OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Overview

Occupational therapists help patients improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments. They work with individuals who have physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling conditions that impact their daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help patients to enhance basic motor functions and reasoning abilities. They also help patients to compensate for permanent loss of function. Their goal is to enable patients to achieve independent, productive and satisfying lives.

When ability is diminished or impaired, occupational therapists work with patients to restore performance in everyday life activities including self-care, leisure, and work. For patients with permanent disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, therapists develop ways for them to accomplish tasks through compensation and modified actions. This may include adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs and aids for eating and dressing. Therapists may even design or build special equipment needed by a patient at home or work.

Occupational therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular age group or with a particular disability. For example, in schools, they evaluate children’s capabilities, recommend and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children participate in school activities. Therapists might provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have or are at risk of having developmental delays. Other examples include working with elderly patients to help them lead more productive, active, and independent lives, or working in mental health settings to treat individuals who are mentally ill, developmentally challenged, or emotionally disturbed.

Details

Potential Employers
Offices of healthcare practitioners
Hospitals
Rehabilitation centers
Elementary and secondary schools
Long-term care facilities
Home health care
Work Environment
The work environment will depend on the specific work setting. In large rehabilitation centers, therapists work in spacious rooms equipped with many home, living, and work settings to help patients adapt to/overcome physical or mental impairments. The work of occupational therapists can be tiring because they are on their feet much of the time, and the work can involve lifting and moving clients and equipment. Therapists working full-time usually work a 40-hour week. Those working part-time, or for more than one employer may have a more variable schedule.

Job Outlook
Employment of occupational therapists is expected to increase 26 percent through the year 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. The outlook is especially good for therapists in hospitals, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings due to the growing elderly population who receive most of their treatment in these settings.

Aptitudes

Ability to learn the techniques of occupational therapy
Good verbal abilities to read, write and speak
Good space and form perception and manual dexterity
Ability to make decisions and solve problems
Objective view of illnesses and disabilities
Ability to motivate people
Patience and a desire to help others

Education

Requirements
The minimum educational requirement is an entry-level masters or clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from an accredited institution. Students considering this profession often pursue undergraduate majors in biology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, liberal arts or anatomy.

All States regulate the practice of occupational therapy. An applicant for a license to practice as an occupational therapist must complete the requirements of an approved program, complete six months of supervised fieldwork, and pass the certification exam.

Programs in Nebraska
College of Saint Mary – Omaha (Master’s)
Creighton Health Sciences – Omaha (Doctorate)
Related / Links
Other careers with similar duties:

Athletic trainer
Physical therapist
Recreational therapist
Respiratory therapist
Speech-language pathologist
Professional Associations
For more information about a career in occupational therapy:

American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
Career information adapted in part from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handook, 2010-2011 Edition, Occupational Therapists, on the Internet at www.bls.gov

Overview

Occupational therapists help patients improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments. They work with individuals who have physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling conditions that impact their daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help patients to enhance basic motor functions and reasoning abilities. They also help patients to compensate for permanent loss of function. Their goal is to enable patients to achieve independent, productive and satisfying lives.

When ability is diminished or impaired, occupational therapists work with patients to restore performance in everyday life activities including self-care, leisure, and work. For patients with permanent disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, therapists develop ways for them to accomplish tasks through compensation and modified actions. This may include adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs and aids for eating and dressing. Therapists may even design or build special equipment needed by a patient at home or work.

Occupational therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular age group or with a particular disability. For example, in schools, they evaluate children’s capabilities, recommend and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children participate in school activities. Therapists might provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have or are at risk of having developmental delays. Other examples include working with elderly patients to help them lead more productive, active, and independent lives, or working in mental health settings to treat individuals who are mentally ill, developmentally challenged, or emotionally disturbed.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Tags: Occupational Therapy, Recreational Therapy

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