaptations to the environment, and involvement of humans and nonhumans in the completion of tasks. 
   • Facilitate discharge planning by reviewing the needs of the client, caregiver, family, and significant others; resources; and discharge environment, and identify those needs to the occupational therapist, client, and others involved in discharge planning. This includes, but is not limited to, identification of community, human, and fiscal resources; recommendations for environmental adaptations; and home programming. 
   • Under the direction of an administrator, manager, or occupational therapist, collect, organize, and report on data for evaluation of practice outcomes.
   • Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services and must be appropriate to the context in which the service is delivered.
9. Participate as a team member in the setting. ^{B.2.12, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.20, B.4.3} 
   • Utilize the holistic concept when observing and serving consumers in assigned setting.
   • Utilize professional analysis and problem‐solving to adapt academic learning to assigned setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective written and verbal reporting skills. 
   • Explore occupational therapy evaluation tools, their administration, scoring, and interpretation as appropriate to the setting. 
   • Demonstrate ability to formulate goals and implement a plan of action. 
   • Identify community resources relative to the needs of the setting. 
   • Complete a project to benefit the population served by the setting. 
   • Document consumer education. 
10. Demonstrate appropriate interaction toward consumers and professionals at the assigned setting. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.3.21,B.3.22, B.4.2} 
    • Establish professional rapport with supervisors. 
    • Describe appropriate consumer/student interaction. 
    • Identify the various roles in which an occupational therapy assistant does, or could, function in the setting to which the student is assigned
    • Present identified roles of occupational therapy to staff at assigned setting.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.3, B.2.5, B.2.8, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.12, B.3.5, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.11, B.3.12, B.3.13, B.3.15, B.3.18, B.3.17, B.3.20, B.3.21, B.3.22, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.6, B.4.9

OTA 2956 Fieldwork IIB

Description

This application course synthesizes previous didactic instruction and experiences obtained in Fieldwork IIA. In Fieldwork IIB, the student may also encounter a variety of populations in a traditional or non‐traditional setting. The student will be placed in a setting different from Fieldwork IIA. Student will assume increasing responsibilities under supervision as appropriate for the setting.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
6	0	0	18	270

