Travel Therapy Blog

By Erica Ronchetti

Considering a career as an occupational therapist?  Now’s an excellent time to find an occupational therapy travel job.  Demands for occupational therapists are growing, especially in schools.  Occupational therapists will find many positions in school settings needing to be filled, as there is an ongoing need for occupational therapy professionals to aid children in critical points in their development.  This is the case for children who suffer from a variety of different conditions, such as cerebral palsy, autism, hearing difficulties and vision impairments.  Occupational therapists, both full time and part time can really make a difference in children’s lives.

Skilled occupational therapists work with patients on different computer equipment and programs, instructing them and monitoring their progress.  Many help the children receive therapy on specially built exercise machines or in swimming pools.  Often times children will need to receive rehabilitation tailored for their individual needs, and physical therapists and speech therapists can be of great assistance here, depending on the program.

These occupational therapy programs teach children to communicate in new ways, sometimes through pictures or signs, and sometimes through speech.  Others learn dexterity and control, muscle strength, writing, and speaking.  Occupational therapists can provide children with the care they require that could not ordinarily have been met in other school settings.  Occupational therapists are important teachers preparing children to join other mainstream classrooms.
Traveling occupational therapists fill temporary openings in schools, rehab centers and other facilities. There is a shortage of skilled rehab therapists and sometimes it takes a while to fill a permanent position. In the interim, a traveling  OT can fill the gap.  OT travel jobs are available throughout the country to fill these openings.

Without occupational therapists, patients would need more care later in life and greater levels of support in the future.  Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language therapists can truly make a difference people’s lives, and they are in high demand.  To find more about how you can pursue a career in travel occupational therapy, visit http://www.alliedtravelcareers.com/occupationaltherapyjobs.php or fill out our brief application.

Erica Ronchetti is Account Manager for Travel Nurse Source, a recruiting company for traveling nurses.  Travel Nurse Source is affiliated with Allied Travel Careers, a recruiting company for traveling physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists.  For more information on what we do, please visit our websites.

By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN

Occupational therapists promote health and teach people how to stay well and injury-free during their daily lives, from home to work and even during favorite leisure activities. They have the power to bring their patients back into present time, become mindful of their physical movements and use awareness as a tool to prevent injury. Similar to other rehabilitation therapy professions like physical therapy and speech language pathology, occupational therapists turn over a great deal of power to their patients. Under the tutelage of their expert guidance, troubleshooting and coaxing, occupational therapists and traveling occupational therapy professionals traveling the country, make sure that their clients are in the best possible position to live their best possible lives without getting hurt in the process.

At one point in the history of this and other rehab therapy professions, therapists were focused mostly on clients with disabilities and maintaining function in the elderly. Now, occupational therapy jobs, travel therapy jobs, and traveling occupational therapy jobs require therapists to work with children. Obesity in children is leading to conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and asthma, as the children’s bodies attempt to manage the excess weight.  Occupational therapists play an important role in keeping these young bodies moving and teaching them to live with the daily adjustments needed to accommodate for these conditions.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists occupational therapy as a profession expected to grow rapidly, with the number of working therapists to advance by 23% between 2006 and 2016. Occupational therapists (veterans and new grads alike) with an urge to see America may find a  traveling occupational therapy job to be the perfect escape, especially during the summertime when most destinations seem more vacation than work.

Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.