Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

(1)

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Mission

The Wright College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program seeks to prepare competent and effective occupational therapy practitioners who value occupation as both a means and an end to quality living for self and others.

Statement of Purpose

Individuals admitted to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program will examine their own diverse backgrounds in order to appreciate the relationship of culture on health, access to health services, and to occupational choices. Through the educational process students will gain skills to use technology and seek resources needed for the provision of effective occupational therapy interventions. The program requires students to engage in critical reasoning, analysis and communication necessary to participate in the occupational therapy process. The program will provide opportunities to explore existing and potential roles in contemporary and emerging arenas of practice.

Goals

The goals of the Wright College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program express the essential concepts and ideas that guide the program’s curriculum in achieving the mission. These concepts and ideas, explored in the Statement of Professional Philosophy, address eight key domains of knowledge and skill. It is these eight domains that give shape to the program’s goals.

The Impact of Culture

 Appreciate one’s own cultural heritage and consciously consider the impact of culture in all facets of professional endeavor.

 Recognize and consider the relationship of culture on the availability of health services, access to and choice of occupations.

Oral and Written Communication Skills

 Demonstrate oral and written communication that meets professionally established standards.

 Accurately represent the principles and tenets of occupational therapy to a variety of audiences.

 Use language compatible with the concepts of occupation and the principles of occupational therapy.

 Utilize current technologies as resources for obtaining information and apply relevant technology.

Use of Self as an Agent of Change

 Identify one’s own talents, abilities and learning needs required to engage in professional roles and to assure continuing professional development.

 Participate professionally as an effective citizen.

Ethical Practice – Ethical Practitioner

 Recognize and articulate ethical challenges and generate reasoned, timely and effective strategies for responding appropriately.

(2)

The Occupational Therapy Process

 Demonstrate competence in the delivery of occupational therapy services that utilize the occupational therapy process as a professional framework.

 Generate and employ interventions that consider established professional intervention principles.

 Select intervention strategies and approaches that are informed by current knowledge of the occupational therapy profession and of related disciplines.

 Develop a basic structure for outcomes assessment of occupational therapy services.

The Collaborative Practitioner

 Demonstrate competence in inter and intradisciplinary collaboration in all aspects of the occupational therapy process.

Understanding Practice Settings – the Multiskilled Practitioner

 Frame the knowledge base and skills of the occupational therapy assistant for a variety of practice settings.

 Recognize health service needs in a variety of models and systems, and consider viable roles for occupational therapy practitioners.

Learning and Teaching Processes

 Identify one’s own learning styles and needs, and generate strategies for effective, self-directed learning.

 Deliver occupational therapy services and interventions that meet the needs of a variety of target populations.

Student Learning Outcomes:

The program’s student learning outcomes are one part of an overall program evaluation system that is designed to comply with the Wright College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program’s accreditation requirements as determined by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, Accreditation Standards for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, 1998.

1. Appreciate the meanings and impact of culture for self as an individual and professional, relate it to occupational choices and opportunities, and to the accessing of healthcare services.

2. Use oral, written and technology-based communication with consumers, consumer groups, peers, and other professionals/parties of interest.

3. Assume responsible, caring and proactive roles as an effective healthcare professional.

4. Recognize and articulate ethical challenges and generate reasoned, timely and effective strategies for responding appropriately to these challenges.

5. Engage in the safe and effective application of the occupational therapy process to occupational therapy consumers and special populations.

(3)

7. Possess the knowledge and skills needed to practice as an occupational therapy assistant in a variety of healthcare delivery models, systems and settings.

8. Recognize the need for continuing professional development through participation in continuing educational activities.

9. Possess the knowledge, skills and credentials necessary for entry-level practice as an occupational therapy assistant.

BENCHMARKS FOR ASSESSING OTA LEARNING OUTCOMES

The expected outcomes establish the minimum levels of competency strived for to fulfill the OTA Program’s mission and goals.

D = Direct Assessment Method I = Indirect Assessment Method

Assessment Methods _{Expected Outcomes}

1. Appreciate the meanings and impact of culture for self as an individual

and professional, relate it to occupational choices and opportunities, and

to access to healthcare.