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Manage support service. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.17, B.4.3, B.4.4, B.4.6} 
   • Adjust priorities according to the needs of the program, department, and others. 
   • Comply with the institution’s policies and procedures. 
   • Maintain work area, equipment, and supplies in a manner conducive to efficiency and safety. 
   • Demonstrate a knowledge of the implications of treatment costs and financial support on occupational therapy services. 
   • Gather and share data for the purpose of screening and evaluation including, but not limited to, specified screening tools; assessments; skilled observations; checklists; histories; consultations with other professionals; and interviews with the client, family, and significant others. 
   • Administer selected assessments using appropriate procedures and protocols (including standardized formats) and use occupation for the purpose of assessment. 
   • Demonstrate skills of collaboration with occupational therapists on therapeutic interventions. 
   • Understand when and how to use the consultative process where appropriate with specific consumers or consumer groups as directed by an occupational therapist.
   • Recognize and communicate the need to refer to specialists (both internal and external to the profession) for consultation and intervention.
2. Enhance professional practice. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.4.9} 
   • Participate responsibly in the supervisory relationship. 
   • Adjust to change and modify own behavior according to the demands of the situation. 
   • Assume responsibility for professional behavior and growth. 
   • Demonstrate a knowledge of professional standards and the code of ethics. 
3. Demonstrate professional work behavior. ^{B.2.5, B.2.8, B.2.10, B.3.21} 
   • Adhere to professional code of ethics and confidentiality.
   • Adhere to policies and procedures of the clinical setting. 
   • Adhere to the dress code policy of the particular clinical setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective time management skills by structuring time while in clinical settings and completing assignments in a timely fashion. 
   • Demonstrate a positive attitude toward customers and service delivery. 
   • Use sound judgment in regard to safety of self and others, and adhere to safety regulations throughout the occupational therapy process. 
   • Express support for the quality of life, wellbeing, and occupation of the individual, group, or population to promote physical and mental health and prevention of injury and disease considering the context. 
   • Effectively interact through written, oral, and nonverbal communication with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner. 
4. Collect data regarding patient’s occupational performance in accordance with the occupational therapy practice framework. ^{B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.17, B.4.3, B.4.9} 
   • Articulate the role of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process along with the importance of and rationale for supervision and collaborative work between the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in that process. 
   • Identify when to recommend to the occupational therapist the need for referring clients for additional evaluation. 
   • Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services, adhering to applicable facility, local, state, federal, and reimbursement agencies. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services. 
   • Gather necessary information before assessing the patient. 
   • Select relevant areas to assess. 
   • Select the correct methods to assess the relevant areas. 
   • Obtain complete information from staff, family members, patient, and records.
   • Administer the assessment procedures according to standardized or recommended techniques. 
   • Adapt assessment method when usual procedures are not practical. 
   • Interpret assessment data correctly. 
   • Report the results of assessment and reassessment(s) accurately and completely.
   • Reassess the patient’s programs and progress at regular intervals. 
5. Develop a treatment plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.22, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.4.3} 
   • Assist with the development of occupation‐based intervention plans and strategies (including goals and methods to achieve them) based on the stated needs of the client as well as data gathered during the evaluation process in collaboration with the client and others. Intervention plans and strategies must be culturally relevant, reflective of current occupational therapy practice, and based on available evidence. 
   • Establish relevant and attainable short‐term goals that reflect the assessment data. 
   • Report the treatment plan orally and in writing. 
   • Report treatment orally and in writing. 
   • Establish long‐term goals. 
   • Collaborate with the patient in establishing goals. 
   • Collaborate with other practitioners to establish overall goals for patients.
   • Establish treatment priorities with patient, family, and significant others. 
   • Respond to changes in the patient’s physical and emotional status during administration of the assessment procedure. 
6. Implement a treatment plan with appropriate supervision. ^{B.2.1, B..2.2, B..2.3, B.2.7, B.2.10, B.3.1, B. 3..6 , B.3.7 , B.3.8, B.3.16, B.3.19 , B.3.21, B.4.6} 
   • Participate in discussions at case conferences, rounds, in‐services, and staff and other pertinent meetings. 
   • Review progress with patient, family, and significant others at regular intervals. 
   • Instruct family, significant others, and staff in activities which support the treatment programs. 
   • Demonstrate the ability to educate the client, caregiver, family, and significant others to facilitate skills in areas of occupation as well as prevention, health maintenance, and safety. 
   • Use the teaching–learning process with the client, family, significant others, colleagues, other health providers, and the public. Collaborate with the occupational therapist and learner to identify appropriate educational methods.
   • Prepare the patient for initial and ongoing treatment. 
   • Present assessment purposes/procedures to patient/family/significant others in a manner consistent with their level of understanding.
   • Intervene at signs of patient fatigue or frustration. 
   • Set limits in response to undesirable physical and social behavior. 
   • Select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. 
   • Provide fabrication, application, fitting, and training in orthotic devices used to enhance occupational performance and training in the use of prosthetic devices. 
   • Recognize the use of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities as a preparatory measure to improve occupational performance. Based on the intervention plan, demonstrate safe and effective administration of superficial thermal and mechanical modalities to achieve established goals while adhering to contraindications and precautions. 
   • Plan treatment based upon an accurate analysis of activities.
   • Adapt treatment activities to reach desired goals. 
   • Explain the steps of the activity at the patient’s level of understanding.
   • Maintain a therapeutic relationship with the patient. 
   • Implement established treatment plan. 
   • Provide therapeutic use of occupation and activities (e.g., occupation‐based activity, practice skills, preparatory methods). 
   • Provide training in self‐care, self‐management, home management, and community and work integration. 
   • Provide development, remediation, and compensation for physical, cognitive, perceptual, sensory (e.g., vision, tactile, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, pain, temperature, pressure, vestibular and proprioception), neuromuscular, and behavioral skills. 
   • Provide therapeutic use of self-including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction. 
   • Adhere to treatment precautions and contraindications. 
   • Use praise or other reinforcers to elicit desired behavior.
   • Utilize wellness activities in treatment. 
   • Select treatment activities that demonstrate an understanding of occupational therapy theory.
   • Use purposeful activities to maximize patient performance. 
   • Use a variety of possible strategies for achieving treatment goals. 
   • Manage time effectively.
7. Evaluate treatment plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.6,B.3.7,B.3.8, B.3.9, B.4.9} 
   • Determine the logical sequence of treatment activities to attain the established goals. 
   • Modify goals as patient’s condition or response to treatment changes. 
   • Modify own behavior according to the demands of the situation. 
   • Monitor and reassess, in collaboration with the client, caregiver, family, and significant others, the effect of occupational therapy intervention and the need for continued or modified intervention, and communicate the identified needs to the occupational therapist. 
8. Develop discharge plan under appropriate supervision. ^{B.3.10, B.3.11, B.3.12, B.3.13, B.3.15, B.3.18, B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.8,B.3.9, B.4.3} 
   • Develop discharge and follow‐up programs in accordance with patient’s discharge environment. 
   • Recommend to the occupational therapist the need for termination of occupational therapy services when stated outcomes have been achieved or it has been determined that they cannot be achieved. Assist with developing a summary of occupational therapy outcomes, recommendations, and referrals. 
   • Collaborate with patient, family, significant others, and staff to formulate discharge and follow‐up plans. 
   • Modify environments (e.g., home, work, school, or community) and adapt processes, including the application of ergonomic principles. Provide training in techniques to enhance mobility, including physical transfers, wheelchair management, and community mobility, and participate in addressing issues related to driving. 
   • Enable feeding and eating performance (including the process of bringing food or fluids from the plate or cup to the mouth, the ability to keep and manipulate food or fluid in the mouth, and to initiate swallowing) and train others in precautions and techniques while considering client and contextual factors. 
   • Promote the use of appropriate home and community programming to support performance in the client’s natural environment and participation in all contexts relevant to the client.
   • Grade and adapt the environment, tools, materials, occupations, and interventions to reflect the changing needs of the client and the sociocultural context. Teach compensatory strategies, such as use of technology, adaptations to the environment, and involvement of humans and nonhumans in the completion of tasks. 
   • Facilitate discharge planning by reviewing the needs of the client, caregiver, family, and significant others; resources; and discharge environment, and identify those needs to the occupational therapist, client, and others involved in discharge planning. This includes, but is not limited to, identification of community, human, and fiscal resources; recommendations for environmental adaptations; and home programming. 
   • Under the direction of an administrator, manager, or occupational therapist, collect, organize, and report on data for evaluation of practice outcomes.
   • Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services and must be appropriate to the context in which the service is delivered. 
9. Participate as a team member in the setting. ^{B.2.12, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.20,B.3.22, B.4.3}
   • Utilize the holistic concept when observing and serving consumers in assigned setting. 
   • Utilize professional analysis and problem‐solving to adapt academic learning to assigned setting. 
   • Demonstrate effective written and verbal reporting skills. 
   • Explore occupational therapy evaluation tools, their administration, scoring, and interpretation as appropriate to the setting. 
   • Demonstrate ability to formulate goals and implement a plan of action. 
   • Identify community resources relative to the needs of the setting. 
   • Complete a project to benefit the population served by the setting.
   • Document consumer education. 
10. Demonstrate appropriate interaction toward consumers and professionals at the assigned setting. ^{B.2.9, B.2.10, B.3.21,B.3.22, B.4.2} 
    • Establish professional rapport with supervisors. 
    • Describe appropriate consumer/student interaction. 
    • Identify the various roles in which an occupational therapy assistant does, or could, function in the setting to which the student is assigned. 
    • Present identified roles of occupational therapy to staff at assigned setting.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.1, B.2.2, B.2.3, B.2.5, B.2.7, B.2.8, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.12, B.3.1, B.3.2, B.3.3, B.3.5, B.3.6, B.3.7, B.3.8, B.3.9, B.3.10, B.3.11, B.3.12, B.3.13, B.3.15, B.3.16, B.3.17, B.3.18, B.3.19, B.3.20, B.3.21, B.3.22, B.4.2, B.4.3, B.4.6, B.4.9

