5 Reasons Why I Love Being a Therapist. I truly do like helping people. This is not very glamorous at times. Required fields are marked * Comment. (I say almost every day because you will have the occasional bad or overwhelming day.) OTs can also work in a variety of settings: pediatric outpatient clinics, with the geriatric population in a skilled nursing facility, hospitals, adult outpatient clinics, school systems, or rehab facilities, to name a few. If you have the essential traits to become a successful occupational therapist and are looking for an economically sound career, occupational therapy could be a good choice for you. Is being an occupational therapy assistant really that bad? You can do a degree in occupational therapy, approved by the Health and Care Professions Council. I think I’m definitely set on doing travel therapy for the next 2-3 years so I can pay down loans faster and do some other classes at the same time. As OTs working in inpatient settings, we often teach people how to perform toileting again. This could be irreparable nerve damage, excess scar tissue formation, lack of bone healing, pre-existing cardiac condition making them a poor surgical candidate, etc. Listening to handover can still be difficult, particularly when a patient is admitted to the ward in similar circumstances. However, we believe a PT, OT, or SLP is a rewarding career. My OT and I: how occupational therapists achieve the impossible, The day an occupational therapist changed my life, Being a mental health occupational therapist is my passion. My message was not passed to the nursing team and the next day, when he left the ward for fresh air accompanied by a healthcare professional, he received a telephone call notifying him of the sad news. Occupational therapy is always evolving Occupational therapy is an evolving profession that applies to everyone and all aspects of life. The family felt comfortable asking me questions, confiding in me, and relied on me to help them understand the medical world that they were unfamiliar with. Then, one day, I got bad news I knew would affect him. Cozytoesandtoast00 Wed 15-May-19 19:55:39. It is also a career with a steady paycheck where you can live comfortably. They look at activities you find difficult and see if there's another way you can do them. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and can look at all aspects of daily life in your home, school or workplace. The advantages certainly outweigh the disadvantages. Medical sales representative 5. © 2021 St. Catherine University | Privacy Policy, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Occupational Therapy, occupational therapy assistant in California. OP’s posts: See next | See all Add message | Report | See all. Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. Ergonomist 4. You can get into this job through: a university course; an apprenticeship; working towards this role; University. Now I use my own negative experience as a positive to help patients. Between the two kids, we’ve done physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Daily plans are adjusted after the meeting to accommodate what has been discussed. It is difficult but necessary to separate yourself emotionally from those situations. I won’t pretend it’s always easy. As an example, while I was working in a hospital, I was treating a gentleman who had suffered a stroke. Occupational therapy allows therapists to utilize their creative thinking skills while also relying on their knowledge of science, development, and the body/brain to be effective in their role as an OT. My freshman year of college I was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive tumor on my jaw. This includes wound packing, cleaning discharge from wounds that are infected, removing dying tissue (that sometimes doesn’t smell the best), and dealing with blood. This article highlights 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages to be a therapist. I was very lucky – I got that job pretty quickly after qualifying and worked with a dedicated team of professionals. Video: occupational therapy . Being an occupational therapist can be stressful. People will often feel sad, confused, or discouraged. Benefits of Being an Occupational Therapist. I hate doing teaching so really can’t entertain using my teaching qualification, but I also ... being a help to others, b.) During this time of grief aspects of my professional life stayed with me. To quit being an Occupational Therapist (52 Posts) Add message | Report. Working in the occupational therapy field can be one of the most rewarding careers out there. stressedoutpa Wed 15-May-19 20:00:28. He ran away, made a serious attempt to end his life, and is now in a persistent vegetative state. You experience intense emotional pain followed by many unanswered questions; you feel guilt, sadness and desperation, along with anger, low mood and anxiety which can be overwhelming. You can’t help but relate it to your own situation; you think about the person, the pain and desperation and what their family may be going through. He was admitted for treatment into a psychiatric unit. Occupational therapy is a unique profession that lies somewhere between physical therapy and speech therapy. I’ve had one too many of my own experiences where I needed help – like, really needed help – and I thought no one was there. You absolutely should not take it personally. We often have to deal with bodily fluids and functions. You have the ability as an occupational therapist to completely change your career at the drop of a hat by changing settings. Many times, insurance and Medicare auditors don’t really understand the interventions we’re providing. If so, what do you do now working part-time? A long time! Megan O'Brien | Croydon, United Kingdom | Specialist Occupational Therapist at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | 94 connections | View Megan's homepage, profile, activity, articles It is heart breaking when you, your patient, or