RN and Occupational Therapist?

Nurses General Nursing

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This may be a silly question, but I was wondering if there might be some place that having an RN and being an occupational therapist might make sense. I am starting nursing school this fall and really want to be an RN, but I also think I would like to be an occupational therapist. The school I will be attending has direct entry masters in occupational therapy every other weekend for 3 years if you have a bachelor's degree in something else. Before I decide what I should do I was wondering if there might be some way to incorporate both into a career. I doubt there is, but I am just checking to see if anyone knows anything.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I have my master's in OT. And am returning to nursing school in the fall.

I suppose you could work in rehab as an RN, and the OT background will be of some assistance. If you're practicing with the OT license, I think it could be a conflict of interest/ "muddy" area if you were also practicing RN stuff. I mean, as an OT in my state, we aren't even allowed to recommend a hot/ cold pack. You could perhaps down the road do more supervisory stuff in rehab or long term care, I suppose.

Why do you want to be an OT? The pay is pretty bad, the job market ain't what it used to be, the OT profession is being encroached upon by PT and speech therapy and recreation therapy because OT professionals wasted years in debate re. who could license OT's (and because of that encroachment jobs are also lost), OT doesn't have as strong a medical foundation as PT, OT's are seen as generalists in everything and specialists in nothing, etc. etc. etc. If it's a calling for you, then I guess you should go for it. Although if you're starting nursing school in the fall and are unsure about that decision as well-- perhaps you should take time away from both and just figure out what you want. It would be a shame to pay for a master's when you can't use it (and believe me, I know what I'm talking about regarding this-- $60,000 in loans later . . . )

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hello...just curious...did you get your RN then Masters in OT? If so, how is it working out???

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