As an occupational therapy student, I remember being completely overwhelmed by all the different practice settings where an OT can work. In particular, I had trouble discerning between inpatient hospitals (also known as acute care hospitals) and acute rehab hospitals. In my head, I used those words interchangeably until I finally learned more detail behind […]
Navigating through the rehab continuum of care as a new occupational therapist or COTA can be confusing. There are so many settings, and all of the phases of rehab may not fully be covered in detail in OT school. To make navigating through the OT continuum of care easier, this post will take you through […]
If you’re a new occupational therapist (or you are physical therapist or speech therapist!) considering working in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), there are several important factors to look at before taking the job. While there are great skilled nursing facilities to work for, there are also many facilities that can challenge ethical boundaries and […]
If your occupational therapy program was anything like mine, the importance of occupation-based and evidence-based practice was drilled into your head on a near-daily basis. While a variety of interventions were discussed, ones that had hard data to support their efficacy were exalted, whereas other, older interventions may have fallen out of favor. So when […]
If you’re reading this, you may have just received the stressful news that you failed the NBCOT® exam. First, take a deep breath. Don’t panic. Easier said than done, I know! After weeks and weeks of studying and stressing, you’re likely feeling de-motivated and hopeless. These feelings are 100% normal and you should expect to […]
If you’re an occupational therapist working in the acute care setting, you already know that this setting is quite different from the traditional rehab-based settings. Acute care is fast-paced, intense, and so educational. If you’re about to start fieldwork or a new job in acute care, this article will give you a better understanding of […]
Whether you’re an experienced occupational therapist or a new OT grad, we all remember taking an ethics course in OT school. The vast majority of us who decided to become occupational therapy practitioners are intrinsically good people who want to help others, so it’s tough to think about difficult situations we may encounter at work […]
Are you a new occupational therapy graduate or a current OT student wondering which adult OT setting will be the best fit for you once you graduate? There are many OT settings for you to choose from, and it can be tempting to jump into the first place that calls you back for an interview. […]
When you get your first job as a licensed occupational therapy practitioner, you usually aren’t thinking about additional occupational therapy specialties right off the bat. Your primary focus is just trying to keep your head above water. You are thrown into unfamiliar territory, and as a result you will likely spend the first few years […]
The following article is a guest post from Kathleen Ponce, OTR/L. Kate has been an occupational therapist for nearly 5 years and has worked in a variety of settings. She is passionate about helping individuals overcome mental and physical obstacles in order to improve their quality of life. In addition to her clinical work, Kate […]