patient’s family put in so much effort into therapy and you reach an obstacle you cannot overcome. We’ve done it at home through early intervention, in a private therapy office, as an inpatient at a hospital, and at school (“at school” being my favorite because I am, by definition, not expected to be there). However, if you do have what it takes, you should give it a go. This week, guest blogger and professional occupational therapist Marlene Hampton shares her story of deciding to become an occupational therapist (OT). Denial played a huge role in my life and I stayed in school while completing my chemo treatments. I can remember thinking what a relief it was just to know he would be kept safe and get the help he desperately needed and wanted. I leave work knowing I have made a significant difference in someone’s life. How to become an occupational therapist. When patients do not feel well, they can be grumpy or in bad moods. My website: http://wildtruth.netMy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/danielmacklerI was a psychotherapist in New York for ten years. Now I use my own negative experience as a positive to help patients. Even though in my program they are more realistic but I have heard that other programs dont do a good job of giving you the facts. I loved my job and worked hard with the team to keep patients safe, so it was extremely difficult when someone close to me became very mentally unwell. Within certain limits, it is up to me to what value I bring to my patients during my treatment sessions. I missed my OT team, who had kept in touch throughout my sick leave by visiting and being there to listen. Your email address will not be published. I listened to relaxing music to aid sleep at night. Play therapist 6. Sometimes, situations you find yourself in at work will hit very close to home. Being a physical or occupational therapist or an SLP is no exception. When someone close to me was permanently damaged after being admitted to a mental health ward, I thought my career was over, Last modified on Tue 17 Jul 2018 08.51 BST. If you want to learn more about becoming an occupational therapy assistant in California or Virginia, contact an admissions advisor today. I found myself relating to a lot of your post. Name * Email * Website. and visual impairments. I can remember thinking, “That’s it, my career as an OT is completely over. I will never be able to work in mental health services again”. So without further ado, three reasons why I hate therapy: I decided to become an occupational therapist because I wanted to help people, and that is exactly what occupational therapists do: they assist people in becoming independent. Advice worker 2. You learn to use this insight as a positive to help others. Betty is 96 and had a fall at home. High intensity therapist 6. Care manager 3. Sometimes you will be unable to help people, no matter how successful their surgery was, no matter how diligent the patient is with their exercises, no matter how frequently you see the patient each week. As an occupational therapist, you have the opportunity to help people get their lives back when they cannot do it on their own. I meet wonderful people from all walks of life who need our care in the NHS and I’m thankful that I’m still an occupational therapist who can help them. Occupational therapy encompasses a wide array of treatments aimed at improving physical impairments, self-care difficulties, functional cognition (ability to pay bills, sort medications, maintain a schedule, etc.) 0. 3D printing can also play a role in assisting with functional prosthesis training. At times I wish I could tell them that I understand – I have been there and I know it hurts – but I think this would be unprofessional. Occupational therapy support personnel, or assistants, are individuals who have the job-related competencies to support occupational therapists in delivering occupational therapy services. Occupational therapy is not always the “sunshine and rainbows” that you read about in the countless news articles touting its frequent rating in the top 10 happiest and least stressful jobs. Mental health care can be extremely pressured, challenging, exhausting and some days downright sad. You are constantly helping your patients improve their lives. There was nothing I could do. However, like any other career, there is always some less-glamorous details that you should be aware of. “I am one of five children, and my youngest brother has cerebral palsy. Job options directly related to your degree include: 1. The profession of occupational therapy appealed to me because occupational therapists can work with clients of all ages and they can work in numerous settings, such as hospitals, schools, or private clinics. In some instances, I had to learn to help myself and be my own advocate, if you will. If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com. I was all excited about going to school to become an OTA until I came across forums on indeed.com with pages upon pages of people bashing the OT field and talking about how much they hate their jobs. As soon as I was placed on a mental health unit as a student occupational therapist I knew: working on a psychiatric ward was my dream job. If you’re looking to become an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant, it’s important to know and anticipate these “ugly” types of situations. The gentleman took a turn for the worse and, because his family had gotten to know me so well, turned to me for guidance. The Royal College of Occupational Therapists has more information about what occupational therapy is. The nurses sent messages of support. I eventually returned to my job on a phased return. But if you can stomach through it, you’ll leave at the end of the day knowing you’ve made a difference. I know this because people are often emotional about their progress and people frequently tell me how happy they are that they came to therapy. 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