what is an occupational therapist?
An occupational therapist (OT) provides treatment to patients with disability or long-term illnesses to help them perform daily activities like moving around and taking care of themselves. As an occupational therapist, you help patients improve the quality of their lives by adapting to their conditions and learning independence. You also recommend assistive devices and teach them how to use the tools to accomplish tasks.
You work with seniors, young children and adults as an occupational therapist. You assess their difficulties in accomplishing tasks and teach them ways to improve the activities. You also recommend pain management strategies when participating in intense workouts.
what does an occupational therapist do?
While occupation refers to a profession or job, it denotes daily activities that improve independence in occupational therapy. For instance, people with illness and disabilities have difficulty eating, bathing and doing office work or laundry. Your job is to ensure your patients perform simple activities without affecting their condition.
Most occupational therapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, outpatient clinics and nursing homes. You will provide services to people with arthritis, spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke or cerebral palsy. You can also work in schools to evaluate children with disabilities and assist them with school activities. Maintaining skills needed for daily activities helps them recover.
view jobsaverage occupational therapist salary
The remuneration package depends on the healthcare facility you work for and whether you work full-time or part-time. As an occupational therapist, you earn a median salary of $88,000 annually in Australia. An entry-level occupational therapist with minimal experience earns an average salary of $80,000 annually. When you build your skills and expertise and become a registered occupational therapist with Occupational Therapy Australia, you can expect a higher salary of over $95,000 annually.
how to increase your salary as an occupational therapist
Your earnings as an occupational therapist depend on your qualifications, years of experience and specialism. Hence, to increase your salary, acquire additional training or certifications that improve your skills and expertise. As you gain experience, the roles you undertake become complex, and the pay structure will reflect the additional responsibilities.
Your employer also impacts your earnings and extra benefits. For instance, an occupational therapist working in a hospital has a different pay structure from those working in schools or nursing homes. Large organisations also have attractive remuneration packages compared to small or medium-sized hospitals or companies. However, you will likely gain more experience in small organisations since you handle diverse roles. Large companies require an occupational therapist to focus on one specialism.
Want to know what you will earn as an occupational therapist? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of occupational therapists
Some of the types of occupational therapists include:
- paediatric occupational therapist: if you enjoy working with children, you can specialise in paediatric occupational therapy. Your role is to assist children who cannot perform daily tasks due to disabilities. You will help the kids develop general functioning like feeding, walking and crawling.
- geriatric occupational therapist: you work with elderly patients to help them manage routine tasks easily. Your work involves assisting elderly patients in coping with arthritis, Alzheimer's, low vision and recovering from a stroke.
- mental health occupational therapist: when you specialise in mental health, you help clients overcome substance abuse, mood disorders and depression. You create wellness programmes to assist in stress management.
- physical rehabilitation: occupational therapists can help patients with physical rehabilitation. Your job is to guide clients in accomplishing tasks despite their physical problems. You also train patients to use specialised equipment and assistance devices.
- OT in autism: occupational therapists can make a big difference in the area of children with autism as they help to improve how they communicate, play and relate to others.
working as an OT
Working as an occupational therapist involves providing personal care, physical assistance and emotional support. Let's explore the tasks and responsibilities involved in the role.
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occupational therapist job description
While specific tasks depend on the patient and your specialism, some typical duties of an occupational therapist include:
- examining patients to determine their needs: as an occupational therapist, you evaluate every patient to identify the challenges they face. Aside from analysing their medical history, you examine their physical challenges and emotional needs.
- creating treatment plans: when you finish the evaluation, you can make realistic rehabilitation goals and treatment plans. Depending on the patient's mental and physical abilities, you should identify activities that help them develop life-management skills.
- demonstrating exercises: an occupational therapist demonstrates the physical activities patients should participate in during therapy sessions. For instance, you can demonstrate workouts that improve cognitive functions or motor skills. Exercises alleviate pain and may reduce reliance on pain medication. Hence, you must instruct patients on the activities that boost physical rehabilitation.
- reviewing clients' progress: as an occupational therapist, you must regularly check the patient's progress. Evaluating clients after a specific period aids in assessing the effectiveness of the treatment plan. You can upgrade to other strategies if the programme isn't producing results.
- educating patients' families on the support required: your job involves evaluating clients' workplaces and homes based on their healthcare needs. For instance, kitchen cabinets and items should be labelled for seniors with decreased memory ability. It is also crucial to educate co-workers and family members on patient care. The family should be accommodative and provide support during the treatment.
- maintaining records: this is a standard task for occupational therapists. The documents are essential for assessing a client's condition and keeping records useful to other healthcare professionals. You must thoroughly review the client's condition during evaluations and provide recommendations.
