Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

NOC

32109

perform various technical therapy and assessment functions, supporting professionals, such as audiologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

Compare

View Snapshot

Full NOC Description

Other technical workers in therapy and assessment perform various technical therapy and assessment functions. Some may assist professionals such as audiologists, speech-language pathologists, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. They are employed in hospitals, clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, community health centres, educational institutions, hearing aid retail stores, in the private practices of the professionals they assist, or they may be self-employed.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Hearing instrument practitioners

Examine adult clients to assess hearing loss using diagnostic evaluation and electro acoustic testing

Recommend and dispense or sell appropriate type of hearing instrument

Take earmold impressions for use in the manufacture of hearing devices

Fit, adjust and make minor modifications to hearing instruments

Educate clients in appropriate use, care and maintenance of hearing instruments

Communicate with audiologist or other health care professionals regarding patients' condition

Perform follow-up examinations and readjustments.

Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants

Assist speech-language pathologists and audiologists during assessment of patients

Carry out treatment programs, document results and develop materials for use with patients, under the supervision of speech-language pathologists or audiologists

Document patient rehabilitation progress

Check and maintain therapeutic equipment and materials.

Ophthalmic medical technologists and technicians

Take patients' general medical and ophthalmic history

Conduct specialized testing such as refractometry, ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography or ocular motility testing to aid ophthalmologists in assessing patients' vision

Instruct patient on diagnostic test and record, interpret and troubleshoot results

Assist ophthalmologists in performing ophthalmic procedures and surgeries

Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications as directed by ophthalmologists

Prepare specimens for culture and staining

Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment

May instruct and supervise other ophthalmic staff and perform various administrative duties

May participate in research activities.

Physical rehabilitation therapists

Collect and analyse information from clients' file upon referral from the physiotherapist or physician.

Develop, implement and monitor treatment plans of clients in collaboration with the physiotherapist or physician.

Use a variety of therapeutic modalities such as manual techniques (e.g. massage), exercises, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy and thermotherapy (ice or heat) to achieve treatment objectives.

Advise clients on postures, lifestyle and exercises to help them improve their physical condition.

Physiotherapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants

Under the direction of physiotherapists and/or occupational therapists, carry out treatment programs such as thermotherapy, traction, hydrotherapy and electrotherapeutic techniques to rehabilitate patients with various injuries or disabilities to maximize their ability to independently manage daily activities.

Also Known As

audiology technician
communicative disorders assistant
hearing instrument practitioner
hearing instrument specialist
occupational therapy assistant

ophthalmic technician

ophthalmic technologist

physical rehabilitation therapist

physical therapist assistant (PTA)

physiotherapy assistant

physiotherapy technician

rehabilitation assistant

speech aide

speech technician

speech therapy assistant

Requirements

Employment Requirements

Hearing instrument practitioners require completion of a two or three-year college diploma in a hearing instrument specialist program, and a period of supervised training.

Licensure with a regulatory body is required for hearing instrument practitioners in all provinces except in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Ontario requires membership with the Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario (AHIP). Hearing instrument practitioners can prescribe and dispense hearing instruments except in Ontario where dispensing is dependent on a prescription from a physician or audiologist.

Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants require completion of a three- to four-year college program.

Ophthalmic medical technicians require completion of a one-year hospital based ophthalmic technician training program or a minimum of one year on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.

Ophthalmic medical technologists require completion of a two-year hospital-based training program in ophthalmic medical technology, or a 4 year bachelor's degree program in Ophthalmic Medical Technology or a minimum of two years of on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic technician under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.

Certification by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology may be required by employers.

Physical rehabilitation therapists, who are only found in Quebec, require completion of a three-year physiotherapy or rehabilitation techniques college program and a period of internship.

A permit to practice issued by the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ) is required for physical rehabilitation therapists.

Physiotherapy assistants require completion of a two-year physical therapy assistant (PTA) college program, or a two-year rehabilitation therapy assistant program and supervised practical training.

Occupational therapy assistants require completion of a two-year occupational therapy assistant (OTA) college program.

Provincial Regulation

Not Provincially Regulated

Employment by Sex

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

82.8%

Female

17.2%

Male

Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

13.8%

15-24

34.5%

25-34

24.1%

35-44

20.7%

45-54

6.9%

55-64

0.0%

65+

Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

0.0%

No Certificate, Diploma or Degree

12.1%

High School, Diploma or Equivalent

0.0%

Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma

67.2%

College or University Below Bachelor Level

20.7%

University - Bachelor Level or Above

Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

91.4%

Health care and social assistance

N/A

8.6%

All Other Industries

Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

20.30%

Northeast

23.70%

Southeast

22.00%

Southwest

16.90%

Central

16.90%

Northwest

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

$44,000

Northeast

$42,000

Southeast

$36,000

Southwest

N/A

Central

$36,000

Northwest

Economic Regions

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Occupational Profiles