There are lots of employment opportunities today and the issue of how well-paid these workers are comes into question. Therapy Assistants are one of the highest-paid jobs you can find in the world. They are not just well-paid but relevant as well. I can assure you that the Top 10 Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs Online have been compiled for you in this article.
There are numerous opportunities available to you in the diverse health field. Some of these professions include home, hospital, diagnostic, primary, palliative, preventative, rehabilitative, long-term, and emergency care. They consist of Certified Nurses, Clinical Laboratory Technicians, Pharmacists, Personal Trainers, Dentists, Phlebotomists, Technical Surgeons, Massage practitioners, Dieticians, Cardiovascular technologists, Surgeons, Paediatricians, Optometrists, Obstetricians and so on.
When we take a closer look at life, we see that we have the opportunity to carry out our daily tasks by, for example. Sometimes we take these things for granted, but many people are less fortunate because of illnesses, accidents, or physical impairments. The primary responsibility of an occupational therapy assistant is assisting patients in regaining their independence. Those who concentrate on occupational therapy benefit greatly from the assistance of assistants and aides. They typically assist patients with daily duties who have developmental difficulties, learning problems, and lost motor skills, working with occupational therapists.
Through an occupational therapy assistant program, you can start your career by becoming a qualified occupational therapy assistant. In addition, if you have the desire, you can quickly finish your study and become an occupational therapist. Suppose you’ve ever considered working in the medical field but are still determining what position would be the best fit for you. In that case, you might want to think to consider becoming an occupational therapy assistant or aide. That is why occupational therapy assistant Programs online are recommended.
We have only scratched the surface when it comes to explaining what occupational therapy assistants do and what these occupational therapy assistant programs online are all about. Let us go further by explaining what an occupational therapy assistant does exactly. Do they have the same jobs as Therapists? Let us find out.
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Who Are Occupational Therapists, Therapy Assistants, And Occupational Therapy Assistants?
Let us start with occupational therapists. Who are they, and what do they do?
Who Are Occupational Therapists?
An occupational therapist is a medical professional who uses routine tasks to assist patients in recovering from illnesses and impairments. In a short amount of time, patients can become better, stronger, and faster by using the motions they already do daily, according to occupational therapists.
To aid patients in recovering from an illness or injury, therapists collaborate with occupational therapy assistants. They don’t always interact with patients directly, but they might get them ready for an exercise or a consultation.
Using specialized equipment and the therapeutic use of everyday activities, occupational therapists treat patients who are disabled, unwell, or injured. The patients can advance, regain, and build the abilities necessary for day-to-day living and employment as a result. They offer both acute and long-term patient care in some rare circumstances. What is the nature of their work? These consist of:
- teaching and assisting patients in becoming self-sufficient
- assisting patients with mental disorders in enjoying activities
- assisting clients in managing permanent physical limitations
- sharing ideas for remodeling a workplace or residence
- assisting clients, their families, and caretakers while recording their progress
You could work as an occupational therapist in a client’s home, a National Health Service (NHS) or private hospital, a client’s workplace, a general practitioner’s office, or an adult care facility. In some circumstances, you must don a uniform.
Next, we will be looking at Therapy Assistants. Who are they? What do they do?
Who Is A Therapy Assistant?
Therapy assistants assist the professional staff by assisting with client treatment and/or personal care, client group work, client visiting, resource maintenance, and the creation of written and spoken reports. The actions that a therapy assistant performs vary depending on four different factors, namely:
- The needs of the customer and their family.
- The type of therapy activities and the requisite level of knowledge and expertise.
- The connection that an allied health professional and a therapy assistant have.
- The degree of instruction and guidance the allied health practitioner can offer the therapy assistant.
He or she collaborates with an allied health expert who is held legally accountable for the client’s safe and efficient receipt of the therapy program. The allied health professional must also decide if a therapy assistant can do each activity in the program for each client safely and successfully.
Why are therapy assistants required in addition to therapists when a therapy program is necessary, you might wonder. Well, paying therapy assistants is less expensive. This means that hiring a treatment assistant relieves you of the additional expense and allows you to use your money for other therapeutic needs. They also relieve carers and family members of some duties. These caretakers undoubtedly have a lot on their plates already, so hiring a therapy assistant would free them up to go about their everyday lives normally and continue providing care.
The main advantage of hiring a therapy assistant is the possibility that the client may interact and cooperate better with the assistant than with a carer or member of their family. In actuality, there are some demands that a relative or carer cannot satisfy. A specialist is required to meet these needs. In these situations, a therapy assistant is preferred to a carer.
We have established so many points since the beginning of this article, right? Let us now move a step further by defining an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Don’t be surprised. There is a minor difference between a therapy assistant and an occupational therapy assistant. We’ll be looking at that next.
Who Is An Occupational Therapy Assistant?
Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistants collaborate with Occupational therapists to assist patients in recovering from sickness and injury. They help with therapeutic procedures that are used to strengthen the body, boost the immune system, and much more.
