Should I become an Occupational Therapy Assistant?

By Susan - Sunday 5 Apr 11:00 am

Choosing to become an occupational therapy assistant is by no means downgrading from occupational therapist. Your level of skill must still be competitive and you must still possess an earnest desire to help people with disabilities. You will also be required to work hands on with patients in assisting them through their phases of healing and rehabilitation by various means of treatment and initiating exercises. An occupational therapy assistant is just as important to the job as the occupational therapist is.

By being an occupational therapy assistant, you are opening yourself up to the world of occupational therapy by taking the passenger seat in all business operations and consultations. It is an excellent platform to view the workings of an occupational therapist’s rooms and further decipher if that is the route that you will take in the future. Many occupational therapy assistants opt to remain in that position for the rest of their careers, by choice and not by circumstance. In fact many occupational therapy assistants chose to study for that very position and never had any intention of becoming a fully fledged occupational therapist.

Occupational therapy assistants are considered entry level positions for occupational therapists, and it is not unusual for all occupational therapists to have been an assistant at one point in their careers or another. With most Universities you are required to complete an internship as a part of your studies, and the most common position held for this learning period is an occupational therapy assistant, learning your practical skills from a licensed occupational therapist. It is also not uncommon for students to feel so comfortable and at ease in this position that they opt to stay there, as mentioned previously.

Basic occupational therapy assistant’s duties include preparing patients for their consultations, handling the signing in and registration of new clients before their first consultation, doing basic exercises or activities with patients that don’t require the supervision of the occupational therapist, carrying out administrative duties for the office or rooms such as keeping patient’s details up to date and in order. Occupational therapy assistants will also be available to handle the overflow of patients for the occupational therapist, if there is ever the need due to an emergency situation.

Other more interesting duties that occupational therapy assistants will pursue are possibly to be given some of the less complicated disabilities to work with and will be required to carry out exercises, activities, stretches, small movements with these patients. They will also be required to give a full report back to the occupational therapist in charge. They would have the opportunity to help patients to improve their fine motor coordination as well as gross motor skills through exercises and stretches. The occupational therapy assistant would also have the chance to help patients learn valuable life skills to improve their lifestyle, living states and overall health and wellbeing.

By being an occupational therapy assistant, you are by no means signing up for the easy road. Your job will still be as challenging and motivating as that of an occupational therapist.

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5 Best Facilities to Work as an Occupational Therapist

By Susan - Monday 23 Mar 9:15 am

Upon deciding to become an occupational therapist, and upon qualification, you are faced with the biggest challenge of your career, and that is first of all deciding where to work and then receiving employment upon making your decision.

Occupational therapists are widely well received and there is a definite demand for those that are efficient and suitably qualified, so finding a job should not be a problem. The big question you need to ask yourself is: Where to apply? If you are not going to set up a private practice, which is probably recommended for University leavers, then you have a wide range of occupational therapy and medical institutions to choose from. From nursing homes to hospitals, to corporate companies that have in house occupational therapists. The choices are numerous and equally as rewarding. Close investigation should be paid to each and every job opportunity and all the benefits that come with each position.

You could choose to join somebody else’s private practice as an occupational therapist, and at the same time learn about the successful running of your own business and all the involvement that goes hand in hand with it.

Nursing homes and hospitals can offer competitive salaries for occupational therapists as well as the added incentive of being able to improve the lives of those that are residents in these homes and health care facilities.

On a corporate scale, there are many businesses that have in house occupational therapists to assist in maintaining high levels of productivity amongst employees and to enable for any care that is required on an occupational therapy level to be easily accessible. Working as an occupational therapist for corporate giants will also entitle you to impressive employment packages and commendable salaries and bonuses. Some of the companies that you might have heard of that offer exceptional employment for occupational therapists are:

• Google
• Citibank
• Microsoft
• Dell
• Deloitte
• Sears

When it comes to occupational therapist employment positions, there are a few institutions that stand out from the rest. They offer exceptional service to clients and are nationally recognized as leaders in the field of occupational therapy. Not only do they treat their clients with distinction, but their employees are also given the best possible salaries, benefits and are treated with the respect that they have earned. As occupational therapists, it is essential for your employer to recognize the importance of your job and this is most appreciated when it is well received.

The following companies are among those that fit this standard according to occupational therapists:

• Tri-State Hand and Occupational Therapy, Inc. located in Cumberland, MD
• The Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado
• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre, a non-profit hospital and research centre in Ohio
• Communicative Health Care Associates Inc, to be found in Boston, Massachusetts
• Wee Care Therapy, Ltd, Dyer, Indiana

Burger Rehabilitation Systems Inc, that have many clinics situated in the greater Sacramento area, Northern California

Posted in: Job Search, Therapy Jobs