Occupation AtlasOccupational Therapy Aides
O*NET · 31-2012.00
Occupational Therapy Aides
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.
Also called Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA) · CORA · Direct Service Professional (DSP) · Direct Support Professional (DSP) · DSP · Independent Living Specialist · Occupational Rehabilitation Aide · Occupational Therapist Aide (OT Aide)
17 more
Occupational Therapy Aide (OT Aide) · OT Aide · Rehab Aide · Rehab Nursing Tech · Rehab Services Tech · Rehab Therapy Aide · Rehab Therapy Tech · Rehabilitation Aide (Rehab Aide) · Rehabilitation Nursing Technician (Rehab Nursing Tech) · Rehabilitation Services Aide · Rehabilitation Services Technician (Rehab Services Tech) · Rehabilitation Therapy Aide (Rehab Therapy Aide) · Rehabilitation Therapy Technician (Rehab Therapy Tech) · Restorative Aide · SNF COTA · SNF COTA (Skilled Nursing Facility Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) · Therapy Aide
Compare with another occupationCompare with Skincare Specialists
Job Zone
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.
Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.
Occupational interest profile
SRCSocial · Realistic · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order
- S Social6.00
- R Realistic3.91
- C Conventional3.72
- I Investigative2.55
- E Enterprising1.82
- A Artistic1.69
RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.
Education and experience
The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.
- Related work experience
- None (37%)
- On-site or in-plant training
- Up to and including 1 month (59%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (46%)
Typically associated skills
All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.
- Service OrientationImportance 3.8Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
- Social PerceptivenessImportance 3.6Level 3.5Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
- SpeakingbasicImportance 3.6Level 3.5Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
- Active ListeningbasicImportance 3.5Level 3.6Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
- CoordinationImportance 3.4Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
- Critical ThinkingbasicImportance 3.3Level 3.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
- MonitoringbasicImportance 3.3Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
- Reading ComprehensionbasicImportance 3.1Level 3.4Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
- WritingbasicImportance 3.1Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
- Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.1Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
- Active LearningbasicImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
- InstructingImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
Show the other 23
- Learning StrategiesbasicImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
- Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 3.0Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
- Time ManagementImportance 3.0Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
- PersuasionImportance 2.9Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
- NegotiationImportance 2.5Level 2.3Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
- Operations MonitoringImportance 2.4Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
- Management of Personnel ResourcesImportance 2.1Level 2.4Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
- Systems AnalysisImportance 2.1Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
- Systems EvaluationImportance 2.1Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
- Quality Control AnalysisImportance 2.1Level 1.6Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
- MathematicsbasicImportance 2.0Level 1.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
- Operations AnalysisImportance 1.9Level 1.6Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
- Operation and ControlImportance 1.9Level 1.1Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
- TroubleshootingImportance 1.9Level 1.1Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
- Management of Material ResourcesImportance 1.8Level 0.9
- SciencebasicImportance 1.6Level 0.8
- Equipment MaintenanceImportance 1.5Level 0.8
- RepairingImportance 1.5Level 0.8
- Technology DesignImportance 1.5Level 0.6
- Management of Financial ResourcesImportance 1.5Level 0.5
- Equipment SelectionImportance 1.3Level —
- ProgrammingImportance 1.1Level —
- InstallationImportance 1.0Level —
Tasks
12 core · 3 supplementalWhat people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.Importance 4.5
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.Importance 4.5
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.Importance 4.3
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.Importance 4.3
- 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.Importance 4.1
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.Importance 4.1
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.Importance 4.1
- Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.Importance 4.0
- Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.Importance 4.0
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.Importance 4.0
- Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.Importance 3.8
- Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.Importance 3.6
Show the other 3
- Evaluate the living skills and capacities of clients with physical, developmental, or mental health disabilities.Importance 4.4
- Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.Importance 3.3
- Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.Importance 3.1
Knowledge
Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.
