Success in the site-specific objectives will demonstrate the student’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to practice in a safe and ethical manner.

Additionally, it will establish a baseline for the student in being able to effectively carry out the occupational therapy process, in the practice setting, as an entry-level occupational therapy assistant.

 
Fundamentals of Practice Objectives
Adheres to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Code of Ethics and all federal, state, and facility regulations.  


Examples: Medicare, Medicaid, client privacy, social media, and human subject research  
  • Maintains strict client confidentiality and adheres to all HIPAA procedural guidelines  
  • Accurately documents and bills for services provided  
  • Maintains quality client care and client satisfaction as a guideline for professional behavior
  • Identifies and addresses ethical concerns in the context of clinical supervision  
  • Recognizes personal strengths and limitations and uses  intervention modalities that are within the level of ability and experience  
Adheres to safety regulations and reports/documents incidents appropriately.     


Examples: fire safety, OSHA regulations, body substance precautions, and emergency procedures  
  • Consistently uses infection control precautions and procedures 
  • Maintains a clean and orderly work area, including equipment and supplies  
  • Follows facility procedures relating to codes  
  • Consistently follows specific client safety measures (locking wheelchair brakes, providing supervision, placement of TABS units, activation of bed alarms)  
  • Maintains an awareness of and adheres to all pertinent facility safety policies and procedures
Ensures the safety of self and others during all fieldwork-related activities by anticipating potentially unsafe situations and taking steps to prevent accidents. 
  

Examples: body mechanics, medical safety, equipment safety, client-specific precautions, contraindications, and community safety 

  • Provides appropriate supervision of client(s) during the OT process based on their physical, emotional, mental, and cognitive status 

  • Refrains from providing interventions without appropriate training or skills.  

  • Seeks and is receptive to supervision to ensure client safety  

  • Demonstrates willingness to function within constraints of center policies and procedures

  • Identifies and reports safety concerns to the fieldwork educator and/or appropriate clinical staff  

  • Adheres to the principles of ergonomics during tasks  

  • Identifies and enforces client precautions and avoids contraindications in all aspects of intervention  
 
Basic Tenets Objectives 

Articulates the values, beliefs, and distinct perspectives of the occupational therapy profession to clients and other relevant parties clearly, confidently, and accurately  

 Examples: families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, and the public  
  • Explains the role of OT within the practice setting in terms and language that is clearly understood by the recipient (clients, families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, & the public)  
  • Explains the domain and process of occupational therapy intervention  
  • Explains to other disciplines the intervention procedures implemented by OT practitioners  

Articulates the value of occupation as a method and desired outcome of occupational therapy to clients and other relevant parties clearly, confidently, and accurately  

Examples: families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, and the public  
  • Selects occupations and activities that reflect an understanding of the client’s interests and occupational values  
  • Articulates rationale for selection of occupations, activities, and intervention strategies  
  • Explains the use of occupation as an outcome and means of intervention  

Articulates the role of occupational therapy practitioners to clients and other relevant parties clearly, confidently, and accurately  

Examples: families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, and the public  
  • Verbalizes and demonstrates the differences in role delineation for an OT/OTA within the practice setting  
  • Explains the roles of the OTA in the clinic in a manner that reflects a value and appreciation for the contributions of the OTA in the OT  process  
 
Screening and Evaluation Objectives

Obtains sufficient and necessary information about factors that support and hinder occupational performance from relevant sources throughout the evaluation process   

Examples: record or chart reviews, client, family, caregivers, and service providers
  • Appropriately gathers relevant information from chart review, client/family/caregiver interview, or staff interaction regarding the client’s functional status, prior level of function, performance patterns, and client factors (including physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive functions)  
  • Selects and filters relevant and important information from all data collected

Establishes service competency in assessment methods, in accordance with setting procedures and applicable laws, by administering assessments accurately and efficiently to ensure findings are valid, reliable, and timely  

Examples: record or chart reviews, observations, interviews, standardized and non-standardized assessments  
  • Observes fieldwork educator in administering assessment tools  
  • Verbalizes understanding of scope and application of each assessment tool utilized at fieldwork site  
  • Demonstrates administration of assessment tools under the supervision of the fieldwork educator
  • Completes assessment tool administration in an acceptable timeframe as directed by the fieldwork site  

Administers delegated assessments using appropriate procedures and protocols.   

