Occupational Therapy Assistant

Introduction to the profession of Occupational Therapy, including history, philosophies, frames of reference, organizations, standards, ethics, legal issues, trends, supervision of aides and assistants. Introduction to methods of acquiring information such as library resources, electronics/computer bibliographic searches and utilization of professional publication and audiovisual media. Occupation as the core principle of therapeutic intervention will be critically examined. Students will be introduced to ethical dispute resolution strategies. Medical Terminology will also be covered within this course.  4 lecture hours weekly.

This course presents the role of the Occupational Therapy Assistant in the psychosocial area of Occupational Therapy practice. This course will focus on individuals with psychosocial challenges and how they relate to occupation across the lifespan. Students will learn selected frames of reference, and the skills necessary to assess, implement and document intervention in a variety of mental health settings. Client factors, including culture and diversity, therapeutic interactions and methods are studied. Students will develop skills in administering individual and group interventions, professional communication, conflict negotiation, and advocacy. Lab activities, site visits and Level I fieldwork opportunities will enable students to participate in and apply psychosocial principles to practice. 3 lecture hours and one 3 laboratory hours weekly.

This study of activity and task analysis and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. Various activities including crafts and daily tasks are explored for beginning therapeutic application. Examination of the Occupational Therapy Process and its application as well as the concepts of grading and adapting. Through clinical reasoning students will select therapeutic activities with consideration of the client’s performance skills, performance patterns, client factors, contexts and environment activity occupational demands and their impact to occupation-based performance. 2 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours weekly.

This course is an ideal resource for occupational therapy clinicians to improve the critical skill of documentation. Explanations are provided in detail from a simple contact note, screening or referral, to evaluations, progress notes & discharge summaries. SOAP notes & other forms of documentation are included with sample reproducible forms. Also included are Medicare & third-party payer guidelines along with ethical, legal & language issues in relation to Occupational Therapy. Documentation requirements are included for both the clinic and school settings. Impact of OT models & frames of reference are addressed. Included in this 3rd edition is a new chapter on electronic health records, discussion on texting as a form of professional communication, and updates to Medicare standards including G-codes. 2 lecture hours weekly.  

Fieldwork I A is designed to familiarize you with clients/populations, cultures, environments, processes and providers within health care, rehabilitation and human service organizations. It is designed to immerse you in the experience of clients so you can learn to observe and interact with clients to develop confidence, your professional identity, skills and therapeutic use of self. Students are assigned to a variety of clinical sites with opportunities to observe clients and practitioners, practice clinical skills and professional behaviors. Students will interact with clients across the life span and with various diagnoses and disabilities. Students may be assigned to non-traditional fieldwork settings at varied community sites. They will have an on-site supervisor, who is not an occupational therapist, but a leader and role model within their community setting. 1 lecture hour weekly and 40 total clinical hours.

This course will provide knowledge in occupational therapy strategies and intervention techniques for individuals ranging in age from birth to age 22 that have limitations that affect their performance in areas of occupation (ADL, IADL, education, play, work, leisure, sleep and social participation). Topics include common diagnoses, assessments, treatment environments, laws and regulations that impact pediatric OT services, and treatment interventions for areas of occupation. Lab activities will focus on applying skills necessary to prevent, remediate, compensate, adapt and promote participation in the pediatric population as well as effectively communicating (verbal and written) with patients/families, caregivers, clinicians and teachers. Through guided lectures, discussions, guest speakers, simulations, small group activities and hands-on lab experiences, students will learn the role and responsibilities of the OTA in early intervention, school-based, residential, clinical, transitional and vocational settings. 2 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours weekly.

Autism Spectrum Disorders are presently being diagnosed at epidemic rates of 1/88 individuals in the general population and 1/54 males. This number has increased dramatically in the last three years and numbers continue to climb despite interventions and early diagnosis. This course offers foundational knowledge in autism spectrum disorders including high and low functioning autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Students will become familiar with each disorder and identify key structures for potentially recognizing specific disorders. Interventions which include therapeutic and educational and a short overview of selected medical interventions currently in use will be discussed. An overview of IDEA, least restrictive environment, and other lawful mandates will be offered. Students will implement practical strategies and specialized, scaffolded instruction in general education classrooms (elementary and secondary) designed for children with ranging autism disorders. 1 lecture hour and  3 laboratory hours weekly.  

Health, technology, social, and environmental problems, impacting our world are complex. This course examines these issues at both the community and global level. Practical guidance about how best to engage in collaboration with other health care members in emerging practice areas is examined. Students will work in teams and select a community or global health care issue and present one possible solution. 2 lecture hours weekly.

Body structures and functions of the neuromusculoskeletal system will be examined in relation to performance in areas of occupation across the life span. Training in  techniques to enhance functional mobility, wheelchair management, and management of mobility devices will be examined. Analysis of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) tasks and their upper extremity activity demands including joint range of motion, muscle strength, gross motor coordination, fine motor coordination, prehension and grasp patterns will be emphasized. Upper and lower extremity joint range of motion, goniometry, manual muscle testing, grip and pinch strength, sensation testing and functional mobility competencies are directly assessed.  Therapeutic exercise and its relationship to performance skills and occupations will be examined. Documentation of occupational therapy service provision to ensure accountability will be discussed.  2 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours weekly.