OTA 2961 Occupational Therapy Transitions

Description

This course provides information and guidance to the student for his or her transitional process of becoming an Occupational Therapy Practitioner. This course will encompass a variety of professional skills and concepts. In addition, vital life skills will be discussed.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
1	1	0	0	15

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss professional development concepts. ^{B.2.9, B.2.11, B.4.8, B.4.9} 
   • Identify factors promoting a smooth transition from the role of student to graduate and employee. 
   • Identify and explain the need for supervisory roles, responsibilities, and collaborative professional relationships between the occupational therapist and the occupational therapy assistant and non-occupational therapy personnel. 
   • Discuss the importance of lifelong learning as it relates to professional development. 
   • Explain and give examples of how the role of a professional is enhanced by knowledge of and involvement in international, national, state, and local occupational therapy associations and related professional associations. 
   • Discuss strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure that practice is consistent with current and accepted standards. 
   • Discuss management techniques such as continuous quality improvement. 
2. Explain legal aspects of occupational therapy. ^{B.2.10, B.4.5}
   • Describe the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, how it relates to the OTA, and how it protects the public. 
   • Discuss the process for licensure in Occupational Therapy. Demonstrate knowledge of applicable national requirements for credentialing and requirements for licensure, certification, or registration under state laws. 
   • Participate in initial preparation for certification by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy.
   • Identify professional responsibilities related to liability issues under current models of service provision. 
3. Utilize employability skills. ^B.2.9
   • Discuss responsibilities and characteristics related to professional success.
   • Prepare an initial draft resume. 
   • Discuss the process of securing an Occupational Therapy position.
   • Utilize the computer and Internet for job search and resume development.
4. Discuss advocacy for occupational therapy in traditional and non‐traditional settings. ^{B.2.4, B.4.2, B.4.7}
   • Demonstrate the ability to articulate the unique nature of occupational therapy to the consumer, potential employers, and the general public. 
   • Discuss the role and responsibility of the practitioner to address changes in service delivery policies and to affect changes in the system.
   • Demonstrate professional advocacy by participating in organizations or agencies promoting the profession (e.g., American Occupational Therapy Association, state occupational therapy 
   • associations, advocacy organizations, and student occupational therapy associations). 
5. Explore post‐college life skills. ^B.2.9