- recommending special equipment for patients: an OT can recommend special equipment to improve a patient's independence. For instance, patients with cerebral palsy need eating aids, leg braces and wheelchairs to help them perform various tasks. As an occupational therapist, you also train clients to use the support equipment.
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work environment
Occupational therapists work in different clinical settings, from hospitals to community healthcare stations. Your workstation is likely at social service units and community hospitals when you work for the government. Some occupational therapists work in nursing homes for people with special needs or the elderly. You spend most of the day evaluating patients' needs in offices or examination rooms. Sometimes, you have to work at the hospital physiotherapy unit for physical rehabilitation sessions. You can also help children participate in various school activities during physical education training.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include physiotherapists, doctors and nurses. You might also be working in close proximity to social workers and paediatricians, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, mental health nurses, psychologists and care home managers.
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work schedule
Occupational therapists work during regular office hours from 9 am to 5 pm. However, some hospitals and health facilities have a shift schedule, so you work late night and early morning shifts. Even when you work the standard business hours, you have to attend to your patients during emergencies. For instance, if your client is admitted to the hospital due to an accident, you should be on call to ensure the treatment doesn't inhibit recovery.
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job outlook
Occupational therapists are in high demand in Australia, and the role is expected to have job growth of 17.1% per year. You also have many opportunities for career progression. Some occupational therapists move into research or lecture in academic institutions. Alternatively, identify specialisation options in the field and explore your interests. Some occupational therapists specialise in paediatrics or mental health. You can concentrate on senior care if you love working with the elderly. Consider opening a private practice when you have years of experience and certifications.
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advantages of finding an occupational therapist job through randstad
Finding your occupational therapist job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an occupational therapist is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
occupational therapist skills and education
Some of the educational qualifications you need include:
- bachelor's degree: to become an occupational therapist, you need to complete a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy, which typically lasts four years. When you complete the undergraduate qualification, you can pursue a master's degree in occupational therapy, which takes 2.5 years.
- college courses: if you don't qualify for an undergraduate course, you should consider certificate and diploma courses. You can prepare for the role with a Certificate IV in allied health assistance in occupational therapy.
- work experience: when you have the qualifications, you need extensive work experience to secure a role in a healthcare facility. Industry placements and internships after graduation help you learn the best skills for the role. Before you practice as an occupational therapist in Australia, you need to meet the registration standards of the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of an occupational therapist include:
- organising skills: as an occupational therapist, you must be organised to juggle the multiple tasks associated with the role. For instance, it is important to plan your schedule well to ensure you don't double-book clients. If you work in a clinical setting, you have to attend to your patients without disrupting the healthcare facility's workflow.
- flexibility: as an occupational therapist, you should be flexible since your routine can change drastically. Clients may postpone or cancel appointments, and you also handle patients of different ages.
- empathy: as an occupational therapist, you need deep wells of compassion since you watch and assist people with mental, physical or emotional problems. Empathy helps you treat patients with warmth and sympathy to make them feel at home. It also builds your patience in dealing with frustrated, stubborn and depressed clients.
- problem-solving skills: in occupational therapy, there is no single remedy for all problems. You need to plot strategies for helping each patient. You require problem-solving skills to think critically and find the best remedies for your patients.
FAQs about working as a scientist
Here are the most asked questions about working as an occupational therapist:
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what is the main role of an occupational therapist?
The main responsibility of an occupational therapist is to help patients overcome physical and mental problems resulting from an injury, ageing or illness. You provide advice and solutions to help them live a fulfilled life.
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does occupational therapy pay well in Australia?
As an occupational therapist, you will receive a lucrative remuneration package. You take home an average salary of $88,000 per year in a full-time role, including various benefits.
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how long does it take to be an occupational therapist?
As a scientist, you work in various fields of interest, from anthropology to botany or zoology. Depending on your area of specialisation, you can also become a research scientist or a medical scientist. You conduct tests and experiments to explain specific phenomena as a research scientist.
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which scientists are in demand in Australia?
In Australia, the pathway to becoming an occupational therapist is through university, which takes four years. If you combine a degree and a master's, the duration is five years. It is also important to gain experience and register with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, because if -you want to practice in Australia, you will have to meet their registration standards.
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is occupational therapy a good career?
Occupational therapy is a great and exciting career for those seeking fulfilment through a holistic treatment approach. The job growth rate is also promising, making it a great career to consider.
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what types of patients do occupational therapists work with?
You work with people with injuries, disabilities and impairments as an occupational therapist. You help patients by reinforcing their self-esteem and independence.
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how do I apply for an occupational therapist vacancy?
Applying for an occupational therapist job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our occupational therapist job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
