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Occupational Therapy Aide Program Details

Penn Foster Career School’s online Occupational Therapy Aide program consists of five courses to help you gain the knowledge and skills needed in this field, including classes discussing safety within the health care environment, professional responsibilities of occupational therapy aides, and medical terminology related to the body.

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Program Goal and Outcomes

Program Goal

The program goal for Penn Foster’s Occupational Therapy Aide program is to develop the skills and knowledge to obtain an entry-level position as a professional occupational therapy aide.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...
  • Identify typical personal qualities held by successful occupational therapy aides, including empathy, knowledge of good customer service, and effective communication.
  • Identify typical professional responsibilities of occupational therapy aides, including assisting with activities of daily living, administrative duties, inventory control, and telephone etiquette.
  • Use appropriate medical terminology related to the body in order to communicate accurately with clients and supervisors.
  • Show understanding of the importance of a safe health care environment, including potential hazards and fall prevention, and the aide’s role in maintaining a clean, safe workplace.
Starting Your Program
Succeed by learning how to use your Penn Foster program.

Objectives:

  • Understand how to use your Student Portal.
  • Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
  • Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.
Introduction to Occupational Therapy
In this course, you’ll learn what the practice of occupational therapy is all about.

Objective:

  • Identify the origins, roles, and responsibilities of occupational therapy team members.
The Physical/Occupational Therapy Aide
Occupational therapy aides are skilled health-care workers who are important parts of the rehabilitative team.

Objective:

  • Explain the aide's role in regards to administrative and clinical tasks.
Introduction to Medical Terminology
Become familiar with the medical terms that you will hear on a daily basis in your new career.

Objective:

  • Define medical terms and their connection to human body regions and structures.
Body Systems Terminology
A body system is composed of organs that are designed to work together so that a particular function—such as breathing—can be performed.

Objective:

  • Explain various body systems and common body system disorders.
Additional Unit Materials

Online Resources: Access to MedlinePlus/Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, mobile apps, and abbreviations guides

Activities of Daily Living
Injury, disease, and illness can affect our ability to perform many of the activities we take for granted. The goal of occupational therapy is to enable the patient to perform these daily activities, called activities of daily living, at the highest level of independence possible.

Objective:

  • Describe activities of daily living (ADLs) as they relate to each developmental stage.
Adaptive Equipment
Adaptive equipment is the term used for the devices an ill or injured person uses to help achieve functional independence.

Objective:

  • Explain what adaptive equipment is and how it contributes to independent living.
Therapeutic Treatment
Learn about many of the common therapeutic treatments used in occupational therapy.

Objective:

  • Identify common therapeutic practices used in the occupational therapy clinic.
Customer Service
Rehabilitation clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and other providers of therapy have cut costs by hiring aides to assist therapists in the delivery of care to patients.

Objective:

  • Analyze the importance of developing an effective customer relationship in the healthcare sector.
Workplace Health and Safety
The safety of the therapy team and patients depends on a clean, organized work environment that follows protocol for maintaining patient records and protecting against infectious diseases.

Objective:

  • Analyze the role that safety plays in a healthcare setting.
Clinical Work Experience Option

This program includes an optional work experience component. Looking to your future, we’re providing you with this Work Experience Option Supplement that can be used to help you find a position as a trainee in a medical facility.

Additional Details

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in this field are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered in the Penn Foster Program. Prospective students should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where they plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in this Program. Click here for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.

Penn Foster Career School Accreditation & Licensing Details

Penn Foster has been accredited for over 50 years. Penn Foster Career School has been thoroughly reviewed and has earned several important accreditations, certifications, and licensing. Most importantly, Penn Foster Career School is both regionally and nationally accredited.

Accreditation
DEAC
MSA
Surround Sound Support

Surround Sound Support

Whether you prefer chat, text, email, or phone, our faculty is here to help you achieve your goals. Penn Foster students also have access to our expert team of Success Coaches to help with budgeting for your education, career guidance, or simply some extra motivation.

Progress Tracking and Goal Setting Tools

Our customizable goal-setting tools will help you create a schedule and stick to it. Need some extra time to complete a lesson or take an exam? Not a problem — you can adjust your study plan at any time to set a pace that works for you.
Progress Tracking and Goal Setting Tools
Penn Foster Student Community

Student Community

Looking to connect with other Penn Foster students? Our Student Community is the perfect place for you to interact with your peers — as well as Penn Foster faculty and staff — to discuss your online learning experience, congratulate fellow students, and share your Penn Foster experience.

Sample Occupational Therapy Aide Lesson

Penn Foster courses are written in a way that is easy to understand, and materials are broken down into manageable lessons. Take a look at what an Occupational Therapy Aide course would look like.
View Sample Lesson
Sample Occupational Therapy Aide Lesson
Computer Specifications
As you know this is an online academic program. This means you will need high-speed internet access to begin your program. In addition, you will need access to a Microsoft® Windows® based computer running Windows 7® or later or an Apple® Mac® computer running OS X® or later, and an email account to participate in and complete your program.
We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.
Apple, Mac, and OS X are trademarks of Apple, Inc. registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.
Overview
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Aide duties are closely regulated by the American Occupational Therapy Association, by individual states, and by the supervising occupational therapist. Duties in each state vary. The aide position is an unregulated, unlicensed, uncertified, unregistered profession. There are no requirements for an aide in any state. The program is not sufficient for assistant status in any state. Assistants require specific educational training, certification, and licensure examinations in every state.

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