Occupational Therapist: Function is the name of the game!

Introduction
As an OT, I address every aspect of my clients' lives: leisure activities, daily self care skills, occupation, homemaking skills, mental health, cognition. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to not be afraid to think outside the box. Be creative, that's the soul of this career. Trial and error is not a bad thing.

We need to find approaches that work for each individual, and sometimes that means being a bit unconventional. Be flexible! Above all, treat your patients with dignity and respect. Being a part of the health care world, people sometimes become numbers, statistics or diagnoses. We have the unique and wonderful opportunity to approach a case in just the opposite way. We must see each client as an individual. Don't lose sight of all the fun this career can be!

Job Function
The scope of the OT practice is vast. Occupational therapists can treat in a range of settings and for multiple populations. Pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, and mental health are a few realms that we deal in. We provide skilled service to address impairments both mental and physical that interfere with one's ability to be independent. This may mean we work on bathing and dressing, cooking, driving safety, and money and medication management with a person who has had a stroke and plans to return home. It can also mean we work on sensory integration tasks, handwriting, behavioral modifications, adaptive equipment, and communication with a special needs child in a school system. The scenarios are endless, as are the opportunities for an occupational therapist. Paperwork, obviously is the bane of every health care professional's existence. Unfortunately it is inevitable. The most enjoyable aspect of the job is clearly the time spent directly treating the patients, the freedom to be creative, to incorporate your talents and your patients leisure and work interests into treatment sessions to evoke the most positive outcome. Advertisement
Lifestyle
Being an Occupational Therapist takes a good deal of organization, motivation and drive. To be a self-starter is definately an asset in the career. However, this is a creative, playful career as well. We are "the good guys" so to speak-we are working with our patients to make their lives better, and that is just downright fun. I can't say that I remember a day that I've gone to work and not laughed. Being in a health related field, we often deal with serious and intense issues with our patients. Therapists seem to know how to balance life and have a sense of humor about things. Overall, it's definately not a stuffy "all work no play" type career-it's a blast!

Just as there are countless types of rehab clients, there are many treatment settings. This is a career that definately offers opportunities for flexible hours, full-time, part-time, and per diem work, and even traveling opportunities.

If you are a people person who is creative and is looking for a new challenge every day, this is definately a career to consider!

Additional Information
If you're thinking about it, go check it out. This is definately a career path that you won't regret!