Becoming an occupational therapist is a rewarding career for those interested in helping people. Occupational therapists help their patients to become more independent, live more comfortably and have the best quality of life. This guide will provide all the information you need to know about starting a career in occupational therapy.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) uses therapeutic activities to help people do everyday tasks. OTs work with people of all ages who have physical, cognitive, emotional, or mental health problems that affect their ability to perform daily activities. These therapists work in hospitals, private practice, and long-term care settings. They treat people with injuries and illnesses that affect their ability to do things like sit or stand for an extended period or complete household chores.
OTs also treat patients with difficulty performing basic self-care skills like dressing or bathing because of an illness or injury. Some examples include stroke victims, cancer survivors, and burn victims. Depending on the patient’s needs, occupational therapists may also help them learn ways to make their home more accessible for daily tasks such as cooking meals or doing laundry.
How to become an Occupational therapist
If you’re considering becoming an occupational therapist, there are many things that you need to know about the career. You will need to understand how to become an occupational therapist and what it takes to get there. Sadly, occupational therapy is still rarely taught in regular schools. However, with the help of occupational therapy continuing education, you can learn the necessary skills and begin working as an occupational therapist sooner. The more people you meet and work with, your job prospects improve.
To become an occupational therapist, you must complete a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited university or college in your state. Once you have completed your bachelor’s degree program, you can then apply for advanced standing into a master’s level program at an accredited university or college in your state, as well as apply for certification by passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam after completing their master’s degree program. Once certified, an occupational therapy professional must complete at least 2 years of supervised clinical experience before being eligible for full licensure as an OT practitioner (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Techniques to help you manage patient’s conditions
Functional assessment is a way to evaluate how well you can do daily tasks. Your occupational therapist may ask you to complete a list of tasks, such as putting on your shoes, brushing your teeth, and taking a shower.
The therapist looks at how well you did each task and gives you a rating based on how active or passive it was.
For example, if you needed help putting on your shoes, that would be an active task. If you were able to put them on by yourself but had difficulty doing so, that would be considered passive. This method is helpful because it shows how many tasks are complex for you and which ones are easy. It also helps the therapist determine what exercises should be included in your treatment plan.
Goal setting
Goal-setting is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals. It allows you to keep on track with your treatment plan and gives you something to work towards. Goal-setting can be done in many ways depending on the patient’s interests and unique situation.
Here are some examples of how occupational therapists can help patients set goals:
- For those with chronic pain, it may be helpful to set goals related to daily activities such as walking, standing, sitting, and sleeping. This will help them improve their function and quality of life.
- For patients recovering from surgery or an injury may want to set goals related to their physical therapy program or use assistive devices such as crutches or wheelchairs.
- If a patient has difficulty performing routine tasks at home or in the community outside of therapy sessions, it may be helpful for them to identify specific tasks they want to work on at home with their family members or caregivers so that they can practice these skills at home before coming back for another visit with their OT.
Assessment/treatment/rehabilitation
Once the treatment plan has been created, the therapist can assess your needs and create a personalized program that addresses these needs. The program may involve working on basic motor skills or helping you develop new ways of completing tasks that have become difficult because of your condition or injury. This program can sometimes be completed in just one session, but more often, it takes several sessions spread over several weeks or months before you reach your goal.
Occupational therapy is a great choice for those who want to work in the medical field but are not interested in becoming a physician. This career can be very rewarding, especially for those interested in helping and enjoying working with their hands. And the salary is great, too.
