To use this feature subscribe to Mumsnet Premium - get first access to new features see fewer ads, and support Mumsnet. This week, guest blogger and professional occupational therapist Marlene Hampton shares her story of deciding to become an occupational therapist (OT). Anyone made a change? Ask Quick Lane, Talk widget showing discussions of the day & trending threads, Subscribe to Mumsnet emails direct to your inbox. I think being an OT part time is very difficult as the work load is rarely reduced on a proportional basis especially in a community role. He ran away, made a serious attempt to end his life, and is now in a persistent vegetative state. It was and still is shattering. Share your imaginative play tips with The LEGO Group: £200 voucher to be won, Do you have questions about car maintenance or opinions on your previous experiences when sorting out an MOT or service? One of my friends was a Speech and Language Therapist and now works for the CCG in a commissioning role so quite senior. It had destroyed my faith when we trusted them to care for him in a time of crisis and keep him safe. At times I wish I could tell them that I understand – I have been there and I know it hurts – but I think this would be unprofessional. ... VA hiring process - Occupational Therapist. . I can remember thinking, “That’s it, my career as an OT is completely over. Thanks! You *can* use your experience in a new way, without leaving the occupational therapy profession altogether. There are some ugly and messy parts of occupational therapy. It is an evidence based practice but also creative in techniques and support. I don't know enough to be of much help to him though. I think that “Top Job” comments are flooding the system with occupational therapists. Being a mental health OT is my passion. After working as an OT for three years now, here are 8 things I wish knew beforehand. I missed my OT team, who had kept in touch throughout my sick leave by visiting and being there to listen. I hate doing teaching so really can’t entertain using my teaching qualification, but I also have a film degree (slightly useless I imagine but it was close to a 1st), ... being a help to others, b.) I have been looking into OT, the problem is, the only jobs I can ever find advertised are for Skilled Nursing facilities like nursing homes. Then, one day, I got bad news I knew would affect him. Are you interested in becoming an occupational therapist? (stock photo), Join the Healthcare Professionals Network, Mental health (Healthcare Professionals Network). To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. KneelJustKneel I suppose it is an ideal profession in theory if you have the staff to cover the case-load. Maybe you’re sick of googling “I hate being an occupational therapist,” or perhaps you … They need to have outstanding communication skills to make that possible. OT is very flexible and rewarding and autonomous in practice. View Salary. Being a mental health occupational therapist is my passion. My situation gives insight that you wish you never had. Growing up, I always had a passion for helping people, whether it was getting to school early to help my grade school art teacher get ready for the day or volunteering for random events in the high school Key Club. I felt that mental health services had failed to keep a loved one safe and had desperately let us all down. What do you like? ... as I hate nursing homes. COTAs generally work under the direct supervision of an occupational therapist. Now I use my own negative experience as a positive to help patients. I will never be able to work in mental health services again”. I loved my job and worked hard with the team to keep patients safe, so it was extremely difficult when someone close to me became very mentally unwell. Can't remember title of job but likely to increase in availability as part of current national agenda. After months off work I began to think about my job. I truly do like helping people. “What’s it like being an occupational therapist?” Well, it’s great…and it kinda stinks. I can remember thinking what a relief it was just to know he would be kept safe and get the help he desperately needed and wanted. Charity? Something easier! My OT and I: how occupational therapists achieve the impossible, The day an occupational therapist changed my life, Being a mental health occupational therapist is my passion. April 1, 2015 by christiekiley 5 Comments. I love being an occupational therapist. Most really enjoy their work, although it’s not always easy. It’s tough but you continue to fight for your patients’ recovery as you would fight for your own friend or family member. Uni lecturing? Ikm an ex teacher and keep wondering if I can retrain (cant locally!) I LOVE being able to share tips and brainstorm with these individuals as they gather information to guide this big life decision. I listened to relaxing music to aid sleep at night. This is page 1 of 3 (This thread has 52 messages.). photographcrash did a pretty good explanation of the basics but I’ll expand on it a little. MidsomerBurgers that scares the hell out of me!! But I only work 3 days a week! Disadvantages of Being an Occupational Therapist. However, we believe a PT, OT, or SLP is a rewarding career. A COTA’s overall goal is to help clients learn the skills necessary to function in public and private environments. I have been reading the Indeed boards a lot and they are usually so negative. To share or not to share Secret Santa Scratchcard Winnings. riotlady Don't be put off by me!I've worked as an OT for years, in many areas and i've enjoyed most of it.Just bored with it now I suppose. Being a physical or occupational therapist or an SLP is no exception. My website: http://wildtruth.netMy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/danielmacklerI was a psychotherapist in New York for ten years. It is difficult but necessary to separate yourself emotionally from those situations. It’s physically demanding, mentally demanding (so much documenting! People looking for occupational therapy positions deal a lot with patients and other healthcare professionals to coordinate the care of their patients. See recent OT news. As a new therapist, this is more difficult. TightPants Exactly! Their patients have generally lost these abilities because of mental, physical, developmental, or emotional conditions. Working a job with intense physical demands as well as high productivity challenges five days a week is really rough. A change in another area may be a good idea. The Ugly. Sorry to be a doom monger but I think workload is a major gripe of most staff everywhere these days.Good