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.4, B.2.9, B.2.10, B.2.11, B.4.2, B.4.5, B.4.7, B.4.8, B.4.9

(1-6) Supervised Work Experience in Occupational Therapy Assistant

Description

A course that is a cooperative program between industry and education designed to integrate the student’s technical studies with industrial experience. Variable credit is awarded on the basis of one semester hour per 45 industrial contact hours.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Contact Hours
1	-	3	135
2	-	6	270
3	-	9	405
4	-	12	540
5	-	15	675
6	-	18	810

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

For every task completed in this course the following safety requirement must be strictly enforced: Comply with personal and environmental safety practices associated with clothing; eye protection; hand tools; power equipment; proper ventilation; and the handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals/materials in accordance with local, state, and federal safety and environmental regulations. 

1. Follow a set of instructor‐written guidelines for the supervised work experience program. 
2. Apply skills needed to be a viable member of the workforce. 
   • Prepare a description of skills to be developed in the supervised work experience program. 
   • Practice skills needed to be a viable member of the workforce. 
3. Practice human relationship skills in the supervised work experience program. 
4. Practice positive work habits, responsibilities, and ethics. 
5. Develop written occupational objectives in the supervised work experience program. 
6. Assess performance of occupational skills. 
   • Prepare daily written assessments of work performance as specified in the occupational objectives. 
   • Present weekly written reports to the instructor of activities performed and objectives accomplished.

OTA 2971 Therapy Transitions II

Description

This course provides final preparation to the student for the transitional process of becoming an Occupational Therapy Practitioner.

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Clinical	Contact Hours
1	1	0	0	15

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Complete documentation for state licensure in Occupational Therapy ^(B.4.5) 
   • Complete application. 
   • Complete academic verification form. 
2. Participate in final preparations for certification by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). ^{(B.2.9, B.4.5)} 
   • Describe process for application for NBCOT certification exam. 
   • Analyze sample certification exam questions in official format. 
   • Complete mock certification exam. 
3. Examine employability skills. ^{(B.2.9, B.2.10)} 
   • Compare ethics and standards related to Occupational Therapy Practice from fieldwork experiences. 
   • Prepare a final resume. 
   • Identify options for liability insurance. 
   • Analyze techniques for employment negotiation, including compensation and benefits.

Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant 

B.2.9, B.2.10, B.4.5

WBL Courses WBL 191 (1-3), WBL 192 (1-3), WBL (1-3), WBL 291 (1-3), WBL (1-3), and WBL 293 (1-3). Work-Based Learning I, II, III, IV, V, and VI

Description

A structured workplace learning experience in which the student, program area teacher, work-based learning coordinator, and workplace supervisor/mentor develop and implement an educational training agreement. Designed to integrate the student’s academic and technical skills into a work environment. May include regular meetings and seminars with school personnel and employers for supplemental instruction and progress reviews. (1–3 sch: 3–9 hr externship).

Hour Breakdown

Semester Credit Hours	Lecture	Lab	Contact Hours
4	2	4	90

Prerequisite

Instructor Approved

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Apply technical skills and related academic knowledge needed to be a viable member of the workforce. 
   • Apply technical skills needed to be a viable member of the workforce 
   • Apply skills developed in other related courses in a work‐based setting. 
   • Perform tasks detailed in an educational training agreement at the work setting. 
2. Apply general workplace skills to include positive work habits and responsibilities necessary for successful employment.
   • Demonstrate pro‐active human relationship skills in the work setting to include conflict resolution, team participation, leadership, negotiation, and customer/client service. 
   • Demonstrate time, materials, and resource management skills. 
   • Demonstrate critical thinking skills such as problem solving, decision making, and reasoning. 
   • Demonstrate acquiring, evaluating, organizing, maintaining, interpreting, and communicating information. 
   • Demonstrate positive work habits and acceptance of responsibilities necessary for successful employment.