Examples: standardized and non-standardized assessments, interviews, and observations  

  • With appropriate supervision and instruction, administers assessments relating to occupational therapy performance  

  • Adheres to professional standards of assessment administration following site procedures and published assessment guidelines  

  • Accepts responsibility and is aware of the importance of accurate assessment and data gathering

Assists with interpreting information in relation to the client’s needs, factors, and performance   

Examples: record or chart reviews, observations, interviews, standardized and non-standardized assessments  

Client factors: Specific capacities, characteristics, or beliefs that reside within the person and that influence performance in occupations. Client factors include values, beliefs, and spirituality; body functions (including psychological functions); and body structures. Includes the consideration of psychosocial factors  

  
  • Completes necessary documentation based on assessment guidelines and site procedures. 
  • Records performance data objectively  
  • Determines correct assistance levels based on client performance  
  • Selects pertinent data from the client’s record to develop an accurate profile of the client’s strengths and weaknesses  
Report results clearly, accurately, and concisely, reflecting the client’s occupational performance
  • Reports assessment information to the occupational therapist in a clear, accurate, and concise manner  
  • Reports client’s status in relationship to goals to the occupational therapist throughout the intervention process based on ongoing   assessment  
 
Intervention Objectives

Articulates a clear and logical rationale for the intervention process based on the evaluation results and other relevant considerations

Examples: contexts, theories, frames of reference, practice models, and evidence  
  • Explains and applies knowledge of the various frames of reference, models, and evidence-based treatment interventions in occupational therapy practice  
  • Demonstrates clinical reasoning consistent with consideration of client needs and current occupational therapy evidence  

Under the supervision of and in cooperation with an occupational therapy practitioner, uses professional literature to make informed intervention decisions  

Examples: textbooks, journal articles, and other relevant and reliable informational resources  
  • Develops and implements intervention plans for clients in collaboration with the fieldwork educator   
  • Seeks and utilizes professional literature during intervention planning and implementation  
  • Demonstrates ability to locate books, journals, and other resources through professional organizations and the university library that contribute to the clinical reasoning process 

Select client-centered and occupation-based interventions that motivate and challenge the client to achieve established goals   

Includes the consideration of all client-centered components including psychosocial factors
  • Recognizes appropriateness for specific tasks based on the client’s current physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive status  
  • Implements intervention types that match the client’s performance skills, patterns, context, activity demands, and client factors (including physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive)  
  • Chooses occupations and activities that motivate and challenge the client  
  • Selects occupations and activities that are appropriate based on established goals  
  • Selects interventions that will be most effective in maximizing the client’s occupational performance and allow for ongoing assessment of the client’s functional capacity and readiness for discharge  

Implements client-centered and occupation-based intervention plans.  

Includes the consideration of all client-centered components including psychosocial factors  
  • Develops and implements an intervention plan based on client preferences, goals, and expected outcomes as identified in the occupational profile and evaluation process
  • Delivers occupational therapy services following a plan that considers all client factors (including physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive)  
  • Considers all types of intervention when providing occupational therapy services  
  • Prioritizes problem areas and addresses foundation skills needed for intervention progression  

Modifies the task and/or environment to maximize the client’s performance   

Examples: upgrades/downgrades task; arranges client’s workspace for optimal performance  
  • Demonstrates the ability to be flexible with intervention plans and adapt to changes in a timely manner  
  • Identifies barriers to the client’s progression and makes necessary changes to the intervention plan  
  • Grades and modifies intervention to allow for progression in functional status without frustration  
  • Recognizes changes in the client’s physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive status and adjust the intervention plan as appropriate  
  • Identifies contextual and environmental barriers to client performance and makes necessary changes  
  • Grades activity to motivate and challenge the client to facilitate the progression of goals  
Recommends modification or termination of intervention plan based on the client's status  
  • Articulates client status to the occupational therapist regarding goal progression/attainment  
  • Identifies and notifies occupational therapist of barriers to client performance and goal attainment  
Documents the client's response to services in a manner that demonstrates the effectiveness of interventions
  • Participates in ongoing assessment of client progress throughout the intervention process  
  • Produces documentation that articulates intervention effectiveness   
  • Reports objective outcomes of intervention in relation to goals  
  • Collaborates with the occupational therapist in writing the client’s discharge summary  

 

Management of
Occupational Therapy Services

 Objectives

Demonstrates through practice or discussion the ability to collaborate with and assign appropriate tasks to, as indicated, the occupational therapy aide or others to whom responsibilities might be assigned 

Examples: paraprofessionals, nurses’ aides, volunteers  
  • Verbalizes understanding of state guidelines regulating the delegation of duties to non-licensed personnel  
  • Demonstrates appropriate delegation of tasks to non-licensed personnel  

Demonstrates through practice or discussion an understanding of costs and funding systems related to occupational therapy services, such as federal, state, third party, and private payers

Examples: billing for OT services, inventory and ordering of supplies for OT services, and options for client procurement of adaptive equipment  
  • Completes site orientation process that includes an introduction to billing and reimbursement processes and procedures  
  • Adheres to all regulatory standards established by funding systems   
  • Participates with staff in clinic processes of maintaining and ordering supplies  
  • Collaborates with the care team to ensure client access to recommended adaptive equipment (identifying community resources, writing letters of medical necessity, understanding local supplier capabilities, etc.)  

