Supervisory preparedness of occupational therapists.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 97 Acommon partnership in delivery of occupational therapy services is the one between the occupational therapist (OT) and the occupational therapy assistant (OTA). Although they work closely, each has separate roles and responsibilities: The primary role of the OTA is treatment implementation, whereas the OT is responsible for all aspects of the occupational therapy process (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 1987; 1990). OTAs do not evaluate or initiate treatment before the OT’s evaluation. Nonetheless, the OTA can contribute to the evaluation by gathering data, administering structured tests, and reporting observations, provided that the OT has delegated these tasks (AOTA, 1990). OTs who supervise OTAs must be familiar with the various aspects of the OTA roles and responsibilities. In today’s marketplace, many employers are hiring more OTAs because their salaries are less than those of OTs. As this practice increases, so does the need for OTA supervision by an OT. A single OT may be responsible for supervising multiple OTAs (Coleman & Riley, 1997). What is the extent of the preparedness of OTs to supervise OTAs? This study examined (a) where OTs learn about OTA responsibilities, (b) whether OTs are knowledgeable about OTA regulations and guidelines, and (c) whether OTs are comfortable supervising OTAs.