Articulation

Check with the local community college CTE administration for articulation agreements.

Industry Job Projection Data

A summary of occupational data is available from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security website.

Adoption of National Certification Standards

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association that represents the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students of occupational therapy. AOTA represents 213,000 occupational therapy practitioners and students in the United States.

AOTA’s activities consist of assuring the quality of occupational therapy services, improving consumer access to health care services, and promoting professional development for its members. AOTA educates the public and advances the profession by providing resources, setting standards, and serving as an advocate to improve health care.

Permission was granted by the American Occupational Therapy Association to include the competencies and objectives in this curriculum. More information related to these standards can be found at the following websites:

AOTA Website 

AOTA Accreditation Standards Review

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT®)

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT®) is a national not‐for‐profit organization that provides certification for occupational therapy professionals. NBCOT is committed to serving the public interest by advancing client care and professional practice through evidence‐based certification standards and the validation of knowledge essential for occupational therapy. NBCOT develops, administers, and continually reviews its certification process based on current and valid standards that provide reliable indicators of competence of occupational therapy practice. NBCOT's certification programs have received and maintained accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Permission was granted by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. to include the competencies and objectives in this curriculum. More information related to these standards can be found at the following websites:

NBCOT Website 

NBCOT Practice Standards

Industry Credentials, Certifications, and Professional Licensure

See the "Industry Credentials, Certifications, and Professional Licensure"

Dual Enrollment

See the “Procedures Manual for Dual Enrollment and Accelerated Programs”

Appendix A: Recommended Tools and Equipment

Capitalized Items

1. Wheelchair, standard with removable arm/leg rests (1 per program) 
2. Work benches (5 per program) 
3. Mat, table top (3 per program) 
4. Hi/Low Mat Table 
5. Assessment kits (6 per program) 
6. Human body model (1 per program) 
7. Skeleton, human muscular (2 per program) 
8. Splint cart (1 per program) 
9. Computer with CD‐ROM (1 per 4 student) 
10. Printer 
11. Flammable liquid storage cabinet (1 per program) 
12. Television (2 per program) 
13. Ultrasound unit (1 per program) 
14. Biofeedback unit (2 per program) 
15. Adaptive equipment set (1 per program) 
16. Industrial workstation set (1 per program) 
17. Positioning device set (1 per program) 
18. Prefabricated split set (1 per program) 
19. Handheld e‐stim units (6 per program) 
20. Vectra Genisys 4Ch Combo (or similar device) 

Other equipment items can be added when deemed appropriate by the community college industry craft committee or by Industry/business training requirements.

Non-Capitalized Items

1. Paraffin wax bath unit (1 per program)
2. Cuff weights, ½ pound to 10 pounds (2 of each weight) 
3. Mirror, portable (1 per program) 
4. Dynamometer (3 per program) 
5. Goniometer (4 per program) 
6. Pinch gauge (3 per program) 
7. Hydrocollater, mobile heating unit (1 per program) 
8. Forma‐Splint heating pan (3 per program) 
9. Theraputty (6 per program) 
10. Theratubing (2 each of all 4 grades) 
11. Fixed hand grips (3 per program) 
12. Sphygmomanometer (5 per program) 
13. Stethoscope (5 per program) 
14. Bulb dynamometer (1 per program) 
15. Sewing machine (1 per program) 
16. Therapeutic balls (2 per program) 
17. Facilitation vibrators (1 per program) 
18. Exercise skate (1 per program) 
19. Arm slings (1 set program) 
20. Hand sensory testing kit (including hot/cold thermometers, 2 point discriminator, stereognosis) (1 per program) 
21. Hand volumeter (1 per program)
22. Craft items (including woodworking, leather, basketry, copper tooling, macramé, mosaic tile, ceramics, minor crafts) (8 per program)
23. Walkers (4 per program) 
24. Tub seats (2 per program) 
25. Canes (2 per program) 
26. Crutches (1 set program) 
27. Elevated toilet seat (1 per program)
28. Toilet (1 per program) 
29. Bath tub (1 per program) 
30. Sink (1 per program) 
31. Alarm timers (4 per program) 
32. File cabinet, 4 drawer (4 per program) 
33. Splinting scissors (4 per program) 
34. Heat gun (1 per program)
35. Gait belts (4 per program) 
36. Heat packs (1 set per program) 
37. Cold packs (1 set per program) 
38. E‐STIM unit (2 per program) 
39. TENS unit (2 per program) 
40. Restorator (1 per program)
41. Compression device kit (1 per program) 
42. Gross motor activities (10 per program) 
43. Cognitive activities (10 per program) 
44. Perceptual activities (10 per program)
45. Fine motor activities (10 per program) 

Other equipment items can be added when deemed appropriate by the community college industry craft committee or by Industry/business training requirements.