The skills required for everyday life and employment are developed, recovered from, improved, and maintained for patients by occupational therapy assistants and aides. Occupational therapy assistants work directly with patients to deliver therapy. They usually provide support.
Where do assistants in occupational therapy work? They primarily work in hospitals, nursing homes, and offices of occupational therapists. Depending on the facility and whether they are full- or part-time employees, occupational therapy assistants may have various work schedules that may include late and weekend hours while setting up equipment and dealing with patients.
What does their job entail?
- With clients, occupational therapy assistants do exercises and activities in accordance with a treatment plan created in consultation with an occupational therapist.
- An individual’s tasks are observed by occupational therapy assistants to ensure they are carried out appropriately and to offer encouragement.
- For the benefit of the occupational therapist, they also keep track of their client’s development. If the treatment is not having the desired impact or the client is not improving as anticipated, the occupational therapist may change the treatment plan in an effort to get better outcomes.
- The client’s health insurance provider’s billing is also documented by occupational therapy assistants.
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Is there just one type of occupational assistant, or do they vary? Again, let us see.
What Are The Types Of Occupational Therapy?
The various types of occupational therapy that exist is as a result of different categories of health challenges. So we can say that when it comes to occasional treatment, there are countless. However, I will only be considering five in detail.
1. Geriatric occupational therapy
This type of occupational therapy aids older persons in adjusting to and managing the additional restrictions that come with becoming older. They may be able to maintain their independence in this way. Mental Health Occupational Therapy
2. Environmental Change Occupational therapists
They help patients enhance their quality of life by making changes to their homes and surroundings. In order for older persons to continue living safely and freely in their homes as they age, this is very important. This comprises alterations to a home’s structure, plan, or design that increase accessibility and livability for a client.
3. General occupational therapists
The work of general occupational therapists is to help you restore your independence whether you’re recovering from an illness or adjusting to a disability. They accomplish this in a variety of methods, including by offering guidance, setting up specialized equipment, or performing home modifications.
4. Paediatric occupational therapy
Pediatric occupational therapy is concerned with assisting children with conditions such as ADHD, developmental disorders, poor eyesight or hearing, school problems, and learning difficulties. They specialize in working with children and strive to identify the causes of delays or limits, particularly in the areas of fine motor abilities, cognitive skills, social development, and developing self-care routines.
5. Autism Occupational Therapy
People of various ages can be affected by autism, which has a wide range of severity. The treatment of persons with this illness may include occupational therapy. The emphasis of occupational therapy for autistic individuals is play skills, learning techniques, and self-care. Additionally, it includes tactics that can support individuals in coping with their sensory challenges. They aid in determining their level of competence.
Top 10 Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs Online
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) must have at least an associate’s degree to work in the world. Most states require licensure for this profession; when selecting a program, check with state rules and look for programs certified by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.
As part of a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) program, an in-person internship is usually necessary, and some lecture-based coursework may be taken online. As a result, an occupational therapy assistant degree can be obtained online. Online occupational therapy assistant programs can be completed entirely or partially online. In this post, we will concentrate on the online component because it is the most sought-after.
Because occupational therapists operate in the health care field, it is considered that online programs for them do not exist due to the length of these programs. People also believe that they do not ensure qualification and are not frequently accredited. Some argue that these programs make it difficult to get work. The good news is that none of the foregoing statements are correct. If you’re still not convinced, keep reading to learn about the Top 10 Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs Online available today. Let us begin.
1. Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, St. Louis
This program prepares students to provide appropriate treatment and care to people of all ages whose quality of life has been compromised by disability. They are assisted in developing innovative and adaptive techniques to assist patients in correcting, rehabilitating, or compensating for emotional, physical, cognitive, and social disability. They will be able to aid in the assessment of patient’s requirements and the implementation of holistic treatment plans centered on meaningful activities that encourage a healthier balance of self-care, work, and leisure activities.
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2. Santa Ana College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Programme
This program establishes a solid foundation in the skills and information required for entry-level occupational therapy assistant capabilities. The program prepares students for certification and employment through classroom instruction, online courses, and fieldwork experiences. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Graduates of the program will be entitled to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) national certification examination for occupational therapy assistants, after which they will be certified as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA).
3. Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Bristol Community College
This program offers individuals preparing to work as Occupational Therapy Assistants an accessible, high-quality educational program. It trains generalist, entry-level occupational therapy assistants to work in a variety of hospitals, homes, schools, workplaces, communities, and other settings under the supervision of registered occupational therapists. It also trains graduates to assist people of all ages with physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, emotional, and other issues in regaining, developing, or mastering everyday skills so that they can engage in meaningful employment and live independent, productive, and gratifying lives. Most significantly, it prepares them to be well-rounded workers.
4. Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate of Science, Joyce University Of Nursing And Health Sciences
This Occupational Therapy Assistant program is designed to suit distant learners seeking an Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy. Yes, it appears to be too wonderful to be true. In as little as 20 months, you may accomplish this and become one of the fastest-growing professions! The finest feature is that it is accredited and has a flexible format. After completing the program, you will be entitled to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), after which you will be able to apply for state licensing and find work. As a distance learner, you are only required to come to campus for in-person labs during the second, third, and fourth semesters at the university
5. Boston University’s Assistant Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
This course is designed for post-professional occupational therapy students. If you’re an occupational therapist who wants to expand your knowledge and skills, this is the program for you.
You must take two courses at once, each lasting seven weeks. You must complete a doctoral project before graduation, which must begin in your first semester of studies and continue throughout the program. The project comprises a number of qualifying tasks that you must complete before moving on to the next component. Depending on your existing educational level, you could finish this program in as little as 18 months.
6. Thomas Jefferson University’s Doctorate in Occupational Therapy Assistant
If you want an excellent education plus the potential to earn grants to pay for it, this is the program for you. If you hold a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy, you must complete 46 credit hours for this program. If you already have a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, the program is reduced to 33 credit hours. Visionary Practise Development and Evaluation, Seminars in Clinical Research, Outcomes Research, Teaching in the Digital Age, Upper Limb Rehabilitation, and other courses are part of the curriculum. To finish this program, you must participate in a clinical fellowship where you will receive further patient experience.
7. Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Programme at St. Catherine University
St. Catherine University offers an associate degree in occupational therapy in as little as 16 months. A career as an occupational therapy assistant is ranked first on the Best Health Care Support Jobs list by U.S. News & World Report, so it is worth applying for. By combining online and on-site education when and when it is convenient for you, you can obtain an associate degree in occupational therapy.
You can also learn the skills required to work under the supervision of an occupational therapist. You would take the NBCOT® exam after graduation to become a certified occupational therapy assistant.
8. Occupational Therapy Assistant Programme at Casper College
Casper College’s program provides students with the fundamental knowledge required to work as an occupational therapy assistant. Students complete coursework to deal with a variety of occupational therapy concerns such as learning disabilities and motor skills during the program. Some seminars also cover how to use occupational therapy equipment. The program provides a variety of delivery options, including in-person, hybrid, and online classes. As a result, not all classes can be done online. Certain courses will need students to travel to campus. The best thing about online programs is that they are synchronous and necessitate class participation.
9. Online Occupational Therapy Assistant Doctorate Degree Programme at the University of Kansas
The University of Kansas provides a number of occupational therapy degrees, although this is an entry-level occupational therapy degree program. If you have a bachelor’s degree and finish the qualifying curriculum, you may be eligible for admission. The 112 credit hour Occupational Therapy Assistant program must be completed within four and a half years of enrollment. Once enrolled in this program, you must complete a capstone experience. This 36-credit program allows you to polish your abilities, gain new ones, and apply your knowledge in a practical setting. It also prepares you to conduct scholarly research in this discipline.
10. The University of Towson Accredited Online Programs For Occupational Therapy Assistants
This Post-Professional program allows you to learn new skills while honing your existing ones, allowing you to deliver better care to your patients. It is intended for students who already hold a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. It is a part-time program with two courses per semester that can be completed in as few as six consecutive semesters for a total of 33 credit hours. Some of the courses at this university need you to attend classes synchronously, which may make finishing this program difficult if you have other responsibilities, such as work. A graduate GPA of 3.25 is required to apply. If you have a 3.0 graduate GPA, you may be admitted conditionally to the program.
After considering these Top 10 Occupational assistant programs, it is left to you to apply now. Trust me, they are the best that have been compiled after thorough research.
The top five states for occupational therapy assistant pay are as follows:
- Nevada has an hourly wage of $37.55.
- California has an hourly wage of $36.10.
- Hawaii has an hourly wage of $35.25.
- New Jersey has an hourly wage of $35.03.
- Delaware has an hourly wage of $34.58.
An associate’s degree from a recognized occupational therapy assistant program is required for occupational therapy assistants. Occupational therapy aides are licensed in every state. Occupational therapy aides normally require a high school diploma or equivalent and receive on-the-job training.
The short answer is that occupational therapy school is difficult. Physical therapy school, nursing school, medical school, pharmacy school, physician’s assistant school, and so on are all options. All healthcare degrees will be difficult and for good reason.
The starting income for an Occupational Therapist ranges from $99,071 to $117,818 per year, with an average starting salary of $108,152.
Occupational therapists typically dress in scrubs, business casual attire, or a polo shirt and khakis.
They require the following seven basic occupational therapy skills:
- Creative Problem-Solving
- Communication Skills
- Ability to Support and Encourage
- Physical Strength
- Organizational Skills
- Empathy and Patience
- Flexibility
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work in a medical field that assists people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive issues. Occupational therapy aides can assist them in regaining independence in many aspects of their lives. They assist with obstacles to a person’s emotional, social, and physical needs.
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