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Online course · Australia

Professionalism and Professional Standards for Occupational Therapists

Conduct, Scope, Records, CPD and Accountability Under the Occupational Therapy Board's Standards

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

The Occupational Therapy Board's standards apply whether you work for a hospital, run a private practice or deliver NDIS supports from your car. This course turns the competency standards, registration standards and National Law into a practical accountability system for everyday occupational therapy.

The course opens with the regulatory framework, including the protected title, the offence of directing or inciting unprofessional conduct, registration obligations through the year and how standards are used to judge conduct. It then explains the four domains of the competency standards, how to use them for self-assessment and what the 2026 review is looking at.

Scope gets a full section: your own scope versus the profession's, expanding safely, and titles and dual roles. CPD and recency are explained with practical guidance on building an audit-ready portfolio. Records and reports are covered in depth, including corrections and late entries, equipment and home modification documentation, measurements, retention and leaving a practice.

The last sections deal with workplace conduct, employer targets and directions, private practice and NDIS provider obligations, what the data shows about concerns raised about occupational therapists, who handles them, and how to build a personal accountability system.

What you will learn

  • Apply the National Law provisions that matter most day to day, including the protected title and notice of events
  • Renew accurately and meet the insurance and criminal history standards
  • Self-assess with the four domains of the competency standards and follow the direction of the 2026 review
  • Define your individual scope and expand it with supervision and evidence
  • Avoid holding out when you work in a dual role or use more than one title
  • Keep an audit-ready CPD and recency portfolio
  • Document assessments, equipment and home modifications to a professional and legal standard
  • Meet private practice and NDIS provider obligations and respond professionally to employer directions

Who this course is for

  • Occupational therapists in public, private and NDIS practice
  • Sole practitioners and practice owners
  • Occupational therapists in dual roles or non-traditional settings
  • Graduates and therapists returning to practice
  • Supervisors preparing others for registration obligations

How the course works

  1. Once you enrol, open the course from My Courses whenever it suits you. It runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.

  2. Read 23 lessons grouped into 7 sections. Each lesson unlocks when you finish the one before, and your progress is kept in your browser between visits.

  3. Pause on the worked scenarios and reflection prompts. Anything you type is kept in your course pack, which you can download in Word format or print to PDF.

  4. Complete the final assessment of 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 80% (12 of 15). Retakes are allowed.

  5. After the reflective account and feedback, the course is marked complete in your account and your certificate of completion becomes available. It states the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); log the time you actually spend.

Course content

8 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1The Regulatory Framework for Occupational Therapists3 lessons
  • The National Law in Practice
  • Registration Obligations Throughout the Year
  • How Standards Are Used to Judge Your Conduct
2The Competency Standards as a Practice Standard3 lessons
  • The Four Domains
  • Using the Standards for Self-Assessment
  • The 2026 Review: Supervision and Capability Gaps
3Scope of Practice3 lessons
  • Your Scope Versus the Profession's Scope
  • Expanding Your Scope Safely
  • Titles, Dual Roles and Holding Out
4CPD and Recency of Practice3 lessons
  • The CPD Registration Standard
  • Building an Audit-Ready Portfolio
  • Recency of Practice and Returning to Practice
5Records and Reports as Professional Standards4 lessons
  • What an Occupational Therapy Record Must Show
  • Integrity in Records: Corrections, Late Entries and Alterations
  • Equipment, Home Modifications and Measurements
  • Retention, Access and Leaving a Practice
6Professional Conduct in the Workplace3 lessons
  • Communication and Behaviour Standards
  • Employer Directions, Targets and Professional Obligations
  • Private Practice and NDIS Provider Obligations
7Accountability When Concerns Are Raised4 lessons
  • What the Data Shows About Occupational Therapists
  • Who Handles Concerns: Ahpra, Co-Regulators and Other Bodies
  • Self-Reporting, Cooperation and Responding Well
  • Building Your Personal Accountability System
8Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

Does the course explain the 2026 review of the competency standards?

Yes. It describes the direction of the review, including supervision and capability gaps, and makes clear which standards currently apply.

Is NDIS documentation covered?

Yes. It covers documentation of assessments, equipment and home modifications and the obligations that come with being an NDIS provider.

What if my employer asks me to do something I think is outside the standards?

A lesson covers employer directions and targets, how to raise concerns, and why your professional obligations remain your own even when you are employed.

How is this different from the OT ethics course?

This course covers standards, scope, CPD, records and accountability. The ethics course covers reasoning through dilemmas such as occupational justice and contested technology.

How should I record this course in my CPD log?

Log the date, the course name and the time you actually spend; the certificate shows only the estimated learning time. Add two or three lines on what you will do differently, and file the certificate next to your reflective account.

Who runs this course?

Probity Courses, an education provider with no affiliation to Ahpra, the National Boards or any regulator. Your Board's own codes and guidelines always take precedence over course material.

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