By Christine Whitmarsh RN, BSN
Employment opportunities for traveling occupational therapists, a career with an extremely positive career outlook, are projected to increase by 23 percent by 2016. This is a much faster increase than average compared to other occupations charted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Similar to other rehabilitation professions such as physical therapy and speech language pathology, one of the greatest attractions of a career in occupational therapy is the flexibility of working environment. Because of the occupational therapist’s broad-based role in assisting individuals of all ages and from all walks of life, restore a maximum level of health and independent living skills, their skills are required in a variety of clinical settings. Here are some examples of career opportunities for occupational therapists, and for those with a taste for travel and new experiences, traveling occupational therapists.
Similar to physical therapists, the services of occupational therapists are very much in demand in settings such as hospitals, schools, doctor’s offices, private occupational therapy practices, home health care, and long term care facilities such as nursing homes. In my previous blog addressing work settings for physical therapists, I elaborated more on these settings.
Occupational therapists are also utilized in these settings.
Mental Health Facilities: In this setting, the OT coordinates case management and cares for inpatients and outpatients, while also working with vocations such as recreation therapists and other rehabilitation therapists with similar therapeutic objectives.
Job Training Centers: Occupational therapists are trained to help individuals, especially those with disabilities, improve essential job skills such as decision-making, reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and coordination. They can also teach individuals with disabilities to use special adaptive equipment needed at work and in some cases help to design this equipment.
Community Centers and Adult Day Care Programs: Occupational therapists play an important role in achieving the benefits of these programs, such as improving mental and physical health for the elderly participants, increasing or maintaining participants’ level of independence, and leading mental stimulation and exercise programs.
If you’re having trouble deciding on just one work environment, it is worth noting that 1 in 10 occupational therapists hold jobs in multiple work settings. As a travel occupational therapist, that flexibility increases as the number and variety of assignments increases.
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.
Tags: Occupational Therapy