- Therapy and CounselingImportance 4.4Level 4.0Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
- English LanguageImportance 4.2Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
- Customer and Personal ServiceImportance 4.1Level 4.0Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
- PsychologyImportance 3.8Level 4.6Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
- Computers and ElectronicsImportance 3.7Level 4.1Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
- Education and TrainingImportance 3.6Level 3.4Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
- Medicine and DentistryImportance 3.3Level 3.0Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
- Public Safety and SecurityImportance 3.1Level 2.3Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
Show all 33
- AdministrativeImportance 3.0Level 3.9Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
- Administration and ManagementImportance 2.7Level 2.4Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
- Communications and MediaImportance 2.5Level 2.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
- Sociology and AnthropologyImportance 2.5Level 2.1Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
- MathematicsImportance 2.4Level 2.6
- PhysicsImportance 2.3Level 1.5Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
- BiologyImportance 2.2Level 1.9Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
- Personnel and Human ResourcesImportance 2.2Level 1.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
- Philosophy and TheologyImportance 2.2Level 2.6
- TelecommunicationsImportance 2.2Level 1.4Level 1 looks like: Send an email
- DesignImportance 2.1Level 1.7Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
- Law and GovernmentImportance 2.1Level 2.1Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
- Engineering and TechnologyImportance 2.0Level 1.5Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
- Foreign LanguageImportance 2.0Level 0.9Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
- Sales and MarketingImportance 1.9Level 1.5Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
- Economics and AccountingImportance 1.7Level 0.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
- ChemistryImportance 1.6Level 1.3Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
- MechanicalImportance 1.6Level 1.1Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
- Production and ProcessingImportance 1.5Level —
- Building and ConstructionImportance 1.4Level —
- TransportationImportance 1.4Level —
- Fine ArtsImportance 1.3Level 0.5Level 1 looks like: Attend a popular music concert
- Food ProductionImportance 1.2Level —
- GeographyImportance 1.2Level —
- History and ArcheologyImportance 1.2Level —
Abilities
Enduring capacities the work calls for.
- Oral ComprehensionImportance 3.8Level 3.9Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
- Problem SensitivityImportance 3.8Level 3.5Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
- Oral ExpressionImportance 3.5Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
- Deductive ReasoningImportance 3.3Level 3.1Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
- Speech ClarityImportance 3.3Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
- Speech RecognitionImportance 3.3Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
- Information OrderingImportance 3.1Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
- Written ComprehensionImportance 3.1Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
Show all 52
- Written ExpressionImportance 3.1Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
- Category FlexibilityImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
- Finger DexterityImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
- Inductive ReasoningImportance 3.0Level 3.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
- Near VisionImportance 3.0Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
- Trunk StrengthImportance 3.0Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
- Arm-Hand SteadinessImportance 2.9Level 2.8Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
- Manual DexterityImportance 2.9Level 2.8
- Static StrengthImportance 2.9Level 3.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
- Extent FlexibilityImportance 2.8Level 2.8Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
- Fluency of IdeasImportance 2.8Level 2.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
- Multilimb CoordinationImportance 2.8Level 2.9Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
- Time SharingImportance 2.8Level 2.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
- Flexibility of ClosureImportance 2.6Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
- OriginalityImportance 2.6Level 2.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
- Selective AttentionImportance 2.6Level 2.6Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
- StaminaImportance 2.6Level 2.1Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
- Far VisionImportance 2.5Level 2.5Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
- Gross Body CoordinationImportance 2.5Level 2.5Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
- Gross Body EquilibriumImportance 2.5Level 2.5Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
- Perceptual SpeedImportance 2.3Level 2.3Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
- Control PrecisionImportance 2.1Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
- Dynamic StrengthImportance 2.1Level 2.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
- MemorizationImportance 2.1Level 2.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
- Speed of ClosureImportance 2.1Level 2.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
- VisualizationImportance 2.1Level 2.4Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
- Auditory AttentionImportance 2.0Level 2.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
- Mathematical ReasoningImportance 2.0Level 1.6Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
- Number FacilityImportance 2.0Level 1.9Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
- Depth PerceptionImportance 1.9Level 1.6Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
- Explosive StrengthImportance 1.9Level 1.6Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
- Hearing SensitivityImportance 1.9Level 1.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
- Response OrientationImportance 1.9Level 1.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
- Visual Color DiscriminationImportance 1.9Level 1.8Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
- Reaction TimeImportance 1.8Level 1.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
- Peripheral VisionImportance 1.5Level 0.6
- Rate ControlImportance 1.5Level 0.6Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
- Speed of Limb MovementImportance 1.5Level 0.6
- Glare SensitivityImportance 1.4Level 0.5
- Spatial OrientationImportance 1.4Level 0.5
- Wrist-Finger SpeedImportance 1.4Level 0.5
- Night VisionImportance 1.3Level —
- Sound LocalizationImportance 1.3Level —
- Dynamic FlexibilityImportance 1.1Level —
Work activities
Kinds of activity the work is made of.
