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Occupational Therapy Aides

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$37,370	600	3.7%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$37,370

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

600

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

3.7%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
Prepare medical reports or documents.
Communicate patient status to other health practitioners.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Record vital statistics or other health information.
Maintain medical records.
Monitor work areas or procedures to ensure compliance with safety procedures.
Manage control system activities in organizations.
Administer screening tests to determine abilities or treatment needs.
Prepare patient treatment areas for use.
Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
Teach basic living or other adaptive skills to patients or caregivers.
Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
Engage patients in exercises or activities.
Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
Stock medical or patient care supplies.
Perform clerical work in medical settings.
Teach medical procedures to healthcare personnel.
Move patients to or from treatment areas.
Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
Administer screening tests to determine abilities or treatment needs.
Accompany patients or clients on outings to provide assistance.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.
Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
Evaluate the living skills and capacities of clients with physical, developmental, or mental health disabilities.
Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.
Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

For more information on this career visit: https://explorehealthcareers.org/careers/occupational-therapy/occupational-therapy-aide/

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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