What does a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant do?

A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients. Some of their duties include diagnosing patient's problems, performing counseling services, monitoring medication progress, customizing therapy activities for pain management, and consulting other health professionals as needed. Therapists must have extensive knowledge with the medical industry to detect patients' conditions easily and provide effective medications.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between certified occupational therapist assistants and therapist. For instance, certified occupational therapist assistant responsibilities require skills such as "home health," "acute care," "quality care," and "occupational therapy." Whereas a therapist is skilled in "social work," "group therapy sessions," "crisis intervention," and "mental health." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, certified occupational therapist assistant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "home health," "quality care," "adaptive," and "compassion." Meanwhile, a student assistant technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "fieldwork," "adl," "iadl," and "mental health." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

A rehabilitation assistant performs support tasks to assist nurses or therapists in providing care services to patients and maintaining the smooth flow of operations in clinics. Their daily tasks often include greeting patients, answering inquiries, helping patients during treatments and training, and providing personal care by assisting them in hygienic and physical tasks. They may also prepare and process documents, handle calls and correspondence, organize files, liaise with external business partners such as vendors and suppliers, maintain records, and arrange schedules.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a certified occupational therapist assistant is likely to be skilled in "patient care," "body mechanics," "healthcare professionals," and "adaptive equipment," while a typical physical therapist is skilled in "physical therapy treatment," "direct patient care," "physical therapy assistants," and "outpatient clinic."

Even though a few skill sets overlap between certified occupational therapist assistants and rehabilitation assistants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a certified occupational therapist assistant might have more use for skills like "acute care," "quality care," "body mechanics," and "healthcare professionals." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of rehabilitation assistants require skills like "customer service," "money management," "mental illness," and "vital signs. "