Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapist Job Description By Sarah Lyon, OTR/L Sarah Lyon, OTR/L LinkedIn Twitter Sarah Lyon, OTR/L, is a board-certified occupational therapist and founder of OT Potential. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 30, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT Medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT LinkedIn Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist currently working in New York at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, an affiliate of New York Presbyterian. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Looking to learn more about what an occupational therapist (OT) does? Or are you looking to find and hire the right OT for your business? Below is an example of an occupational therapy job description. If you are looking to craft your own job description, this sample OT job description can give you a starting point. This example was written with the hospital and skilled nursing facilities in mind, but can be adapted for other settings. Getty Images Sample Occupational Therapy Job Description Title: Full-time Occupational Therapist Position Reports to: Director of Rehabilitation Job Summary The occupational therapist is responsible for empowering patients to participate more fully in daily tasks when this ability is compromised by a health condition. Occupational therapy is medically prescribed and involves skilled evaluation, treatment, and discharge. A qualified candidate should have two years of experience in this practice area. They must be licensed to provide occupational therapy in the state of employment. Masters and doctoral preparation are preferred, as are OTs who are registered and in good standing with the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Job Duties Evaluation/Re-evaluation: Assesses the client’s functional abilities, including physical, emotional, cognitive, and sensory components to evaluate the necessity of skilled occupational therapy intervention. A patient’s history, context, and goals for treatment should be taken into account when determining a treatment plan. Treatment: Helps the client achieve goals set forth in the treatment plan by providing neuromuscular reeducation, therapeutic activity, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, self-care/home management training, development of cognitive skills, sensory integration techniques, wheelchair management, and wound care. Modalities utilized may include biofeedback, paraffin baths, whirlpools, iontophoresis, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound. Discharge: Ensures safety at discharge and continuation of progress by providing home exercise programs, family/caregiver instruction, recommendations for assistive equipment, and recommendations for continued therapy in a less restrictive setting. Discharge planning should begin at the evaluation and continue through the course of treatment. Planning and coordination for discharge should occur in conjunction with physicians, social workers, other healthcare workers, and the client and family members. Supervision: Supervises occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapy aides, and occupational therapy students in accordance with standards set by the American Occupational Therapy Association, the state of employment, and the facility. Contribution to healthcare team: Communicates with the health team through effective documentation and charting in the patient and department records. Maintains patient confidence by keeping information confidential, keeping the work environment safe and clean, and adhering to infection control and other safety policies. Maintenance of the occupational therapy department’s integrity: Maintains professional expertise through continued education as necessitated by licensure and as appropriate for the provision of specific treatments. Develops occupational therapy department by annually reviewing best practices. Complies with federal and state professional requirements. Skills/Competencies Skills: Administer and evaluate standardized assessmentsSelect and oversee evidence-based interventionsEffectively document the occupational therapy process in compliance with state and federal regulations Competencies: Effective verbal and written communicationTeamworkPatient-centerednessDedication to complianceDedication to best practiceListening and collaborationAbility to work in a fast-paced environment Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 5 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapy practice framework: domain and process—fourth edition. Am J Occup Ther. 2020;74(Supplement_2):7412410010p1-7412410010p87. doi:10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Outpatient physical and occupational therapy services. American Occupational Therapy Association. Guidelines for supervision, roles, and responsibilities during the delivery of occupational therapy services. Am J Occup Ther. 2020;74(Supplement_3):7413410020p1-7413410020p6. doi:10.5014/ajot.2020.74S3004 American Occupational Therapy Association. Guidelines for documentation of occupational therapy. Am J Occup Ther. 2018;72(Supplement_2):7212410010p1-7212410010p7. doi:10.5014/ajot.2018.72S203 American Occupational Therapy Association. AOTA 2021 standards for continuing competence in occupational therapy. Am J Occup Ther. 2022;75(Supplement_3):7513410040. doi:10.5014/ajot.2021.75S3009