Professional and clinical reasoning is increasingly recognized as a crucial component of the occupational therapy process. This course provides opportunities for students to develop more advanced clinical reasoning skills applicable to all areas of occupational therapy practice through a case method. The case method is a component of problem- based learning that emphasizes individual and small group work to solve clinical problems that are presented as case studies. Students are presented with a variety of case formulas including paper or written cases, videotape cases, simulated client cases, and real client cases to promote the development of specific types of clinical reasoning, including scientific, procedural, interactive, narrative, and pragmatic reasoning. 2 lecture hours weekly.

Students will work under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist in facilities which provide experiences in psychosocial disabilities. Working with persons having various levels of psychosocial and cognitive performance deficits, the student has opportunities for synthesis, the integration and application of knowledge gained through their didactic coursework. Utilizing therapeutic use of self, the student will employ clinical reasoning and competent practice skills as they plan and lead group intervention sessions. 1 lecture hour weekly and 40 total clinical hours.

This course builds upon previous courses and competencies and advances student clinical reasoning skills as they create solutions to occupational performance challenges by identifying and applying preparatory methods, which include assistive technology and environmental modifications, wheeled mobility and preparatory tasks. This course will require you to design and fabricate adaptive equipment, elements of wheel chair seating and positioning, switches, ergonomic interventions, environmental controls, adapted exercise / leisure equipment, voice controls, vendor resources, community resources, adapted driving, low vision aids, accessibility solutions in the home and community, low tech and high tech options to enhance ADL and IADL performance.  During this semester you will be required to select, provide, educate and train a client in use of preparatory methods which prepare a client for occupational performance.  2 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours weekly.

The course focuses on occupational therapy and physical disabilities as they pertain to the adult population. Injury, illness, and disease and the effect on the functioning of the individual in self-care, work, and leisure are explored. Students will become familiar with protocols and precautions. It provides students with knowledge, laboratory experiences, and a framework to provide services to adults with physical dysfunction. This course addresses occupational therapy values, theory and practice, including frames of reference, evaluation, treatment planning, and selection of age-appropriate occupations to support occupational performance, occupational analysis, and discharge planning. Students are provided with opportunities to demonstrate development of entry level documentation skills.  1 lecture hour and 3 laboratory hours weekly.

This course will discuss the concepts of the physical care and evidence-based principals to create results in clinical interventions for the neurological patient. The basic concepts of PNF, NDT, motor learning, forced use, sensory and manual cueing, will be reviewed. The causes of and treatment for altered muscular tone will be explored. Hemiparesis and spasticity treatments of the UE will be covered. Documentation to advocate for a client will be addressed. The Vision Rehabilitation lab portions will cover ocular motor, visual field, and neglect testing. Functional treatment interventions will be discussed for each of the impairments. 1 lecture hours 3 laboratory hours weekly.

The study of contemporary issues of aging and social implications of worldwide longer lifespan. Examination of theories of aging, including physiological, psychological, and functional changes and the influence of culture, race, and gender in the experience of aging. Through clinical reasoning, students will observe, assess, and complete therapeutic interventions to develop an effective holistic approach to geriatric practice in a variety of environments, ranging from community to institutional settings. Students will demonstrate the ability to provide holistic and humanistic elder care via service-learning project. 2 lecture  weekly.

This course offers students conceptual and practical knowledge and skills needed to plan and manage the delivery of evidence- and occupation-based occupational therapy services that are efficacious and cost-effective within the varying contexts of the rapidly changing health care environment. The importance of professionalism in OT, the role of regulatory agencies and the use of professional literature and research to keep the profession and the practice of OT current will be covered. Topics include the effective use of professional literature, understanding requirements for credentialing, practice management, effective and professional communication, and the importance of on-going professional development. Business planning in this course will support students in their fieldwork.

Each course entails two months of full-time supervised fieldwork experience with the opportunity to treat individuals with a variety of diagnoses across the life span and to complete a professional site-specific project. Students will be placed in 2 varied practice areas with differing populations. Fieldwork Level II is an in-depth experiential learning experience that is critical to occupational therapy education. In supervised settings, students apply their academically acquired body of knowledge in varied settings where occupational therapy services are provided. Under the direction and in collaboration with the OT, students will examine the application of theories and evidence to support treatment intervention in the occupational therapy process.  Students will participate in all aspects of the OT process from screening to discharge planning.  Students must complete a total of 640 clinical hours.

Each course entails two months of full-time supervised fieldwork experience with the opportunity to treat individuals with a variety of diagnoses across the life span and to complete a professional site-specific project. Students will be placed in 2 varied practice areas with differing populations. Fieldwork Level II is an in-depth experiential learning experience that is critical to occupational therapy education. In supervised settings, students apply their academically acquired body of knowledge in varied settings where occupational therapy services are provided. Under the direction and in collaboration with the OT, students will examine the application of theories and evidence to support treatment intervention in the occupational therapy process. Students will participate in all aspects of the OT process from screening to discharge planning.  Students must complete a total of 640 clinical hours.