Recommended Instructional Aids

It is recommended that instructors have access to the following items: 

1. ENG/EFP/Studio color camera with tripod (1 per program) 
2. Video display device (1 per program) 

Other equipment items can be added when deemed appropriate by the community college industry craft committee or by Industry/business training requirements.

Appendix B: Curriculum Definitions and Terms

Terms & Definitions

• Course Name – A common name that will be used by all community colleges in reporting students 
• Course Abbreviation – A common abbreviation that will be used by all community and junior colleges in reporting students 
• Classification – Courses may be classified as the following: 
  • Career Certificate Required Course – A required course for all students completing a career certificate. 
  • Technical Certificate Required Course – A required course for all students completing a technical certificate. 
  • Technical Elective – Elective courses that are available for colleges to offer to students
• Description – A short narrative that includes the major purpose(s) of the course 
• Prerequisites – A listing of any courses that must be taken prior to or on enrollment in the course 
• Corequisites – A listing of courses that may be taken while enrolled in the course 
• Student Learning Outcomes – A listing of the student outcomes (major concepts and performances) that will enable students to demonstrate mastery of these competencies 

The following guidelines were used in developing the program(s) in this document and should be considered in compiling and revising course syllabi and daily lesson plans at the local level: 

• The content of the courses in this document reflects approximately 75% of the time allocated to each course. The remaining 25% of each course should be developed at the local district level and may reflect the following: 
  • Additional competencies and objectives within the course related to topics not found in the state framework, including activities related to specific needs of industries in the community college district
  • Activities that develop a higher level of mastery on the existing competencies and suggested objectives
  • Activities and instruction related to new technologies and concepts that were not prevalent at the time the current framework was developed or revised 
  • Activities that include integration of academic and career–technical skills and course work, school‐to‐work transition activities, and articulation of secondary and postsecondary career– technical programs 
  • Individualized learning activities, including work‐site learning activities, to better prepare individuals in the courses for their chosen occupational areas 
• Sequencing of the course within a program is left to the discretion of the local college. Naturally, foundation courses related to topics such as safety, tool and equipment usage, and other fundamental skills should be taught first. Other courses related to specific skill areas and related academics, however, may be sequenced to take advantage of seasonal and climatic conditions, resources located outside of the school, and other factors. Program must include a minimum of 15 semester hours of General Education Core Courses. The courses in the General Education Core may be spaced out over the entire length of the program so that students complete some academic and Career Technical courses each semester. Each community college specifies the actual courses that are required to meet the General Education Core Requirements for the Associate of Applied Science Degree at their college. 
• In order to provide flexibility within the districts, individual courses within a framework may be customized by doing the following: 
  • Adding new student learning outcomes to complement the existing competencies and suggested objectives in the program framework 
  • Revising or extending the student learning outcomes 
  • Adjusting the semester credit hours of a course to be up 1 hour or down 1 hour (after informing the Mississippi Community College Board [MCCB] of the change)

Appendix C: Course Crosswalk

Occupational Therapist Assistant

Existing 2011 MS Curriculum Framework

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
OTA 1113	Foundations of Occupational Therapy	3
OTA 1121	Medical Terminology	1
OTA 1132	Therapeutic Anatomy	2
OTA 1213	Pathology of Psychiatric Conditions	3
OTA 1223	Pathology of Physical Disability Conditions	3
OTA 1233	Pathology of Developmental Conditions	3
OTA 1242	Pathology of Orthopedic Conditions	2
OTA 1315	Kinesiology	5
OTA 1413	Therapeutic Media	3
OTA 1423	Occupational Therapy Skills I	3
OTA 1433	Occupational Therapy Skills II	3
OTA 1513	Group Process	3
OTA 1913	Fieldwork IA	3
OTA 2443	Therapy Skills III	3
OTA 2714	Concepts in Occupational Therapy	4
OTA 2812	Healthcare Systems	2
OTA 2935	Fieldwork IB	5
OTA 2946	Fieldwork IIA	6
OTA 2956	Fieldwork IIB	6
OTA 2961	Occupational Therapy Transitions I	1
OTA 2971	Occupational Therapy Transitions II	1

