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Occupational Therapist Job Outlook
Occupational therapy is a client-centered health profession which addresses
the occupational needs of individuals throughout their lifespan. Occupation
refers to activities and tasks of everyday life which are purposeful and meaningful
to an individual.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists provide services to individuals and/or populations
to help them achieve everyday health through the participation in meaningful
and purposeful occupations. The ability to participate in these occupations
may have been disrupted by physical illness or injury, congenital or developmental
disability, emotional and/or cognitive disorder, or by the aging process.
Therapists use a variety of approaches to help them establish what the needs
are of each individual and how these can be met; standardized and non-standardized
evaluation and assessment tools are available. The approach that the occupational
therapist uses to address each occupational need is also multi-faceted; this
is often dependent on the age of the individual. For example, when working
with children, toys and games may be used. In treating adults, the therapists
may use computers, work simulation, leisure activities, self-care tasks, and
others. The effectiveness of the intervention and progress of the individual
are carefully monitored and recorded by occupational therapists. Therapists
also provide adaptive equipment when needed such as wheelchairs, splints, and
eating and dressing aids. They also work with rehabilitation engineers to design
special equipment or develop computer-aided equipment for use in the home,
at work, or in school. Therapists need to be patient, creative, and imaginative
in order to gain the individual's trust and be able to adapt the evaluation
and intervention approaches to each person's individual needs.
Areas of Specialization
Therapists may specialize in a particular field of concentration, as it relates
to the lifespan cycle (pediatrics vs gerontology) and to the various conditions
and diagnoses (neurology vs mental health). There is ample opportunity for
therapists to change field of concentration through continuing education and/or
mentoring by senior therapists.
Work Environment
Occupational therapists may work in hospitals, schools, mental health facilities,
nursing homes, job training services, residential care facilities, and in private
practice, to name a few of the available work settings. The work week may vary,
from a traditional 40 hour week to a more non-traditional evening/weekend work
week. Certain work environments are more physically demanding than others because
the therapists often must lift patients and equipment.
Job Outlook
On average, 242 new jobs are expected each year until 2008 for occupational
therapists in Florida. This increase is due to the growth in all age groups
of the population.
Advancement
Within a hospital setting, staff therapists with adequate clinical experience
may qualify as senior therapists, whereby they carry out more administrative
and/or clinical teaching duties. Experienced therapists may become directors
of occupational therapy programs in large hospitals, clinics or workshops,
or set up their own private practice.
Length of Training/Requirements
Currently, the minimal requirement for entry into the field is a bachelor's
degree in occupational therapy. However, in 1999 the American Occupational
Therapy Association (AOTA) voted to move the education of occupational therapist
to the graduate entry-level, which will be effective in 2007. Institutions
are using different models to grant the master's entry-level, i.e. either a
post-baccalaureate or a combined bachelor/master's entry-level degree. In addition
to the academic education, an approved supervised clinical training period
of six months is required for professional certification. The college preparation
for occupational therapy emphasizes health and social sciences, such as anatomy,
physiology, neurology, psychology, and sociology. The students also study occupation,
occupational performance, occupational therapy theories, evaluation, intervention,
and the use of assistive technology.
Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides
Significant Points
* Employment is projected to increase much faster than
the average, reflecting growth in the number of individuals with disabilities
or limited function who require therapeutic services.
* Occupational therapist assistants generally must complete
an associate degree or a certificate program; in contrast, occupational therapist
aides usually receive most of their training on the job.
* In an effort to control rising health care costs, third-party
payers are expected to encourage occupational therapists to delegate more hands-on
therapy work to lower-paid occupational therapist assistants and aides.
Nature of the Work
Occupational therapist assistants and aides work under the direction of occupational
therapists to provide rehabilitative services to persons with mental, physical,
emotional, or developmental impairments. The ultimate goal is to improve clients’ quality
of life and ability to perform daily activities. For example, occupational
therapist assistants help injured workers re-enter the labor force by teaching
them how to compensate for lost motor skills or help individuals with learning
disabilities increase their independence.
Occupational therapist assistants, commonly known as occupational therapy assistants,
help clients with rehabilitative activities and exercises outlined in a treatment
plan developed in collaboration with an occupational therapist. Activities
range from teaching the proper method of moving from a bed into a wheelchair
to the best way to stretch and limber the muscles of the hand. Assistants monitor
an individual’s activities to make sure that they are performed correctly
and to provide encouragement. They also record their client’s progress
for the occupational therapist. If the treatment is not having the intended
effect, or the client is not improving as expected, the therapist may alter
the treatment program in hopes of obtaining better results. In addition, occupational
therapist assistants document the billing of the client’s health insurance
provider.