benefits and pension with the NHS. occupational therapist definition: 1. someone whose job is to treat physical or mental illness by giving patients activities and…. Thanks. Let me preface my explanation by telling you that I have been a practicing OT for 9 years, primarily in the older adult area. Listening to handover can still be difficult, particularly when a patient is admitted to the ward in similar circumstances. I've worked in commercial environments with horrendous workloads and very family unfriendly attitudes to work life balance. Successful occupational therapists are typically upbeat, smile a lot, and have a motivational quality to their interactions with others.” With that said, it’s okay if you change your mind becoming an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist should set realistic expectations without taking away hope Betty and I have a realistic conversation about expectations and the challenges of her home environment. … Yes, I work in an industry brimming with regulation, but when I begin each treatment session, it feels like the brush is in my hands. 5 Reasons Why I Love Being a Therapist. I think being an OT part time is very difficult as the work load is rarely reduced on a proportional basis especially in a community role. If so, what do you do now working part-time? In a non-traditional occupational therapy job, you WILL still be using your valuable experience. Extensive Study Required. ... im an occupational therapist in India and read your article through another Indian friend’s facebook share n you will be happy to know that from Norway to Virginia to India- you are becoming famous ! I would love to go part time but my work load wouldn't change. So you can imagine that it brings me great joy when I meet someone who tells me ‘I know exactly what you do’. Here is our list of the top 10 advantages and disadvantages of being a therapist. Work on an acute psychiatric ward is extremely busy so meeting and helping new people kept me distracted and focused. ), and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see. I was very lucky – I got that job pretty quickly after qualifying and worked with a dedicated team of professionals. They are interesting but I have shadowed an OT and really enjoyed it. This list isn't meant to scare you, but to prepare for you for the realities of being an OT. As soon as I was placed on a mental health unit as a student occupational therapist I knew: working on a psychiatric ward was my dream job. This article highlights 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages to be a therapist. Interesting way of phrasing the question. I’m an occupational therapy assistant specialising in neurosciences, which is the scientific study of the nervous system. I've had an amazing career over 20 years. A career in occupational therapy. I hope he left an I’m done being an Occupational therapist I’m going to Disney shirt good tip for whoever had to mop up his shattered corpse. You learn to use this insight as a positive to help others. We often have to deal with bodily fluids and functions. Not-for-profit? During this time of grief aspects of my professional life stayed with me. Mental health care can be extremely pressured, challenging, exhausting and some days downright sad. . Occupational therapy is a rewarding career that provides for diverse work settings and job flexibility. Recent Jobs Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) Ideally in acute care, people get treatments, but the primary role of an occupational therapist is to make recommendations for followup therapy and make DME recommendations. Yes! You never imagine it will happen to you. I would love to go part time but my work load wouldn't change.Slightly different situation, but I left OT after the birth of my second never to go back, then a change of circumstances resulted in me doing my return to practice, I thought long and hard but there wasn't anything else I could pick up relatively quickly and earn the same (I am the sole earner) Maybe look at a change of role, maybe an emerging role. It is such a varied career! You can’t help but relate it to your own situation; you think about the person, the pain and desperation and what their family may be going through. Sometimes I love my job (also part time OT) but the expectations of families, the endless paperwork, red tape, funding battles...I’d like to do a job where I can switch my brain off for a while! I’ve had one too many of my own experiences where I needed help – like, really needed help – and I thought no one was there. Occupational therapy is a unique profession that allows you to help others live normal lives and complete day-to-day tasks, but what makes occupational therapy a front runner for students? I walked to improve my mood and reduce the stress and anxiety. There are so many times I’ve been asked if my job involves helping people find their true calling in a career occupation. Yeah, great idea, never enough plastic in the Ocean. It takes practice to distance yourself and put your emotional well-being first. Do you have questions about creating positive bathroom habits and routines? I immediately told staff on the psychiatric unit, as I knew the news would have a devastating impact. To become an occupational therapist, you will at least earn a master’s degree which may require prerequisite courses. Ever wondered what an Occupational Therapist actually does? Don't assume that the grass is greener!DH works in the NHS and I would say, he, and other NHS friends have a better balance than a lot of my private sector friends. If you are considering occupational therapy as a career, by becoming an occupational therapist or an occupational therapist assistant, you are looking at a challenging and rewarding health care profession that can develop in many directions in a variety of workplaces. It helps people of all ages achieve their goals of being able to participate in the things they want and/or need to be able to do on a … I let Betty know my concerns but also reassure her that we will … Now I use my own negative experience as a positive to help patients. Band 6. The patients also kept me going without even realising. Working with people to ensure their life has meaningful activity they can access to promote health and wellbeing and reduce hospital admissions. It sounds like a complete and utter ball ache though!What are you trying to escape? In my mind OT was the ideal career! If you are still in the researching process, this post is for you! Occupational therapy is a holistic profession. When someone close to me was permanently damaged after being admitted to a mental