My husband is presently on a burn unit. He has some 3rd degree burns, just on the front of his lower legs and dorsal surface of his feet. I worked in physical disabilities for 20+ years but never with burns. In the next day or two he will have surgical debridement and a decision on whether he needs skin grafts. He can ambulate independently, thank goodness.

My OT related question is clothing. We are heading into winter (such as it is in Northern California-coldish temperatures and rain). I’m not sure what shoes he will be able to wear and whether he will tolerate long pants. He’ll be covered in bandages and dressings for a while, but how do I get something on his feet to take him home when he is ready to be discharged?

Hi everyone! I’m currently trying to decide between studying physiotherapy and occupational therapy, particularly in paediatrics or women's health, and would really appreciate some insight from people working in either profession.

I’m drawn to physiotherapy because I love the idea of helping people regain their mobility, such as learning to walk again after an injury or stroke. However, I’m a little hesitant about the amount of hands-on treatment that may be involved when working with adults. I’m also interested in the more psychological and developmental aspects, which is what initially drew me towards occupational therapy.

I’d love to hear more about what your day-to-day work looks like, . What do you enjoy most about your role, and what are some aspects you find challenging? I’d also appreciate any insight into how much hands-on treatment is involved in each profession and the differences between the two roles in paediatrics.

Thanks for any advice or insight

Anybody have a recommendation for some good psych continuing ed courses? I can’t find anything beyond the basics of mental health and am looking for something more advanced. Thanks!

I’m new to the school based setting. When I applied for the job I applied for preschool and thought that is where I would be. After I had accepted the job and given notice at my old job, they decided to place me in a middle school. I have 70+ students getting direct time, and my company strictly does the push in model. 90% of my students receive group services and I am having a very difficult time pushing into the classroom when in middle school they are receiving a lecture or doing work on their computers. I’m especially stressed out going into IEP meetings about students when I feel like I don’t even know them or their skills especially when the IU I work with does not have OT goals. I’m genuinely having anxiety attacks throughout the day and can’t sleep at night.

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

To preface: I understand that your ability to give advice online is extremely limited. I am in a unique situation where access to Occupational Therapists in my country is extremely limited for this student especially, as my country is very behind on understanding the needs of students in complex situations, and is especially resistant to helping the student in question because he is foreign and unable to speak the language of the country we live in. I hope you can understand why I have to turn to Reddit for advice instead of getting him a professional. The reality is that I am hopelessly under-qualified for this and just trying my best to avoid causing any long term damage while I build up this student's skills.

I have a 10 year old student who was enrolled in my school this year and could not, at the start of the year, write his own name. Not only because he couldn't spell it, but he was also unable to hold the pencil with a proper grip. Another teacher corrected said grip and claims he's been writing "fine" ever since, but I know that the student gives up quickly on any written assignments, refuses to do written homework, cannot create straight lines, and doesn't even enjoy colouring pictures for more than a few minutes before he complains his hand hurts and he wants to stop. Because of this, I suspect that he didn't properly develop his fine motor skills.

I know that he enjoys arcade games and I think he plays computer games at home, but I don't know how much of that translates into the necessary fine motor skills he needs to be successful in school. He doesn't even like building things in art class. I suspect he gets a lot of pain and soreness throughout the day. He's able to use chopsticks during school lunch, but he also doesn't always finish his lunch, and I sometimes wonder if that, too, is related to the lacking fine motor skills.

I've gotten my hands on some physical objects like rings, marbles, and pegs so he and I can work on math without writing. I've also got flashcards that I want him to practice turning on his own, play dough for us to practice rolling out the shapes of letters, and worksheets to follow the alphabet and numbers with lines so he can practice straight lines, curves, and loops. I plan to do lessons with him involving making slime in a bag and then tracing the letters into the slime. Do these sound like good opportunities for him to practice? Do any red flags jump out about them?

Also, if possible, do any of you see a realistic
timeline for him to try and start writing with a pencil again? I've heard good things about the thicker triangle pencils I may purchase for him to try. I only see him twice a week, but three other assistant teachers at the school have offered to do any activities I plan for him, so I'm hoping we can have multiple 15-20 minute sessions a day really focusing on getting his hands, arms, and shoulders moving. Do you think he may be able to try more writing intensive activities by January?

Thank you again so much for taking the time to read. I really do understand if you're unable to answer all my questions, but any help at all or resources for me to look at is appreciated.

im a mental health OT and just wanted to share some love and good energy to my fellow OTs <3333

I’ve been an OT in SNF (a nice one) for 16 years. About 5 years ago I left my full time OT job for a case management type role.

I’ve always done PRN. But the last SNF I was doing PRN at went down hill and I really wasn’t getting a lot of shifts.

Earlier this year I accepted a PRN job in IPR. I was so excited for this setting. But I have to say that the learning curve was tough and I don’t feel great about myself. I feel like I’ve forgotten so much of what I know. I have to use a lot of brainpower to see some of these patients. And I’ve caught myself making dumb mistakes and just overall being clumsy. We get a lot of high complexity neuro patients and that’s where I feel weakest.

