OTA Treatment Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An OTA is treating a client with COPD who becomes short of breath during dressing. Which energy conservation technique should be included in the treatment plan?
- Sit while dressing and pace activities with controlled breathing (Correct answer)
- Increase the pace of dressing to minimize total activity time
- Dress in a warm environment to dilate airways
- Avoid all dressing activities and use only caregiver assistance
Correct answer: Sit while dressing and pace activities with controlled breathing
Sitting during dressing and pacing with pursed-lip breathing conserves energy and reduces dyspnea in COPD patients.
Question 2: A client with major depressive disorder is beginning OT. Which component should be prioritized first in the treatment plan?
- Establishing a daily routine that includes meaningful occupations (Correct answer)
- Immediately targeting work-related productivity tasks
- Focusing exclusively on physical rehabilitation exercises
- Delaying OT until psychiatric symptoms are fully resolved
Correct answer: Establishing a daily routine that includes meaningful occupations
Establishing a structured daily routine with meaningful occupations supports mood regulation and functional recovery in depression.
Question 3: When an OTA identifies that a client's treatment plan goal has been met ahead of schedule, what is the MOST appropriate action?
- Report the progress to the supervising OT to update or advance goals (Correct answer)
- Discharge the client immediately without consulting the OT
- Continue the same goal to ensure consolidation
- Document progress and take no further action
Correct answer: Report the progress to the supervising OT to update or advance goals
The OTA must communicate goal achievement to the supervising OT, who is responsible for modifying the treatment plan.
Question 4: Which assessment finding would MOST likely lead to inclusion of work simplification techniques in a client's treatment plan?
- Decreased endurance and fatigue during functional activities (Correct answer)
- Decreased grip strength requiring strengthening
- Intact cognition with full range of motion
- Hypersensitivity to tactile stimulation
Correct answer: Decreased endurance and fatigue during functional activities
Work simplification addresses fatigue and decreased endurance by reorganizing tasks to minimize energy expenditure.
Question 5: A treatment plan for a client with rheumatoid arthritis should emphasize which joint protection principle?
- Avoid positions that place deforming stress on joints during activities (Correct answer)
- Exercise joints to their maximum range of motion daily
- Use the smallest joints available to complete tasks
- Avoid all activity during morning stiffness periods
Correct answer: Avoid positions that place deforming stress on joints during activities
Joint protection principles reduce deforming forces on inflamed joints to prevent damage and pain during ADLs.
Question 6: An OTA is treating a pediatric client with developmental coordination disorder. Which treatment planning approach is MOST evidence-based?
- Task-oriented approach focusing on specific functional skill practice (Correct answer)
- Sensory integration only with no task practice
- Gross motor exercises in isolation without functional context
- Passive stretching to improve coordination
Correct answer: Task-oriented approach focusing on specific functional skill practice
The task-oriented approach, with repeated practice of specific functional tasks, is the most evidence-based intervention for DCD.
Question 7: When developing a home program as part of a treatment plan, which factor is MOST important to consider?
- The client's ability and motivation to follow through independently (Correct answer)
- The therapist's preference for a specific exercise protocol
- The proximity of the client's home to a therapy clinic
- The client's insurance approval for a home visit
Correct answer: The client's ability and motivation to follow through independently
A home program must match the client's capacity and motivation to ensure carryover of therapeutic gains outside the clinic.
OTA Treatment Planning 3
An OTA is treating a client with COPD who becomes short of breath during dressing.
Which energy conservation technique should be included in the treatment plan?