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Lifepoint Health
Fort Smith, Arkansas

Occupational Therapist Assistant, Certified COTA

Occupational TherapistIncludes weekendsNo nightsPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

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Job Description

Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital; Fort Smith

Position: Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

Location: 6700 Chad Colley Boulevard, Fort Smith, AR 72916

Schedule

PRN, day shift | Flexible hours | Will rotate with other therapists to work 1 weekend (Saturday or Sunday) per month and at least one holiday per year | Provide flexible staffing coverage for fluctuations in patient census, scheduled PTO, leaves of absences, call-ins, and vacancies.

Your Experience Matters

Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital; Fort Smith is operated jointly with Lifepoint Health. We are driven by a profound commitment to prioritize your well-being so you can provide exceptional care to others.

As an Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) joining our team, you’re embracing our promise to provide superior patient care that exceeds industry standards as well as patient expectations.

Join us on this meaningful journey where your skills, compassion and dedication will make a remarkable difference in the lives of those we serve.

How You’ll Contribute

  • Communicate patient progress or concerns to the supervising occupational therapist and interdisciplinary team.
  • Instruct patients’ families or nursing staff in follow-through programs and home exercises.
  • Assist with patient scheduling and post treatment charges to patient records daily.
  • Document patient care accurately and in accordance with all regulatory, licensing, payer, and accrediting requirements.
  • Maintain treatment equipment and work areas in a clean and safe condition.
  • Ensure compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, Corporate Compliance Agreement, and applicable laws and professional standards.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

  • Active COTA license in the state of practice
  • CPR certification
  • Strong communication, time‑management, and documentation skills
  • Familiarity with electronic medical records (preferred)
  • A commitment to safety, integrity, and high‑quality patient care

Why Join Us

We believe that investing in our employees is the first step to providing excellent patient care. In addition to your base compensation, this position

also offers:

Comprehensive Benefits: Multiple levels of medical, dental and vision coverage for full-time and part-time employees.

Financial Protection & PTO: Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid family leave and paid time off.

Financial & Career Growth: Higher education and certification tuition assistance, loan assistance and 401(k) retirement package and company match.

Employee Well-being: Mental, physical, and financial wellness programs (free gym memberships, virtual care appointments, mental health services and discount programs).

Professional Development: Ongoing learning and career advancement opportunities.

EEOC Statement

Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital; Fort Smith is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital; Fort Smith is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment.

Lifepoint Health is a leader in community-based care and driven by a mission of Making Communities Healthier.

Our diversified healthcare delivery network spans 29 states and includes 63 community hospital campuses, 32 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals, and more than 170 additional sites of care across the healthcare continuum, such as acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers and post-acute care facilities.

We believe that success is achieved through talented people. We want to create places where employees want to work, with opportunities to pursue meaningful and satisfying careers that truly make a difference in communities across the country.

We employ and provide care to people from all walks of life. We are committed to promoting healing, providing hope, preserving dignity and producing value with an inclusive workforce in which diversity is leveraged, respected, and reflective of the patients, family members, customers and team members we serve.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist Assistant will provide direct patient care, instruct families on home exercise programs, and maintain accurate clinical documentation. They will also collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to ensure high-quality patient outcomes and facility safety.

Requirements

Candidates must hold an active COTA license in the state of practice and possess a current CPR certification. Strong communication, documentation, and time-management skills are required, with familiarity in electronic medical records preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Occupational therapyHome exercise instructionRegulatory complianceEquipment maintenance

Occupational Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Arkansas is 86.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.1% of Arkansas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapist Assistant, Certified COTA at Lifepoint Health a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Occupational Therapy Assistant — ranked against 1,043 active Occupational Therapy Assistant listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 6.2
Better work-life than 60% of Occupational Therapy Assistant listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,043 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes weekends

Living in Fort Smith

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$208k
Typical market rent
$1,054/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
85.9
State income tax
Up to 4.9%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Fort Smith, AR-OK metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Lifepoint Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Gallatin, Tennessee
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, and vision coverage
Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance
Short- and long-term disability
Paid family leave
Paid time off
Tuition assistance
Loan assistance
401(k) with company match