Revised 2019 MS Curriculum Framework

*added or changed courses

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
OTA 1913	Fieldwork I: Psychosocial/Specialty	3
OTA 2443	Occupational Therapy Skills III	3
OTA 2935	Fieldwork I: Physical Dysfuntion/Pediatrics	5
OTA 2946	Fieldwork II: Physical Dysfunction	6
OTA 2956	Fieldwork II	6
OTA 2961	Occupational Therapy Transitions	1
OTA 2971	Therapy Transitions II	1

Revised 2024 MS Curriculum Framework

*added or changed courses

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
OTA 1913	Fieldwork I: Psychosocial/Specialty	3
OTA 2443	Occupational Therapy Skills III	3
OTA 2935	Fieldwork I: Physical Dysfuntion/Pediatrics	5
OTA 2946	Fieldwork II: Physical Dysfunction	6
OTA 2956	Fieldwork II	6
OTA 2961	Occupational Therapy Transitions	1
OTA 2971	Therapy Transitions II	1

Appendix D: Recommended Textbook List

Textbooks

Book Title	Author(s)	ISBN
Introduction to Occupational Therapy, 6th edition	O'Brien, Conner, & Elsevier.	978-0-323-79856-3
Ryan’s Occupational Therapy Assistant: Principles, Practice Issues, and Techniques, 5th edition	Sladyk, K., & Ryan, S.E.	978‐1‐55642‐962‐0
Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants 2nd Edition	Amy J. Mahle MHA COTA/L (Author), Amber L. Ward MS OTR/L BCPR ATP/SMS (Author)	978-1719644358
Psychopathology and Function, 5th edition	Bonder, B.R.	1‐61711‐884‐5
Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy, 5th edition	Cole, M.	878-1-63091-367-0
Occupational Therapy for Physical Dysfunction, 7th edition	-	978‐1‐4511‐2746‐1
Quick Reference Dictionary for Occupational Therapy, 6th Edition	Karen Jacobs & Laela Jacobs; Slack	978‐1‐61711‐646‐9
Essentials of Neuroanatomy for Rehabilitation	Dvork and Mansfield	13978‐0‐13‐502388‐4
Illustration Essentials of Musculoskeletal Anatomy	Sieg and Adams; Megabooks	978‐0‐93517‐07‐9
Health Services: Policy and Systems for Therapists, 3rd edition	-	978‐0‐13‐311061‐6
Atlas of Human Anatomy, 4th Edition	Netter, F.	978‐142320172‐4
Clinical Kinesiology and Anatomy, 7th Edition	Lippert	9781719644525
Complement at Heath Approaches for Occupational Therapists	Brittany Ferri	9781630918576
Principles & Techniques of Patient Care, 7th edition	Fairchild, S., O’Shea, R., and Washington, R.,	978-0-323-72088-5
Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, 7th edition	Scanlon, V. & Sanders, T.	978‐0‐8036‐3957‐7
Atlas of Human Anatomy	Perez, V.	978‐142320172‐4
Physical Dysfunction Practice Skills For the Occupational Therapy Assistant, 2nd edition	Early, M.B.	978‐0‐323‐03188‐2
Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy, 2nd edition	-	978‐094448080‐9
Quick & Easy Medical Terminology, 8th edition	Leonard, P.	978‐0‐323‐35920‐7
Trail Guide to the Body	Andrew Biel	978‐0‐9829786‐5‐8
The Successful Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student	-	978‐1‐55642‐562‐2
Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Vision for Participation, 2nd Edition	Brown and Stoffel	978‐0803659162
Documentation Manuel for Occupational Therapy	Crystal A. Gateley	978-41-63822-060-2
Therapeutic Media Uses Occupational and Activity Analysis 3rd Edition	Heather Thomas	978-1-63091-890-3
Occupational Therapy Toolkit	Hall, Cheryl	-
Documenting Occupational Therapy Practice, 3rd edition	-	978‐0‐13‐311049‐4
Willard and Spackman's Occupational Therapy, 12th edition	-	978‐1‐4511‐1080‐7
Occupational Therapy for Evaluation of Range of Motion	Latella	-
Clinical Kinesiology and Anatomy for Physical Therapist, 4th Edition	Lippert. F.A. Davis	-
Principles and Techniques of Patient Care, 6th Edition	Fairchild	978‐0323445849
Occupational Therapy Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction Pedretti’s 9th Edition	-	9780323792554
Hands and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation 4th Edition	Saunders, Astifidis, Burke, et. Al	978-1-4557-5647-6
Introduction to Splinting	Brenda M Coppard & Helene Lohman	978‐0‐323‐09101
Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants, 3rd Edition	Soloman and O’Brien. Mosby	-
Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants, 5th edition	Solomon, J. & O’Brien, J.	978‐0323597135
The Successful Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student	Sladyk, K.	1‐55642‐562‐7
Occupational Therapy Intervention Function and Occupation	Meriano & Latella	978‐1‐55642‐732‐9
The Successful Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student	-	978‐1‐55642‐562
Occupational Therapy with Elders, 3rd edition	Connon, Lohmon, and Padilla	978‐0‐323‐06505‐4
Screening Adult Neurologic Populations	Gutman, S. & Schonfeld, A.	1‐56900‐140‐5
Case Studies through the Healthcare Continuum	Halloran & Lowenstein	1‐55642‐405‐1
Occupational Therapy in Acute Care	Smith‐Gabai	978‐1‐56900‐271‐1
Vision, Perception, and Cognition: A Manual for the Evaluation and Treatment of the Adult with Acquired Brain Injury, 4th Edition	Zoltan	978‐1556427381
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Survival Guide, 2nd Edition	Napier	-
Functional Performance in Older Adults, 3rd Edition	Bonder	-
Occupational Therapy Toolkit 7th Edition	Ed Hall	9781948726009
Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy. Cole, 5th Edition	-	978‐1630913670
The Healthcare Handbook 3rd Edition	Askin and Moore	978-1975200022
United States Healthcare System: Combing Business, Health, and Delivery 3rd Edition	Austin, Wetle	978-013-429779-8
OTA’s Guide to Documentation, 5th Edition	Morreale	978-1-63822-036-7
National OTA Certification Exam: Review and Study Guide	-	-
Developing Clinical Competence	Marie J. Morreale	978‐1‐61711‐815‐9
Physical Dysfunction Practice Skills for the OTA, 3rd Edition	Early. Elsevier	978‐0‐323‐05909‐1
Pediatric Skills for OTA, 3rd Edition	Solomon	-