Certification Exam results (I) 80% graduate pass rate Graduate Survey (beginning class of

2004) (D)

80% report preparation to function effectively as healthcare professionals

Employer Survey (beginning class of 2004) (I)

80% of employers report graduates possess skills Final grades in all OTA courses, 107

and above (D)

85% pass rate of “C” or above Fieldwork Evaluation Performance

Ratings-Items 7, 12 & 13 (D)

FW Educators report poor performance for <10% of students

Student end-of-term course evaluations (D)

85% of students report meeting related course competencies

with mean score of 3.5 or above (5 point scale).

2. Use oral, written, and technology-based communication with

consumers, consumer groups, peers, other professionals and parties of

interest.

Certification Exam results (D) 80% graduate pass rate

Graduate Survey (class of ’04) (D) 80% report program prepared them to function effectively as healthcare professionals.

Employer Survey (class of ’04) (I) 80% of employers report graduates possess skills Final grades in all OTA courses, 107

and above (D)

80% pass rate of “C” or above Fieldwork Evaluation Performance

Ratings-Section V, Items 18 & 19 (D)

(4)

3. Assume responsible, caring and proactive roles as an effective

healthcare professional.

Graduate Survey (Class of ’04) (D) 80% report preparation to function effectively as healthcare professionals

Employer Survey (Class of ’04) (I) 80% of employers report graduates possess skills Fieldwork Evaluation Performance

Ratings – Overall score (D)

Use of Educational Guarantee (D) 0% use of program’s Educational Guarantee Employment rate of graduates (I) 85% of graduates seeking OTA or OTA related

position will be successful within 3-6 months of program completion.

4. Recognize and articulate ethical challenges and generate reasoned,

timely and effective strategies for responding appropriately.

Graduate Survey (D) 80% report preparation to function effectively as healthcare professionals

Employer Survey (I) 80% of employers report graduates possess skills Fieldwork Evaluation Performance

Ratings – Items 1, 4, 5 & 6 (D)

Final grades in OTA 215 and 216 (D) 90% pass rate of “C” or above

5. Engage in the safe and effective application of the occupational therapy

process to occupational therapy consumers and special populations.

Employer Survey (I) 80% of employers report graduates possess skills Graduate Survey (D) 80% report preparation to function effectively as

healthcare professionals Fieldwork Evaluation Performance

Ratings – Overall score(I)

Final Grades in OTA 107 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above OTA 109 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above OTA 209 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above OTA 212 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above Number of student or consumer

incidents involving injury (D)

<5% injury rate for consumers or students during fieldwork education coursework

Use of Educational Guarantee (D) 0% use of program’s Educational Guarantee

6. Demonstrate competence in inter and intradisciplinary collaboration in

all aspects of the occupational therapy process.

Ratings – Overall score(D)

(5)

OTA 215 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above OTA 216 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above

Use of Educational Guarantee (D) 0% use of program’s Educational Guarantee

7. Possess the knowledge and skills needed to practice as an

occupational therapy assistant in a variety of healthcare delivery models,

systems and settings.

Ratings – Overall score (D)

Final Grades in OTA 107 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 109 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 209 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 211 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 212 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 214 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 215 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above 216 (D) 80% pass rate of “C” or above

Employment settings of graduates (I) >10% of graduates report seeking and/or finding employment in emerging practice settings OTA Course evaluations (I) 85% rate items at 3.5 (out of 5) or above Use of Educational Guarantee (D) 0% use of program’s Educational Guarantee

8. Recognize the need for continuing professional development through

participation in continuing education activities.

Graduate survey (D) 100% of graduates report participation in continuing education within one year of program completion Participation in mentoring program

(beginning 2005) (D)

10% or more graduates will participate in OTA Student Mentoring Program

Final Grade OTA 216 100% complete professional development assignment

9. Possess the knowledge, skills and credentials necessary for entry-level

practice as an occupational therapy assistant.

Final grades in OTA 215 and 216 (D) 80% pass rate with “C” or above Program completion rates (time frame)

(I)

75% of graduates will complete program requirements within the usual, established timeframe

Short term program retention rates (I) 80% of students starting program will begin the 2nd year of study

Long term program retention rates (I) 85% of students starting 2nd year of study will complete program