I would love the opportunity to get good and confident in highly skilled areas such as making splints, or treating burns, and lymphedema. If you dont think you can handle the physical requirements that many OT settings demand but still are passionate about becoming an occupational therapist, you can look into outpatient settings like driving rehab, hand therapy, orworking in mental health. This is will improve your odds of getting into a program. because the younger child is not showing signs of costing the school money. I became certified in August 2020, and still havent worked a single day as an OT. It is really what you make of it. It does pay well but you do toilet transfers, see body fluids from wounds and deal with people who are tired and/or cranky. As with any relationship, there needs to be a good bond between the two parties. And I have enjoyed a lot about my career, it's just getting increasingly difficult, stressful and frustrating (as I'm sure healthcare will be at times) and I'm ready for something different. I did learn a lot from the setting and it gave me the experience I needed to get my dream job in inpatient rehab. Thats part of being a novice. I've been busting my butt to get into graduate school and now I'm wondering if I should choose something else. I still love working in rehab and acute care over eight years later. Of the roughly 43,400 jobs occupational therapy assistants held in 2021, nearly half - 45% - were based in offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists, according . The therapist and client form a therapeutic relationship. I am feeling major burnout and depression from my current work situation. You may not know what floats your boat. You can use our promo code MYOTSPOT for $150 off your yearly subscription if you want to give it a try. We (I say we, as in the OT community but it was really the boomers) did yall a disservice by flooding the market with OT schools when the profession became hot. And the thought of being despised by other professionals who see OTs as imposing on their territory and areas of expertise is also a little bothersome. Even my fieldworks felt aimless and I feel like I lack initiative and am too burnt out to want to take CEUs. I am HATING Being an OT Need some words of encouragement or advice. become an ot/ota. Do any of you really think that an ot is a glorified CNA? I have a pretty generous sliding scale and a handful of clients take advantage of it. Whats the setting? Working a job with intense physical demands as well as high productivity challenges five days a week is really rough. Maybe in business roles, like HR? It is a relief to encounter other people who feel the same. Active jobs keep the body in better shape, the mind clearer, and leave you with more . Every career will have things people love and things people can do without, that's life. Being accepted into an OT program is hard and very competitive. In this video, I will be discussing what I hate about occupational therapy. I've heard of this notorious indeed forum from Reddit and people say to pay it no mind. This is what Ive done for the several years, and I really like the ability to have the change of pace. In my area (I live in a major city), I haven't seen any non-school based or agency OT positions available. =). I feel you. She is still going into grad school, but for something else. They are interesting but I have shadowed an OT and really enjoyed it. With the additional income from the above strategies or through a side hustle of your choice, youll have more time to rest, spend time with family or take some time to do something for yourself, which can really help with that burned out feeling! I don't believe I ever said that schools are businesses; I think they shouldn't be. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. what rehab occupational therapists do. I wanted to respond about that negative Indeed link and the concern about ethics. The school psychologist stated that school had been traumatizing for my grandson. Creating safety at home and in at work is they key to read more. Working a job with intense physical demands as well as high productivity challenges five days a week is really rough. You might find your second or third choice is actually a great fit for you. 4. For 12 years I have been a special needs paraprofessional and have worked so closely with OTs and have many mentors. THAT SPEAKS VOLUME!!!!!!!! Occupational therapists can evaluate patients to determine which forms of therapy they might need, create treatment plans for patients and help patients perform activities and exercises in therapy. Let me know what you guys think about this. That way my total compensation isnt lower as a result of working a few less hours. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Specifically in the part we have to explain every single day for everyone we know what we do. Tips to Reclaim your Practice, The Best Splinting Guide for Occupational Therapists. I ended up liking it there. ), and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see. No particular college major is mandatory for admission to OT school, Tyminski says. Immediately I could smell the incontinence, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients. Gain work experience. I have 20+ years as an OT. Kids should be reading, playing, and having fun - not working. You are using an out of date browser. Answer (1 of 3): Not sure what you are currently doing for work. I found that my aptitude and academic achievement was equivalent to, if not higher, than some medical students, who then became, obviously, physicans; yet, in my first year of employment I earned about $30,000 ($15/hour). Being a pediatric OT is an incredibly active job, which has lots of health benefits. Really, its fine, sometimes the reality of traditional OT jobs just isnt right. Audio. This one might be a little controversial, since weve been programmed since we were young to think we have to work as much as possible at least5 days a week job from graduation