health ward, I thought my career was over, Last modified on Tue 17 Jul 2018 08.51 BST. Most people who have secured something have been with their organisation for a while and are a 'known quantity'.What are you good at? However if you have neuro experience, could you look into private work?Chicken my ds has autism, I don't think I could work with it as a major part of my job, I need to be able to step out of it, though my home experience can improve my practice when working with the occasional families that I do. If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com. Occupational Therapists (OTs) are health care professionals specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science.OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) use scientific bases, and a holistic perspective to promote a person's ability to fulfill their daily routines and roles. Great article thanks for researching this. I have always thought that working for a GP practice would be great. I was devastated. Council? and being … We called upon mental health services; I put my faith in the NHS and trusted it would not let me down. I agree with this. The nurses sent messages of support. If you, too, are considering a career as an occupational therapist (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA), or you know someone who is, then the tips in … Within certain limits, it is up to me to what value I bring to my patients during my treatment sessions. The lady I shadowed did help with toileting with the in-patients but she also did that as her own choice. Sorry - internet problems delayed my post and I can see that my suggestion has already been made. Can I ask why you want to quit? Discover what's to love about being an occupational therapist. fedup21 Oh please don't be put off. I won’t pretend it’s always easy. The 5 BEST Things About Being an Occupational Therapist. In some instances, I had to learn to help myself and be my own advocate, if you will. The advantages certainly outweigh the disadvantages. You could try a couple of guest lecturing sessions? Learn more. For me, I would have to go back to school, accrue $80,000 in school loans only to make about $15,000 more a year. Just look on the Employment and Back to Work boards. have no real prep work- like in teaching, c.) ... Hi I am an Occupational Therapist. Therr seems so much variety within it...?! My message was not passed to the nursing team and the next day, when he left the ward for fresh air accompanied by a healthcare professional, he received a telephone call notifying him of the sad news. (stock photo) Photograph: Alamy He was admitted for treatment into a psychiatric unit. I meet wonderful people from all walks of life who need our care in the NHS and I’m thankful that I’m still an occupational therapist who can help them. I would love to train as OT i have daughter who has autism and would love to help her! But honestly, being an occupational therapist is hard. As for now, I only take private cases that I choose and I am working on something else. I would start looking there first.Could always try another area of OT? Each day I walk into the hospital I put my OT skills into practice for my patients and now for myself. stressedoutpa I suppose I can't keep up. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views. I missed work, the structure, routine, and the patient contact. 8/3/2020 (closing date 8/21): Application submitted. I have been an OT for almost 6 years. Not to mention the headache that comes with the title. COTA’s also function as administrative assistants for their supervisors, handling things such as recording and reporting data to the occupational therapist. Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. I'm not sure what to do but its making me hate OT and hate myself for making this decision. !Not a good move?? You experience intense emotional pain followed by many unanswered questions; you feel guilt, sadness and desperation, along with anger, low mood and anxiety which can be overwhelming. You see such desperate situations but you toughen up and eventually learn that despite trying, you can’t save everyone. I eventually returned to my job on a phased return. I have been a COTA for 3 years now and wouldn’t change a thing. Oh dear, this was something I’d thought of doing as an escape route from teaching! Occupational therapy provides support to enable people to facilitate recovery, to overcome barriers during illness or disability which prevent them from doing the activities that matter to them. I hate to admit this but there’s been weeks I’ve worn the same PJs for days— ew! Can you look at another area of OT? 65 votes, 104 comments. As for the "non evidence based" claims...there is plenty of evidence to drive your practice, it's up to a good therapist to read studies, measure the results, and apply it into practice. An occupational therapist is a health professional who is responsible for helping patients regain their ability to perform daily living and work activities. There are staffing issues. That sounds terrible but I want a change. Why I love being an occupational therapist We asked OTs to tell us what they enjoyed about the job. Hmm... what band are you?Outside of NHS and public sector it is very hard to find a part-time job that pays well. Though occupational therapy is a rewarding career, there are also challenges associated with the industry that you will have to overcome to be successful. Thank you for the fabulous music. OT friends are part time, have control over their day, flexible working, make a difference...If you're bored can you try a different branch of OT. Some of whom are going into the field for the money that they think they will earn. I'm quite well paid in Neuro, but that's not the issue. ... Occupational Therapist Salary. To get through this I applied what I advised my patients, to myself. Oh no, I’m an occupational therapy student! Mostly I am just worried about being a "glorified CNA." From helping people live independently to seeing beyond their disability, here’s what you said I hear you OP! This isn't a copy and paste profession, it requires quite a bit of higher level reasoning and I have met a lot of OTs who were either incapable or lazy to do the job the true way it was intended. How about these newish roles, community based, around social prescribing. If I got bored of my niche I would really consider student support at a university. Use this feature subscribe to Mumsnet emails direct to your inbox it like an. Help others which may require prerequisite courses got bored of my niche would... 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