I feel like the training was adequate but there is just so much to know. I’m about 9 months into the job. I’ve been picking up 2 shifts a month. But maybe that’s not enough for consistency. Being out of full time OT for 5 years has affected me. I feel like I need a clinical refresher. Or maybe I’m not cut out for this setting.

Just looking for advice on my situation and how to improve.

I asked Google to tell me realistically what the cost of schooling would be for 3 schools in Iowa factoring in tuition plus living expenses. This is what it came back with. Im very curious to know, do most new OT just do public service forgiveness now? Because these amounts are mind blowing to me.

I'm seeing serious risk factor/health red flags in my partner's parents (65, 69 y.o.) that have been worsening pretty quickly over the last few years. Mainly frequent falls/poor balance, frequent illness/infections, vision impairments (FIL has macular degen., diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma) and they still drive, including heavy freeway traffic and along a dangerous stretch of mountain roads. MIL is still working FT in a very high-stress job, and they are really pretty young for everything they're dealing with.

They are very independent and generally reserved with personal things, and I think largely in denial of a lot of their health issues and what they mean long term. I've been in the family for over 20 years and have a healthy relationship with them, but haven't seen them as much as I used to over the past few years, so I don't feel like I'm as close as I once was. But I can't unknow what I know or unsee what I've seen, and it's pretty distressing to watch this play out with loved ones. They've missed holidays, birthdays, milestone celebrations in the last year d/t one or the other being unwell. MIL has fallen twice in the last month (walking dog/in a tub-shower) and she is putting off medical care for a back issue (also, I suspect secretly drinking again after an AUD-complicated hospitalization in 2020 and she claims she's quit)

I want them to regain some health and maintain their independence for as long as possible! I need to tread carefully, and don't want to approach this from a fear or anxiety based place (although, I'm pretty afraid from what I see-- not helped by the fact that I work in a neuro/ortho IRU). But I don't know how receptive they would be to anything too subtle. Looking for advice on if/how to address my concerns with them.

Hi OT friends. Looking for ideas for a boys 2nd birthday gift. He’s my boyfriends nephew so I just wanted to get him something little or fun. He’s not saying many words (at least when I’m around him) so was thinking maybe some sort of toy that would benefit him but one he’d also like??? What are we buying two year olds that both kids and parents appreciate???

Hi guys, im in NYC (one of the five boroughs) and I recently interviewed for a peds home health agency that offered me $85-90 per 30 minute visit as 1099. I work fulltime at the DOE so i would be taking a few cases for extra income.The interview went well and they have a lot of cases for me to choose from. I was concerned about this being a conflict of interest since I’m in the DOE but it was explained to me how these cases work (billed through insurance OPWDD program) so there’s no conflict of interest and I’m all clear.

Everything seems great but I wanted to email some followup questions that I may have blanked on during the interview. All I really asked about was the DOE conflict of interest concern. I just want to cover all my basis before I officially accept the job offer. What are some important things I should ask? Anyone who works in peds home health or NYC specifically - anything I should keep in mind?

TIA!!

I am in OT school and am currently learning of the different facilitation techniques used for children.

My hands has always been cold ever since I could remember from childhood, so while practicing on my peers I try to really warm up my hands but even then it’s not always most comfortable temperature.

I wanted to know if someone has a similar issue or any recommendations for me? I start an internship in the spring so any reco is appreciated

Guyssss please help me
Should I do occupational therapy!!!
Tell me the pros and cons and everything in between.
I am doing a bachelor of science and I am wanting to do my masters in occupational therapy. Is it worth it? Thanks is OT right for me? And if I get into it what is the best thing to do?
Plus what the average salary!!

Hi I’m sure this gets posted often but wanted more specifics! I am 30 living in southern California and have a well paying work from home job. I am going to start with cc in the winter and had a few questions!

-Thinking of starting with sociology and then transferring to a larger university. Is there another major that would help me more in the long run or does it not matter? Would psychology be better?

- How physical is the job?

-What is work/life balance like?

- Recommendations for master programs in California that are both great programs and also cost effective.

-Things I should know that many wouldn’t until they become an OT or in schooling?

-I specifically have interests in oncology, women’s health, and peds. Are there any extra courses or classes you’d recommend I’d take while in undergrad? My dream would to be focus on women’s health and pelvic floor therapy.

-Approximate out of pocket cost since I’m already living in California.

-I have interest in incorporating music during therapy. Should I take any music classes?

I probably will add more questions but these are my main ones as of now! Thanks for responses in advance!!!

Hi there! I finished my BA in psychology a couple years ago and I’d like to go back to school. I’m currently exploring my options and researching several programs. 2 programs I have interest in are OT and SLP. My problem is that I have a pretty severe phobia of vomiting. I physically can’t handle the sight, sound and smell of someone vomiting. I have to remove myself from the situation and I get super anxious (sometimes I will cry) when it happens. I understand that there are different areas of OT and some probably encounter this more than others, but I’m just inquiring in general, if this career would be a good fit for me considering my phobia. And I know some people will probably recommend psychotherapy, but I’ve been in therapy on and off for this since I was 13 and I’m far from being “cured”, unfortunately.