Demonstrates knowledge about the organization 

Examples: mission and vision, accreditation status, licensing, specialty certifications  
  • Represents the site through behaviors consistent with the published vision and mission statements
  • Completes site orientation process that includes an introduction to accreditation, licensing, vision, and mission
  • Demonstrates understanding of occupational therapy staff credentials, specialty certifications, and expertise  
  • Adheres to all regulatory standards as established by accreditation and licensing  
Meets productivity standards or volume of work expected of occupational therapy assistant students.  
  • Demonstrates understanding of site OTA student productivity expectations  
  • Completes intervention and non-intervention tasks within the time expectations of the site  
  • Reports productivity in an accurate and timely manner per site expectations  

 

Communication and
Professional Behaviors

 Objectives

Communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and nonverbally   

Examples: clients, families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, and the public  
  • Clearly communicates the need for and the process of implementing occupational therapy services to clients, families, caregivers, colleagues, service providers, administration, and the public  
  • Clearly articulates client status updates with clients, families/caregivers, and other professionals 
  • Presents oneself in a professional manner through body language, posture, eye contact, etc. with clients, families/caregivers, and other professionals  
  • Presents oneself in a professional manner through the use of appropriate content, the volume of voice, and level of language with clients, families/caregivers, and other professionals  

Produces clear and accurate documentation

Examples: legibility, spelling, punctuation, grammar, adherence to electronic health documentation requirements  
  • Prepares clear and accurate reports of client participation and progress  
  • Uses proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar
  • Produces all written communication in a timely manner
  • Uses facility-approved abbreviations  
  • Reports unusual and/or critical information in writing
  • Demonstrates ability to produce clinic reports using a site-specific documentation system  
  • Effectively utilizes all documentation systems (formal and informal)  
  • Adheres to all site and legal requirements of client documentation  

Collaborates with fieldwork educator(s) to maximize the learning experience   

Examples: initiates communication, asks for feedback about performance, identifies own strengths and challenges  
  • Expresses personal expectations and goals for the affiliation  
  • Collaborates with fieldwork educator in establishing and reviewing weekly expectations/performance  
  • Communicates preferred learning style(s) to the fieldwork educator  
  • Discloses personal challenges to the fieldwork education experience as appropriate  
Takes responsibility for attaining professional competence by seeking out learning opportunities and interactions with fieldwork educator(s) and others.  
  • Collaborates with appropriate staff to participate in additional learning opportunities  
  • Expresses interest in experiencing additional learning opportunities
  • Attends meetings and trainings offered by the site
Responds constructively to feedback in a timely manner.  

  • Appropriately acknowledge feedback, instruction, and concern from fieldwork educator and modifies behavior   

  • Adjusts behavior in response to cues and directions from fieldwork educator, staff, and the environment

  • Incorporates feedback from fieldwork educators into intervention planning and implementation   
Demonstrates consistent and acceptable work behaviors. Examples: punctuality, initiative, preparedness, flexibility, dependability, professional appearance  

  • Arrives on time and consistently completes work assignments on time  

  • When appropriate, initiates intervention, conducts client updates, ADL scheduling, cleans clinic, etc. without instruction from fieldwork educator to do so  

  • Maintains professional appearance and hygiene per PSU and site expectations  

  • Adapts to operational changes faced at the site (change of fieldwork educator, census, documentation, workload, etc.)  

  • Completes all tasks as assigned  

Demonstrates effective time management  

Examples: plans ahead, adheres to schedules, completes work in the expected timeframe  

  • Demonstrates effective time management regarding intervention implementation and documentation  

  • Organizes intervention and non-intervention responsibilities in order to ensure they are completed in a timely and professional manner  

  • Utilizes available resources to plan and provide intervention and complete related tasks in a timely manner (such as schedules and calendars)  

  • Anticipates and adjusts for changes in the site’s daily operations that affect time management (ex: census and staffing)  
Manages relationships effectively through therapeutic use of self and adjusts approach to meet the needs of clients and others

  • Develops rapport with clients and others through effective interpersonal skills  

  • Identifies barriers to building a therapeutic relationship and modifies methods  

  • Utilizes occupational profile and evaluation results to gain insight into client’s personality, interests, and motivation  

  • Incorporates empathy and understanding during the intervention and training with clients and families
Demonstrates respect for diversity factors of others. Examples: culture, socioeconomic status, beliefs, identity

  • Demonstrates an understanding and tolerance of diversity among socio-cultural, socioeconomic, spiritual, and lifestyle choices  

  • Maintains respect and open-mindedness to diverse backgrounds and ideas in the workplace

  • Seeks to understand the client’s perspective and context when collaborating in intervention  

  • Refrains from imposing one’s own beliefs and values on clients  
OTA Level II Fieldwork Site-Specific Objectives 2022290.89 KB










The Pennsylvania State University site-specific objectives demonstrate adherence to ACOTE Standards:  

C.1.2:  Document the criteria and process for selecting fieldwork sites, including maintaining memoranda of understanding, complying with all site requirements, maintaining site objectives and site data, and communicating this information to students prior to the start of the fieldwork experience.  

C.1.3: Document that academic and fieldwork educators agree on established fieldwork objectives prior to the start of the fieldwork experience and communicate with the student and fieldwork educator about progress and performance throughout the fieldwork experience. Ensure that fieldwork objectives for all experiences include a psychosocial objective.  
REFERENCES  

  • AOTA. (2020). Fieldwork performance evaluation (FWPE) for the occupational therapy assistant student. AOTA.