Appendix E: Writing and Revision Information

Writing Team & Contributors

Faculty Writing Team Members 

• Stephanie Wheatcroft, COTA/L, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 
• Cade Montague, MOTR/L, Holmes Community College, Program Director 
• Erica Fitzhugh, COTA/L, Holmes Community College, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator 
• Michelle Haynes, Pearl River Community College, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator 
• Shannon Fraiser, Itawamba Community College, Academic Field Work Coordinator 
• Dee Dee Lomenick, Itawamba Community College, Program Director 
• Courtney Broome, OTR/L, Program Director, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 
• Tim Pulver, Program Director, Pearl River Community College, 

Administrator Writing Team Members 

• Ginger Meriwether, Holmes Community College, Director of Health Science 
• Allison DeWeese, Holmes CC, Career Technical Coordinator 
• Angie Nelson, College Chair of Health Professions, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
• Tonya Vaughn, Dean of Health Science Instructions, Itawamba Community College 

Business and Industry Contributing Team Members 

• Zach Wooten, COTA/L, Director of Rehab, Reliant Health 

Office of Curriculum and Instruction Team Members 

• Demarius Tolliver, Curriculum Specialist, Mississippi Community College Board 
• Scott Kolle, Ph.D., Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Mississippi Community College Board 
• Ebony Mangum, Curriculum Specialist, Mississippi Community College Board 
• LaToya Sterling, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Training and Professional Development, Mississippi Community College Board

Research Abstract

Research Abstract In the spring of 2024, the Office of Curriculum and Instruction (OCI) met with the different industry members who made up the advisory committees for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. An industry questionnaire was used to gather feedback concerning the trends and needs, both current and future, of their field. Program faculty, administrators, and industry members were consulted regarding industry workforce needs and trends.

Industry advisory team members from the college involved with this program were asked to give input related to changes to be made to the curriculum framework. Specific comments related to soft skills needed in this program include having work ethics, interpersonal skills, and reading and writing skills to complete work orders and other forms. Occupation‐specific skills stated include knowing how to possess soft skills needed in this program include having the ability to be adaptable, flexible, a team player, compassion, and availability, and understanding the importance of confidentiality.

Revision History

2011, Research and Curriculum Unit, Mississippi State University
2019, Office of Curriculum and Instruction, Mississippi Community College Board
2024, Office of Curriculum and Instruction, Mississippi Community College Board

Copyright & Permission

The Office of Curriculum and Instruction (OCI) was founded in 2013 under the Division of Workforce, Career, and Technical Education at the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB). The office is funded through a partnership with The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), who serves as Mississippi’s fiscal agent for state and federal Career and Technical Education (CTE) Funds. The OCI is tasked with developing statewide CTE curriculum, programming, and professional development designed to meet the local and statewide economic demand.

Copyright© 2024 by Mississippi Community College Board
For information, please contact Curriculum Email