Occupational Therapy free essay sample

My personal reason for this occupation is highly based on my children who currently are diagnosed with ADHD. They are currently undergoing treatment with a Psychologist and Occupational Therapist. The daily duties for an occupational therapist would be to assist patients with rehabilitative activities. We provide a client with a treatment plan to outline their development and monitor their progress. An occupational therapist would interact not only with patients but also with fellow occupational therapists and doctors to better assist and complete goals set up for our patients. What I would like the most would be working with the patients making sure we are focused on their needs. Challenging not only the patients but myself as well, making sure to develop their mental and physical skills. What I would least like about my duties in my career would be working with the doctors, I feel they would be highly anxious and might not have enough patience with patients. Entry level salary for an occupational therapist ranges from an annual rate of $50,250 to $70,500 with an hourly wage of $24 to $50. As for myself, would like to receive about $25 an hour depending on what level of practice you are. The amount that I stated would help my family and I live comfortable not in a paycheck by paycheck. Yes, there is room for advancement or promotion. An Occupational Therapist Assistant can advance to a full Occupational Therapist and then to up to a Director of Occupational Therapist. Therefore it will be up to the person on how much they want to advance. Occupational Therapist start off with an associate degree in the occupational therapy assistant program to which you are introduced to healthcare, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and psychology. Eventually furthering my education into a bachelors and then a masters degree in occupational therapy. Within this time an occupational therapist is introduced to the medical administrative aspect of this field. If I am to reach my goal I must continue my education here at South Texas College to receive an associate’s degree, then continue my education at a University to be able to receive a bachelors degree and eventually a masters degree. The way I plan on paying for my degree will be working in a job that I am passionate about which would be in the medical field, while still enrolled in school to reach my goal of being an occupational therapist. The type of person I believe it would take to succeed in this career would be a compassionate, creative, patient person to be able to handle people of any age with any type of physical, emotional, and developmental need. This person must have a sense of compassion and understanding to make sure to keep their involvement with the development that a person needs. They must also be creative to be able to make sure that the person they are trying to work with has an easier way of progress thru their development. And lastly the person must have patience this is the number one key on making sure that they take the time and make sure that the patient truly develops a change within themselves. I feel that I am that kind of person, with all the trials and tribulations that I have endured with my previous jobs and my children’s rehabilitation. I have learned compassion by making sure that I am there for my children and the people that I work with. I have become creative by making sure I teach my children and my fellow coworkers ways of making their learning or their work more fun. Finally I have learned that being a mother with children that have ADHD I have to have all the patience in the world, because they must learn at their own pace and at their own time. The most interesting and positive information has been the ability to create a change in a persons life. In which I know that I have stimulated to think and develop a part of themselves either lost or forgotten. I have also seen the advances in medicine and it has interested me in learning what other forms of change can we provide a person who need that physical, emotional, and developmental need. The most negative and disappointing information has been knowing that I will have to go to a university for 6 years to be able to reach my ultimate goal in having a Masters degree of Science in Occupational Therapy. I have to go thru various courses that I feel have nothing to do with my goal of occupational therapy. I will however go thru the years to make sure that at the end of all my courses I will be able to help people and my children aswell. I will move closer toward my career path by keeping up with the courses so that I am able to pass and complete my goal of becoming an occupational therapist. Once I receive my degree I will make sure to enter a rehabilitation center and be able to focus myself in helping patients. This will make sure to open doors to working not only with adults but with children also, this is where I will learn the creative side of occupational therapy. Overall my goal of occupational therapist will allow me to better educate and develop myself and also my children’s lives. The research and interview has told me that ultimately by becoming a certified occupational therapist I will have the ability and knowledge to help my adults and children develop the skills that they are lacking. Also it will help me provide the adequate care and assistance to understand my children and help their development with their ADHD. I fell that I have made the correct choice for my career due to my personal experience. The career path I have chosen will encourage those with physical, emotional, and developmental disabilities be able to lead a normal life. This will also help create stability in my home with my children and myself, since I will learn to better understand them. Information Interview Name of Person Interviewed: Vicky L. Carol Date Interviewed: March 19, 2012 Organization and Official Title: Super Kids Rehabilitation and Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant. Length of Employment: 8months / 27years total 1. How did you decide to enter this field? She enjoyed helping people with disabilities. After being in employed in a nursing home she was giving an opportunity to go back to school and get educated. At the time it was not required to have a degree in her field if she planned to say in the nursing home. 2. What kind of education and training do you have? She went to college for two years and was accepted in the program for occupational therapy. She did more than three hundred clinical hours. 3. What are your activities and responsibilities on the job? She with lots of on hand activities and physical therapy with children mental and physical disabilities. Also handle lots of state related paper work. 4. How and by whom are work decisions made that affect you? Well she has director that delegates all the duties in the clinic and when it comes to her patients the decisions are made by her. 5. What do you like most about your job? Least? She loves to come to work and be with her patients and seeing their progress. The least that she likes about her job is when the children have to leave the program. Also when the parents to take the time to see what their children doing in there activities and being used as a daycare. 6. How much influence do you have over decisions that affect you? One hundred percent when it come to her patient. But in the work environment the director has decisions on what is need to be done. 7. What do you find most difficult about your job? The work hours, not enough energy, and not enough time with the patients. 8. What about the job would you change if you could? The amount of time with the patient instead of 30min to 35 min it would be at least 45 to an hour instead. 9. What sort of person do you have to be really good at this job? The person needs to be flexible, organization skills, and lots of patients. 0. Is there any specific advice you would give to a person entering this field? This is the best career in the world, be professional, never be involved in the office politics. 11. Where do you expect to go from here? Well after 27 years in the business I will be retiring and on the beach somewhere. But this where I want to be with my patients and noting more.