Occupational Therapy Assistant

Essential Functions

• Responsible for the daily management of an assigned patient caseload, ensuring timely care and documentation to meet the patent needs/services as prescribed in the established plan of care and per MD orders
• Collects data pertinent to the healthcare consumer’s health or the situation from patient assessments in the home setting, telephonic contacts and/or related EMR information available.
• Implements patient care programs including necessary modalities, procedures, exercise programs, and patient education as established by the OT.
• Documents and implements a plan of care to meet patient and family needs, to include discharge planning and utilization of available resources.
• Demonstrates clinical reasoning, coupled with clinical skills to conduct accurate clinical assessments and perform patient care activities; evaluates effectiveness of therapy interventions, identifies and prioritizes patient/family strength, needs and priorities.
• Provides and documents patient and family education in regard to deficits, progress toward goals, and therapeutic techniques, with individualized instruction for a home program including equipment use.
• Maintains communication with multidisciplinary team providing updates and changes in schedules, patient data or needs, and physician orders.
• Incorporates short and long-term goals established in the plan of care into therapy, as evidenced by documentation in visit notes.
• Supports effective communication and collaboration with the physician oversight, and branch PT/ leaderships supervision to ensure timely feedback regarding patients’ condition and/or need for changes in the plan of care.
• Remains and performs ordered treatments, therapies, and/or procedures in accordance with State Physical Therapy Practice Act and Home Health Conditions of Participation, TJC, Medicare Guidelines, OASIS and agency policy and procedures
• Promotes shared governance and decision making activities, developing and nurturing research to positively affect clinical outcomes and promotion.

  Physical Requirements

  Work requires walking, standing, sitting, lifting, reaching, stooping, bending, pushing, and pulling. Must be able to lift and support the weight of 50 pounds in handling patients, medical equipment, and supplies. Ability to travel extensively during all seasons to assigned patients place of residence. Works in a variety of home environments and conditions. Must speak English in good, understandable terms. Intact sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch. Finger dexterity. Critical thinking and ability to concentrate. Must be able to respond quickly to changes in patient and/or unit conditions. Ability to work flexible schedule to meet patients’ needs. Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves, goggles, gowns, and masks are sometimes required due to possible exposure to hazardous chemicals or blood and body