Occupational Therapist Job Description

Occupational Therapy: A Growing Industry

Occupational therapy is a popular healthcare profession. OT careers are popular due to the compassionate nature of the work and the opportunities that they provide to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Occupational therapists work in settings that influence their day-to-day activities.

Occupational therapists can work in hospital settings or in other settings. Some practitioners work with the elderly to help them with the struggles of aging. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit can open and manage their own private practice.

Occupational therapy requires extensive education and training in order to become a licensed professional. OTs who get a master's degree in occupational therapy are more likely to enter the workforce with a PhD in occupational therapy. Occupational therapists earned an average annual salary of $84,270 in the year.

Depending on the state in which they are employed, compensation can vary a lot. OTs play a large role in the treatment of age related ailments like arthritis and stroke, which is why the need for occupational therapists is predicted to rise. The demand for skilled and compassionate practitioners will continue to grow as patients seek long-term treatment for disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists are the specialists who find new and easy ways for people to overcome physical, mental, and emotional trauma so that they can lead a normal, satisfying, and happy life. Therapists help them with daily tasks like washing, dressing, cooking and eating, as well as providing them with appropriate care and support to combat their problem. They examine and treat patients of all ages.

Occupational therapists can work with a wide range of people. They want to determine what the patient wants and what they should do to give them a comfortable lifestyle. They prepare the best treatment plans for them after analyzing their needs.

Occupational therapists work from Monday to Friday. There are some posts in mental health community services, accident and emergency services, acute hospitals, and private practice where they need to work on weekends, holidays and evenings. Their job is flexible in terms of time off and other working arrangements.

Occupational therapists can work in hospitals and community settings. The local government employs occupational therapists in social service units. They visit people at home to check out their requirements.

Occupational therapy has many options for specialization and an attractive career outlook. OTs can specialize in four areas: pediatrics, mental health, geriatrics and physical rehabilitation. Occupational therapists who wish to work with children are interested in specialization.

Certification in Occupational Therapy

As an occupational therapist, you will be responsible for helping patients who are disabled and always need help performing day to day activities and developing skills for doing their own work. To get a license to practice occupational therapy in the United States, you have to pass an exam by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Cerebral palsy, Alzheimer's disease, and even drug or substance abuse are just a few disorders that occupational therapists will always be relevant in. It is possible for an organisation to make adjustments to it to fit their needs, so long as they decide to use it.

The role of an occupational therapist is to meet with patients and discuss treatment plans to improve their ability to perform basic functions. Occupational therapists and physical therapists can work together to improve patient results. Occupational therapists can help patients who have suffered injuries or traumas to heal and improve their lifestyles.

Occupational therapists can earn their degrees in as little as two years for an associate's and up to four years for a bachelor's. Candidates for both degree levels will need to pass their exams to get licensure. Occupational therapists are employed in a variety of healthcare facilities.

OTs can work in a rehabilitation team in a medical rehabilitation center, in an outpatient surgery center, in a nursing home, or in a private and government-backed therapy facility. Occupational therapists are required to perform a variety of physical tasks. OTs need to have a high level of fitness and endurance to perform in the physical roles of the job.

An Overview of Occupational Therapists in the UK

Some occupational therapists work with children with disabilities. They help disabled children by evaluating their needs and abilities, modifying classroom equipment to accommodate their needs, and participating in school activities. Elderly people are helped by occupational therapists to lead more independent and proactive lives.

Occupational Therapists must have several years of experience working in social care, health or a related field. Many employers prefer candidates who have shadowed an occupational therapist. Some employers prefer candidates with relevant work experience in occupational therapy that is more competitive.

Other employers will accept candidates who worked at rehabilitation or occupational therapy assistant. Occupational Therapists receive training to perform their duties during their internship. Most of the time, the sessions are short and focused on learning about the company's processes.

An occupational therapist's salary

Many occupational therapists work with children with disabilities. They teach parents how to provide their child with everything they need and how to overcome their disability. They support children with the help of charitable organizations that provide medical care and equipment.

Children and adolescents can make necessary changes from a young age if occupational therapy intervention is used. The benefits for their development can be significant. A rehabilitation team that includes doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, and other specialists draws up a pathway for each patient who follows an occupational therapy programme.

An occupational therapist must pay attention to their family when they are working with a child. The average salary for an occupational therapist is dependent on experience and the type of work. They work 35 to 40 hours per week and average a salary of over $33,000 per year.

Occupational Therapists: How to Help Others

One of the most important skills you should have is patience. You are supposed to meet with patients with many different diseases. They can be rude, depressed, frustrated, and impatient.

You need to treat them the same way you would a cooperative patient, with equal effort and a smile. Some clients can improve within weeks or months, others may take a year or more. Occupational therapists work with patients of all ages with a wide range of disabilities.

It is important to observe that the nature, composure, and personal capabilities of sufferers will differ dramatically. Some patients are kind and collected, while others are rude, frustrated or impatient. It is necessary to be able to respond to all kinds of sufferers.

Occupational therapists need to pay attention to their work. If they are working with a child, they should be able to change complicated phrases into simpler ones so that the toddler can understand them, and the same is true for speaking with sufferers of all ages. You need to be able to approach the conversation in a variety of ways to different patients.

Occupational therapists have to serve clients during the day, travel from one place to another, and stand beside the sufferers for a long period of time. Patients may want to use occupational therapists as a crutch in order to be able to perform therapy because of the difficult methods used. If you want to become an occupational therapist, you need to be strong and healthy.

Occupational Therapy Jobs in the United States

A career in occupational therapy involves passion, empathy and strong communication. Employment of occupational therapists is expected to grow much faster than the average. Occupational therapists need to pass a national examination in order to be licensed.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of occupational therapists will grow 18 percent from the year of 2018) to the year of 2028, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Senior citizens can benefit from occupational therapists' recommendations to make their daily activities easier, as people want to remain active into later in life. The demand for occupational therapy services will increase as more and more children with the condition are assisted in improving their social skills and doing a variety of daily tasks.

You need a bachelor's degree in a related field to become an occupational therapist. You will need a master's degree in occupational therapy to be accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association. To get a place on a masters programme, you should have experience working in an occupational setting.

A master's in occupational therapy takes about 2 to 3 years to complete. The programs for occupational therapists take about 3 and a half years. The master's and PhD degrees require at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork in order to gain clinical work experience.

A 16-week experience is required for a PhD program. Occupational therapists can specialize once they are fully trained. The American Occupational Therapy Association offers a number of certifications for therapists who want to demonstrate their knowledge in areas of practice, such as mental health, or low vision.

Occupational Therapists Jobs in the UK

Occupational therapists work with a wide range of other professionals, including doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, teachers, social workers and representatives from charitable and voluntary organisation. They support clients' families, caregivers and employers. Occupational therapists work a lot.

In some places, such as community mental health services, occupational therapists may need to provide cover in the evenings and at weekends, but most of the time they work office hours. Flexible hours and part-time work are possible. The British Association of Occupational Therapists' website is where vacancies are advertised.

There are jobs in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy. The applicants need to show that they can work with a variety of people and have good communication skills. They should have visited the occupational therapy department to find out more about the job.