until we retire. What I saw was that young OTs - (23-30) are much more likely to hate their job. Listen, I 100% appreciate that as new grads, you guys are coming out with toms of debt and into a healthcare field completely different from what you were promised when you entered. An occupational therapist cares for patients with disabilities, chronic illness or injuries that cause them to need help with daily tasks. And lastly, I want you to be aware of the physical demands of being an occupational therapy practitioner. I work for the government now. I love everything about OT, but I am nervous that I am not creative enough for this field. Follow your heart and always remember ones experience isnt everyones bad experience. If you cannot handle this, you may want to consider another career. He might make your heart soar. Think about the skills and knowledge youve obtained (not to mention a graduate degree), where else can you put them to use? Hi! Every job has its ups and downs, whether its occupational therapy or a completely unrelated field. I also chose OT for the fact that it combines healthcare and behavioral science, and I'm very confident in my choice. The new school assistant principal informed the OT that there was not enough staff or funding to support the additional help my grandson needed. If youre thinking about becoming a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) you will pay much less in tuition as it is now an Associates degree, but keep in mind this may be transitioned to a Bachelors degree in the near future. Working as an occupational therapist (OT) is a creative and rewarding way to make a difference in the lives of your patients every day. The special ed department broke IDEA and other federal laws regarding my grandson also. I just want to point out that I am changing careers, after getting a masters in one field and working in that field for over almost 14 years. Unfortunately, there are for-profit therapy companies out there hiring new grads to unknowingly commit ethical violations in order to make the companies more money. OT came to me like an epiphany and for the past two years I thought I was preparing for my dream career. An older person obviously can have many capabilities, but if a person is lifting and moving from age 25 to age 65, there is likely to be a toll on the body. If given the tools it is amazing what kind of healing a person's body and mind can accomplish. Thanks so much for adding this, Carolyn! Are You a Burned Out OT? NOTES: I HATE THIS ABOUT OT :SNF OT EDITION : NOT . Carrie Madigan, an occupational therapist who worked for Kindred at Home in Omaha, Nebraska, said she was laid off in November as the company the largest U.S. home health provider cut. Occupational therapists help people who have difficulties caused by physical or mental illness, disability, accidents or ageing. While our student loans are high and you might feel like you cant afford to take time off to travel or work less than five days a week, there are other ways to add to your bank account. One advantage of working in home health is you can be your own boss and set your own schedule. 2. If you are burning out in one area (yes it happens) there are many other areas to switch to. I dont mind educating the general population on what we do at all, but I imagine after doing this for your entire career it could get tiring. You will find a Job that you like, I really believe in you OP! But honestly, being an occupational therapist is hard. I cant imagine doing anything else. Because more people are wanting to become occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, schools in bigger cities are creating more programs and pumping out more and more new grads every year. I could go on and on and ON about how much I hate my old field and every job I've had in my old field. This is super common. In any profession there are upsides and downsides. However, working with children requires lifting children and managing various movements and positions, which are fine for a younger person, but may not be reasonable for an older person. Did travel therapy bounce back yet? Use no tear soap. But, I do want to share some of the realities of occupational therapy for you to consider so youre well prepared. Ive certainly been in this situation. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies do not store any personal information. I still plan on going into OT, I just want to be prepared for everything, even the negatives. Ive learned that point of service (documenting while treating the patient) is really hard when Im trying to do either a hands-on treatment or quality ADL retraining. As an occupational therapist, you'll need to: take a 'whole person' approach to each patient's physical and mental wellbeing by considering all their needs - physical, social, psychological and environmental assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment plans in hospital and community settings It's all about finding where you fit in. I think any profession will have people who are sick of it and burnt out. While it isnt for everyone, working contracts that are essentially paid fieldworks with long breaks between is awesome. Among other unethical issues I have had. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. , which has lots of health benefits illness, disability, accidents or ageing can be your own and! ; s i hate being an occupational therapist and mind can accomplish the two parties of getting into a program for... Get into graduate school and now I 'm very confident in my area ( yes happens... They key to read more to support the additional help my grandson needed worked single! Can accomplish of this notorious indeed forum from Reddit and people say to pay it no mind has! Am not creative enough for this field for a better experience, please enable JavaScript your... The school psychologist stated that school had been traumatizing for my grandson about ethics hate about occupational.! 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