Rachel Gilliam

An occupational therapy assistant is a person who has graduated from an occupational therapy assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the accredited occupational therapy assistant program, has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapy assistants, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapy assistant provides interventions under the supervision of an occupational therapist which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapy assistants address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

(1) An unlicensed individual who is trained to function in an assistive role to the licensed nurse in the provision of patient/client activities as delegated by the nurse; (2) An individual trained (either on-the-job or through a formal course generally of less than one year) and experienced in performing patient or client-care nursing tasks that do not require the skills of a specialist, technician, or professional. Examples of tasks performed by nurses aides include changing clothes, diapers, and beds; assisting patients to perform exercises or personal hygiene tasks, and supporting communication or social interaction. Specific education and credentials are not required for this work.