Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

OT 250 - Professional Issues


Credit Hours: 1

A lecture course designed to familiarize the student with a variety of issues encountered in the profession of occupational therapy, as well as career seeking and professional development resources and strategies. Course topics include effective strategies for identifying and resolving ethical dilemmas and implementing quality improvement in the workplace. Additional course topics include preparing for and participating in in-services, supervisory relationships, the importance of involvement in professional organizations and political advocacy, and federal and state regulations for maintaining current certification and licensure. Tools and strategies for seeking employment and professional development are discussed and implemented. Students build and demonstrate skills for developing and promoting occupational therapy services. 

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of applicable national requirements for credentialing and requirements for licensure, certification, or registration under state laws, and resources for pursuing ongoing professional development;
  • demonstrate the ability to participate in the development, marketing, and management of occupational therapy service delivery options to promote and educate others on the profession of occupational therapy;
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the AOTA OT Code of Ethics and AOTA Standards of Practice, and a variety of informal and formal systems and strategies for conflict resolution, using them as a guide for ethical decision making in professional interactions, client interventions, and employment settings, including strategies for effective and ethical supervision of nonprofessional personnel;
  • demonstrate professional advocacy by participating in organizations that promote the OT profession (e.g. AOTA, state occupational therapy associations), and identifying the systems and structures that create federal and state legislation and regulations, with the ability to explain how the role and practice of an OT practitioner is effected by the knowledge of and involvement in such entities;
  • articulate the delineation of roles and professional responsibilities of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist, including the importance of and rationale for supervision, responsibilities, and collaborative professional relationships between the occupational therapy assistant and the occupational therapist;
  • participate in the documentation of ongoing processes for quality improvement and implement program changes as needed to ensure quality of services;
  • identify and appreciate the varied roles of the occupational therapy assistant as a practitioner, educator, and research assistant, as well as describe the ongoing professional responsibility and criteria for becoming a fieldwork educator; and
  • identify professional responsibilities and issues when providing services on a contractual basis, and relate personal and professional abilities and competencies to those job responsibilities and issues.  


Prerequisites: OT 200, OT 209, OT 210, OT 218, OT 219, OT 222, OT 256
Corequisites: OT 239, OT 251
S (N)