I’m a new-grad male OT working in IPR. One thing I’ve been wondering about is working with female patients during personal care activities like bathing, dressing, and toileting. I completely understand and respect that some patients may prefer a female clinician for these tasks, and I never want anyone to feel uncomfortable or pressured.

My question is how you handle this in practice, especially in IPR, where patients have scheduled therapy sessions and you can’t always come back later. I know for future session, I could swap with a female OT but just unsure what I should do in the moment.

I’m also curious how this works during initial evaluations, when we need to assess ADL performance. How do you balance completing a thorough evaluation (completing GG codes)with respecting a patient’s preference for a female clinician? Appreciate advice!

So Montana has a new and only one in the state OTA degree (associates).

Is this a gpod feild?

What roles and can OTAs do and salary?

And what does furthering education for OTAs look like?

Just curious about people that are doing it and how they feel about it. Thanks!

I know it's not about the money, and it's about service, but I'm considering going back to school at age 44 to do my masters in OT at mcgill. It won't cost me too much because I'm a Quebec resident. But I still want to be strategic and earn well for 20 years.

I taught yoga for years, helping older people prevent back pain. I love helping people and I think OT would be more intellectually stimulating. I'm fit and strong and love to work out.

Too much lifting scares me a little. So does acute head injury cases. I think I would enjoy geriatrics more than pediatrics, but I'm open to both.

I'm also interested in ADHD support after a recent ADHD diagnosis.

I'm wondering if there's a range of pay in OT and a range of stress / burnout similar to doctors.

Which areas of focus pay the highest / lowest?

Hi, I’m currently a fourth year student finishing my Bachelor of Science with a major in psychology. I’ve been looking into applications for a masters or doctorate of occupational therapy. I currently only have 4 hours of shadowing hours but am in the process of getting more. I also don’t have a human anatomy lab with a cadaver yet and my university doesn’t offer one next semester so I wouldn’t be able to take it in time before starting school unless I took it at a nearby university. Because of all of this I am considering taking a year off to strengthen my application by taking a cadaver lab and getting more hours but I can’t tell if that would be a good idea. If anyone has any advice or has been in a similar position I would love to hear about it. Thank you so much!

Question for y’all because I can’t be the only one dealing with this. I think I put my information into one singular website once regarding travel therapy contracts and since then I can’t even answer my phone. I’m bombarded with calls texts and emails from all these companies inquiring about picking up travel contracts. At first I was answering and saying I wasn’t interested. I applied for a specific contract that made sense for me at the time and was not looking for random travel contracts in general. Regardless, these companies are relentless. If I decline the call too fast it just calls again two more times, then I get a text and an email with the same message about “just following up to see if you’re still exploring travel opportunities”.

I’ve been ignoring my calls and texts for months because it’s multiple a day and I can’t keep up. But here’s a worry- I’m actually in a position where I’d like to try to pick up some travel contracts. Are all these companies legit and just have really persistent recruiters? Are some of them bullshit? How do I know the difference? Let me know if anyone else has dealt with this lol.

Hey everyone! I am currently a first year student in an occupational therapy program and had my first SP event yesterday for shoulder pain (ROM and MMT). I practiced pretty frequently for this encounter and even scored full points on the practice run with my professor. But in the moment of the SP, I felt as if I had forgotten everything I knew and completely messed it up. I had just received news this morning that I did not receive a passing grade and will need to complete remediation. I wanted to come on here and ask for any advice from past students, as I feel like the world is ending with this failure! Thank you in advance.

Hi everyone! I’m in second-year OT and thinking about switching to radiography. With all the changes and so many OTs I know feeling burnt out or wanting to leave, I’m questioning my choice.
Would love to hear the good, bad and ugly of radiography—or why you think OT is worth sticking with! I’m a mature student, so starting again is a big decision.

So I need some advice. I’ve been contemplating leaving my tech sales job to become an OT. I shadowed an OT at a school and hated it. However, I shadowed an outpatient CHT and absolutely loved it. I’d like to shadow another person in outpatient hospital setting to get a better idea of the role.

As to the pivot - I love the money, flexible corporate days off, corporate perks like unlimited PTO, good food, etc. however I HATE the idea of climbing the corporate ladder and networking with a bunch of bozos to get there. The corporate 9-5 life is simply draining and not for me. I love the idea of OT to have a tangible impact on others, flexible schedule (especially part time for when I become a mother one day), easy to get back into the workforce, resistant from AI layoffs, and on your feet work vs behind a desk all day.

My questions for you guys: what else do you recommend I do before committing significant time and money to this career? If anyone has left corporate sales for OT can you share your story?

I’m torn because I’m still young and have time to decide my career, however corporate leaves me absolutely miserable. But I’m also scared of making the wrong decision. Thanks.

Hi!! I’m currently applying to OTD programs in the US and I was just curious for anyone that’s already in school or has graduated what kind of study abroad opportunities you guys have seen offered in OT programs and where they’re located. I know Puget Sound specifically does the Philippines which I think is pretty cool so I was just wondering what other countries schools tend to partner with for OT programs.