Occupational therapist aides typically prepare materials and assemble equipment
used during treatment. They are responsible for a range of clerical tasks,
including scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, restocking or ordering
depleted supplies, and filling out insurance forms or other paperwork. Aides
are not licensed, so the law does not allow them to perform as wide a range
of tasks as occupational therapist assistants.
Working Conditions
The hours and days that occupational therapist assistants and aides work vary
with the facility and with whether they are full- or part-time employees. Many
outpatient therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend hours, to help
coincide with patients’ personal schedules.
Occupational therapist assistants and aides need to have a moderate degree
of strength, because of the physical exertion required in assisting patients
with their treatment. For example, assistants and aides may need to lift patients.
Constant kneeling, stooping, and standing for long periods also are part of
the job.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
An associate degree or a certificate from an accredited community college
or technical school is generally required to qualify for occupational therapist
assistant jobs. In contrast, occupational therapist aides usually receive most
of their training on the job.
There were 135 accredited occupational therapist assistant programs in 2005.
The first year of study typically involves an introduction to health care,
basic medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. In the second year, courses
are more rigorous and usually include occupational therapist courses in areas
such as mental health, adult physical disabilities, gerontology, and pediatrics.
Students also must complete 16 weeks of supervised fieldwork in a clinic or
community setting. Applicants to occupational therapist assistant programs
can improve their chances of admission by taking high school courses in biology
and health and by performing volunteer work in nursing care facilities, occupational
or physical therapists’ offices, or other health care settings.
Occupational therapist assistants are regulated in most States and must pass
a national certification examination after they graduate. Those who pass the
test are awarded the title “Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.”
Occupational therapist aides usually receive most of their training on the
job. Qualified applicants must have a high school diploma, strong interpersonal
skills, and a desire to help people in need. Applicants may increase their
chances of getting a job by volunteering their services, thus displaying initiative
and aptitude to the employer.
Assistants and aides must be responsible, patient, and willing to take directions
and work as part of a team. Furthermore, they should be caring and want to
help people who are not able to help themselves.
Employment
Occupational therapist assistants and aides held about 27,000 jobs in 2004.
Occupational therapist assistants held about 21,000 jobs, and occupational
therapist aides held approximately 5,400. About 30 percent of jobs for assistants
and aides were in hospitals, 23 percent were in offices of occupational therapists,
and 18 percent were in nursing care facilities. The rest were primarily in
community care facilities for the elderly, home health care services, individual
and family services, and State government agencies.
Job Outlook
Employment of occupational therapist assistants and aides is expected to grow
much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. The impact of
proposed Federal legislation imposing limits on reimbursement for therapy services
may adversely affect the job market for occupational therapist assistants and
aides in the short run. Over the long run, however, demand for occupational
therapist assistants and aides will continue to rise because of the increasing
number of individuals with disabilities or limited function. Job growth will
result from an aging population, including the baby-boom generation, which
will need more occupational therapy services. The increased prevalence of sensory
disorders in children will increase the demand for occupational therapy services.
Increasing demand also will result from advances in medicine that allow more
people with critical problems to survive and then need rehabilitative therapy.
In an effort to control rising health care costs, third-party payers are expected
to encourage occupational therapists to delegate more hands-on therapy work
to lower-paid occupational therapist assistants and aides.
Earnings
Median annual earnings of occupational therapist assistants were $38,430 in
May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,970 and $44,390. The lowest
10 percent earned less than $25,880, and the highest 10 percent earned more
than $52,700. Median annual earnings of occupational therapist assistants were
$40,130 in offices of other health practitioners, which includes offices of
occupational therapists.
Median annual earnings of occupational therapist aides were $23,150 in May
2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $19,080 and $31,910. The lowest
10 percent earned less than $15,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more
than $41,560.
Occupational therapist assistants and aides work under the supervision and
direction of occupational therapists. Other workers in the health care field
who work under similar supervision include dental assistants, medical assistants,
pharmacy aides, pharmacy technicians, and physical therapist assistants and
aides.
Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Occupational Therapists, on
the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm (visited September
08, 2006).
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