Occupational Therapy Assistant Essay

An Occupational Therapist Assistant, otherwise referred to as an Occupational Therapy Assistant (www.bls.gov), is responsible for different tasks that are clerical or kinesthetic. An OTA may be responsible for leading patients in exercises or stretches, helping children complete activities to strengthen their coordination or socialization, or recording the progress of patients (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014, What They Do section, para. 2). If a person was hired in this field with a

Lives are changed everyday by occupational therapy assistants. I have the dedication, compassion, and ability to celebrate every miniscule improvement needed to become a successful OTA. This a quickly growing field where I can use the talents I already possess to excel. I can easily recall the differences made in my papaw’s life through occupational therapy and the way every advancement in mobility or independence was as exciting as it would be with a new

Therapeutic METHOD (with citation): Using a compensatory approach will allow the client to engage in the meaningful task of performing meal-prep and cleanup in her own kitchen. With the guidance of an occupational therapist, registered (OTR), Mrs. Hernandez will learn how to use an enlarged-handle knife in a natural setting (Deshaies, 2013) by preparing the vegetable pasta dish for her and her husband (minimal cutting to see her tolerance with the assistive device). The OTR will teach the client work simplification strategies in meal prep task using the enlarged-handle knife, enlarged-handle pans, and the cibocal assistive food cutting board to maximize effective gross grasp and avoid ulnar deviating pressures (Deshaies, 2013). Additionally, OTR will reinforce the training with proper body mechanics and posture (Deshaies, 2013). The OTR will not only demonstrate but also provide both verbal and written instructions on the proper use of the assistive devices, how to avoid static positioning, and positions of deformity, which may apply significant force to the MCP joints (Deshaies, 2013).

Finding the career of my dreams or as some would put it “my calling” has been a rather difficult task. It is always hopeful that someone would discover what they are called to do in their younger years (elementary-high school) so they have plenty of time for planning out there career map but then there are those who are pulled in different directions…like myself. When I started my college career in 2007, I just did what seemed to be the norm. To make a long story short, I started as a nursing major and ended up graduating 5 years later with two totally different degrees, a Child Life degree as well as a Family and Community Services degree with a concentration in early intervention. In this economy, finding a job with two fairly non-specific

Have you ever bent down to pick something up or sprinted after your dog because he got loose? Not many people in today’s society pay attention to their body movement. They often take their body’s ability to move normally for granted. A person’s biomechanics are essential to everyday life, without being able to move properly one cannot perform everyday tasks. Unfortunately, there are people who are not able to do so and face many hardships in their life and may be in a lot of pain. Therefore, these people seek professional assistance to help them regain their ability to function normally. Usually, they end up in the care of a physical therapist and his assistant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist assistants

A physical therapist assistant plays a very important role by providing treatments to patients, under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. They use physical therapy treatment procedures to help improve the mobility and relieve pain and disability caused by disease or injury. Some examples of the patients that call for a physical therapist to assist them include accident victims and persons with disabling conditions, such as, lower back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and cerebral palsy.

Throughout this course, my mind was opened to several healthcare careers which I was unaware of before. For the careers that I did know about, this course still did a great job at informing me of the professions on a deeper level. After reviewing the lectures and careers, I feel strongly about pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy. More specifically, I want to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant. This was a career that I had in mind when I began the course and I have been interested in it for about two years now. Occupational Therapy Assistants need to be sociable, compassionate, flexible, and enjoy problem solving. I believe I will enjoy this profession because my personality matches with all of these things.

I am thankful for having the opportunity of applying to the Occupational Therapy program at Abilene Christian University (ACU). My decision of becoming an occupational therapist arose my sophomore year in North Lake College. Ever since, I have worked toward taking the prerequisites and then transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington, where I obtained by bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. So later, I could pursue obtaining my master’s in Occupational Therapy. I am applying to the occupational program at ACU because, it is a Christian school, its excellent degree plan, along with experienced faculty, and my eagerness about of becoming an occupational therapist would equip me with the tools I need to perform the occupation with quality and humanity. I am ready to commit and serve others by putting to use what I have learned from occupational therapy experiences and to take advantage of all the resources the program has to offer.