- Assisting and Caring for OthersImportance 4.8Level 5.0Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
- Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicImportance 4.5Level 4.4Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesImportance 4.4Level 4.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
- Performing General Physical ActivitiesImportance 4.3Level 4.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
- Getting InformationImportance 4.2Level 4.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsImportance 4.1Level 4.6Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsImportance 4.0Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsImportance 4.0Level 4.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
- Documenting/Recording InformationImportance 3.9Level 3.3Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersImportance 3.9Level 3.0Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
- Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsImportance 3.9Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkImportance 3.9Level 4.4Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersImportance 3.9Level 4.3Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
- Training and Teaching OthersImportance 3.9Level 3.2Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
- Working with ComputersImportance 3.9Level 3.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
- Developing and Building TeamsImportance 3.8Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsImportance 3.8Level 5.1Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
- Scheduling Work and ActivitiesImportance 3.8Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
- Coaching and Developing OthersImportance 3.7Level 3.9Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of OthersImportance 3.7Level 3.8Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
- Performing Administrative ActivitiesImportance 3.7Level 3.5Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
- Communicating with People Outside the OrganizationImportance 3.6Level 3.2Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsImportance 3.6Level 3.4Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
- Handling and Moving ObjectsImportance 3.5Level 4.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
- Thinking CreativelyImportance 3.5Level 4.0Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
- Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeImportance 3.5Level 4.6Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesImportance 3.4Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleImportance 3.3Level 3.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
- Processing InformationImportance 3.3Level 3.5Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
- Analyzing Data or InformationImportance 3.2Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
- Controlling Machines and ProcessesImportance 3.1Level 3.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
- Developing Objectives and StrategiesImportance 3.1Level 3.2Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
- Providing Consultation and Advice to OthersImportance 3.1Level 2.8
- Monitoring and Controlling ResourcesImportance 2.9Level 3.1Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
- Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationImportance 2.7Level 3.3Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentImportance 2.7Level 2.1Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentImportance 2.7Level 2.5Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
- Staffing Organizational UnitsImportance 2.7Level 2.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
- Repairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentImportance 2.6Level 2.3Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentImportance 2.4Level 1.9Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
- Selling or Influencing OthersImportance 2.3Level 2.2Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
Work context
The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.
Technology
10 toolsSoftware used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.
Hot (7)
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Other tools (3)
- Billing software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Scheduling software
Related occupations
O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.
ESCO equivalents
From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.
Closest occupations
Compare any occupation →Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.
Skincare Specialists
Average difference 0.2 points · Equipment Selection +0.6, Equipment Maintenance −0.5
O*NET · Zone 3 · Compare
Personal Care Aides
Average difference 0.2 points · Operations Analysis −0.8, Speaking −0.6
O*NET · Zone 2 · Compare
Physical Therapist Aides
Average difference 0.2 points · Speaking −0.6, Repairing −0.5
O*NET · Zone 2 · Compare
Phlebotomists
Average difference 0.2 points · Science +0.7, Persuasion −0.6
O*NET · Zone 3 · Compare
Flight Attendants
Average difference 0.2 points · Monitoring +0.6, Equipment Maintenance −0.5
O*NET · Zone 2 · Compare
Psychiatric Aides
Average difference 0.2 points · Operations Analysis −0.6, Equipment Maintenance −0.5
O*NET · Zone 2 · Compare
Home Health Aides
Average difference 0.2 points · Operations Analysis −0.9, Management of Financial Resources +0.6
O*NET · Zone 2 · Compare
Ophthalmic Medical Technologists
Average difference 0.2 points · Management of Personnel Resources +0.8, Operations Analysis −0.8
O*NET · Zone 3 · Compare
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.