National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

DOMAIN, TASK, AND KNOWLEDGE STATEMENTS for the Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant COTA®

Entry-level COTA Self-assessment Tool


Throughout this document the use of the term client is intended to include individuals and groups such as patients, consumers, workers, students, children, and others who receive occupational therapy services.

Statement of Target Audience

This tool is designed for OTA students and the CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT COTA®. Candidates may use this tool to guide overall test preparation strategies relative to general occupational therapy practice.

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant COTA®

The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant COTA® works with clients whose occupational performance is impaired or at risk of impairment to facilitate engagement in meaningful occupations across the lifespan. The COTA assists the Occupational Therapist Registered OTR® to gather information regarding factors that influence client participation in activities of daily living. In accordance with the intervention plan and under the supervision of the OTR, the COTA implements occupation-based interventions throughout the continuum of care. The COTA engages in professional development activities to maintain competence and upholds standards of practice in order to provide quality client care and protect consumers of occupational therapy.


ENTRY-LEVEL COTA SELF-ASSESSMENT RATING SCALE

0 = No knowledge or skills - Unfamiliar with concept or practice of the skill
1 = General knowledge through observation and academic learning - Familiar with general knowledge related to the skill through academic learning and observation but did not have an opportunity to apply this during fieldwork
2 = General clinical skills under supervision - Familiar with general clinical application of the skill and occasionally applied this under direct supervision during Level II fieldwork
3 = Entry-level competence – Implemented the skill across routine situations within guidelines of Level II fieldwork practice setting

As you proceed through the self-assessment tool, you can view the rating scale presented above by clicking on the question mark icon located on the right hand side of each page.