Occupational therapy has been in the process of continued development since the 1900’s. With several contributors helping to build the groundwork for creating the awareness needed to bring occupational therapy into the field of health care. Continued research is contributing to the ongoing significance of how occupational therapy is a vital aspect in promoting increased independences in all aspects of healthcare. (Willard, Schell, 2014) With the incorporation of “Occupational Therapy Practice Framework Domain and Process (3rd ed.)” helps creates the foundation for occupational therapy clinicians as well as other health care providers in facilitating the core believe of occupational and the relationship of health and occupation. (AOTA 2014) Therefore, providing a uniform outline of the various aspects of each individual and how they are interconnected to create the foundation of each individual. With a greater understanding of the foundations of that induvial, the clinician can then facilitate the best therapeutic treatment plan for that individual to achieve their personal goals with unified foundations of care.

Bruce Mueller started his career as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in a general rehabilitation facility. After five years, he specialized in hand therapy at a medical clinic. In 2003, Mueller became an Occupational Therapist at the Gainesville Veterans Affair Medical Center (VAMC). He applied to become the Occupational Therapist supervisor at the VAMC and claimed the leadership position in 2009. Since then, Mueller has been the acting supervisor for the seventeen additional OT’s employed at the VAMC. The job requires him to be responsible for assigning work, disciplining employees, administering the department’s annual employee performance evaluations, mapping labor, and maintaining other organizational duties.

“What if there was a job that allowed someone to have endless flexibility and creativity; a profession that is respected and is in overwhelming demand... Most importantly, wouldn’t it be nice to find a job in which you could make an impact, big or small, on the lives of each individual person you worked with? I found this job and that is why I decided to pursue a degree in occupational therapy" (Springer, J., 2015). This testimonial comes from a practicing occupational therapist who has found value in his life's work. Occupational therapy is not a job where "one size fits all"; there are many different demographics of people who need occupational therapy in different environments. Although, all occupational therapists have the same skills

The medical field is expanding ever so rapidly in today’s society. In the field of Physical Therapy one needs to have the understanding of how the human body works and the injuries one body could sustain. I have chosen a career to help others to battle back from life-changing injuries or surgeries. I will take the first step of joining the medical field by obtaining a physical therapist associates degree. I will become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

The role of an occupational therapist in an acute care setting is stabilising the patients’ medical status and improve their functional abilities and safety to prevent any physical or cognitive complications. Occupational therapy has a crucial role in reducing hospital readmissions through early mobilisation, restoring functions, preventing any further decline via conducting functional and cognitive assessments and coordinating the discharge planning (Rogers et al., 2016). One of the cognitive assessments that were used in the acute hospital is the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) which was designed in 1996 as a brief cognitive screening tool to detect mild-moderate cognitive impairment. It Assesses different cognitive domains including

A clinical situation that has taken place that has enabled me to incorporate the “Occupational Therapy Practice Framework Domain and Process (3rd Ed.)” (AOTA, 2014) into my approach was when an individual that has had a car accident during an ice storm. We will refer to this individual as Jane. She was a 55 year old housewife that was the primary caretaker of her husband who had suffered a stroke a few years ago. Jane took care of all the home management as well as transportation and health care needs for her husband. Jane was very active in her community as well as her family that lived several hours away.

Occupational therapy and speech therapy is truly a field of work that is individualized and practical. Throughout this semester the knowledge that I’ve gained, has advanced my level of critical thinking and awareness of several mental disorders. Each day delivered a level of goals and improvements. Each child that attended this outpatient clinic expressed how valuable and unique they truly are. The individualization was one of the best mechanisms that was transpired on a daily basis. Each day was a new experience to observe communication skills, sensory integration, and fine motor skills. During this semester the determination and the selection of this internship, ensures me that this outpatient facility was truly a provision that will assist me future endeavors for a lifetime.