Nursing vs. Occupational Therapy vs. Speech Pathology

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering what you all thought about OT and SLP versus Nursing. If you could go back, would you go to either of the fields? Why or why not?

I'm at the stage in school where I still have a choice about which path I follow, and I guess I'm just having second thoughts about nursing the more I'm exposed to the reality of the career.

Thank you all so much! :)

Thank you all again for your input! I really wanted a "nurse's perspective," and your comments have been helpful! I also just wanted to ask, from your experiences, are OTs and SLPs respected in the field? How, as nurses, do you view the two professions?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OTs and SLPs are health care professionals. How effective you are with your patients is what matters. Health care shouldn't be a popularity contest. Respect is earned and not always just handed out with a title. Even the low denominator in the health care setting can be highly respected as part of the team. Often the reason some do not respect other professions is that they have never bothered to understand what they are all about or they are too busy with "turf" wars that generally stem from their own insecurities about themselves. The multidisciplinary team approach has helped professionals see each other as team members with a common goal. There are SLPs and PTs (sometimes OTs) who are also included in ICU rounds at many hospitals.

Overall, OTs and SLPs are generally very respected among the health care professions. Physicians will generally discuss the patient issues directly with them. As well, they may work directly under their own medical director and closely with the Physiatrists (Rehab doctors). SLPs will also work with Radiologists for various diagnostic testing. But then, both professions require a Masters degree and many, many hours of clinicals.

You also have to really enjoy working in a specialty profession to be effective. If your heart is not into the rehabilative aspect of medicine, you will be of no use to your patients as a motivator to regain whatever function is possible. I suggest you arrange to shadow some of these professionals in various clinical settings. Some schools may even require at least 100 hours of shadowing a professional before acceptance into a program. Also, what is your motivation towards these specialty professions?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have spent a lot of time volunteering in OT Psych and Rehab, and I have a close relative who is an SLP and loves her job. I have been very drawn to the rehabilitation process, and I guess it doesn't necessarily matter to me which aspect I would potentially be a part of. I'm so glad to hear that they are well respected in the field, and I definitely appreciate your input! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've worked in Acute Rehab and I have found the work to be very rewarding. You have a team approach with several therapists, as well as nurses working together for a common goal. Team meetings discuss the psychological as well as the physical aspects of the patient. To see a young (or old) person who has just had a life changing event find courage and gain physical strength to push past their limitations to get back into "life" is just a fantastic experience for any health care provider to be part of.

Right now I think of all the young veterans who must find out what OTs and SLPs are all about. Sometimes I think it is better if a person never has to find out what OTs, SLPs, RTs and PTs do. When you see them, your life has probably changed in someway. This can be true of nurses also but many patients have known RNs in clinical settings that are for minor events as well. A patient may need the same rehab team for many months. They may not get the same RN everyday but they will probably have the same members of the rehab team. The bond between the Therapists and the patient will play a large role in that patient reaching their goal. The other thing about the "therapies" is they are highly involved with their professional associations and try to lobby to make a difference in the services provided to their patients. Of course, this also benefits them in the long run but the cohesiveness of these professions is impressive. They are small in numbers but they have also have a huge presence in the policy making arena to represent the patients they serve. They of course also have their internal problems as any work group will, but they have high standards that gets them through most obstacles.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am an OT and would definitely advise shadowing OTs and SLPs in a variety of settings. OTs in skilled nursing/subacute centers do end up doing a good deal of lifting as we (along with PTs) are responsible to get many of the patients up and moving, and with some patients this can be quite heavy work. OTs in schools and outpatient centers typically have it easier physically. There is strong competition to work in outpatient centers and it often requires additional training as it is a specialization. To be a CHT, you need 5 years of practice as an OT, I believe 2000 hours of direct hand therapy experience, and a very difficult national exam. In skilled nursing/subacute centers we do a lot of ADLs which requires us to bathe and dress patients and we do a lot of toileting as well. With some patients, this can be easy, but with others, we extensively assist the patients (or do all the work!) So if you are ok with bathing people, wiping them, changing diapers, etc, you will do ok in this setting. We definitely do make more than RNs (sorry guys!) but OTs are required to have masters degrees now, and there is a rumor we may follow in PTs footsteps to move toward a doctoral degree. I think in many settings, PTs do tend to get more respect from the patients than OTs since they are the ones to be credited with the "walking" goals. SLPs may have to help position patients but they generally do not have to do heavy lifting. In medical settings, they do a lot with swallowing and dysphagia so if you're ok with bodily fluids then you'll do fine. In the medical settings, there often is a ton of pressure for "productivity" levels and the amount you bill for in order to make money for your company or building, sometimes can be intense if the company borders on unethical billing (and yes, some companies will try this with all patients) but you just have to stand up for your license and your patients and avoid medicare fraud. In the schools, it is very different since your goals are educational rather then medical. Hope this helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In NY, the average RN makes more than the average OT, about the same as the average SLP (a couple thousand more per year) and less than the average PT (albeit, not by a whole ton once experienced, but about $5,000 entry-level).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If I had to do it all over again I would be an SLP instead of an RN for a multitude of reasons.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Choose SLP. I became a second career RN thru an accelerated program and it just didn't suit me-my patients loved me and i enojyed working with patients but i have to say i just didnt have anything in common with the other RNs personality-wise. I chose the profession because it was a fast track to a career i thought i'd like and that would pay well.

I love science/health. However it's very physically demaning, and while the knowledge base isn't that hard the actual job is more technique based (putting in IVs, catheters, dispensing meds, giving shots) and you have to do these quickly.I hated feeling like a a glorified technician and having my communication skills go completely to waste. sticking tubes into people all day and not being able to counsel my pts SUCKED! My starting pay in nyc was $74,000.

I have since changed to a dietetics masters program because i LOVE nutrition-while many say, "Oh it doesn't pay well"---it really depends on the location of your job and whether it suits you. Also, the tide is shifting and the role of nutrition in health is finally getting the attention/respect it deserves. Considering the rigor and competiveness of dietetics programs I'm sure salaries will rise, bacause demand for RD services will grow and there will be fewer people available to fill those slots.

Many people went to law school thinking they'd be paid six figures and many lawyers in this economy now either can't get hired or make 50-70k typically. Dietitians avg. about 50,000, and most likely make 10k more in large cities, or even 70k. I would gladly get paid a decent but lower salary doing what i enjoy. there are a number of dietitians who have written books, are supervisors, etc. who clear 100k.

Don't pick something based on the assumption that you will make money-i fell into that trap. if I had it all to do again I would have been an RD/SLP and not be plagued with tution/student loans now. No amount of money makes up for a job you hate!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Choose SLP. I became a second career RN thru an accelerated program and it just didn't suit me-my patients loved me and i enojyed working with patients but i have to say i just didnt have anything in common with the other RNs personality-wise. I chose the profession because it was a fast track to a career i thought i'd like and that would pay well.

I love science/health. However it's very physically demaning, and while the knowledge base isn't that hard the actual job is more technique based (putting in IVs, catheters, dispensing meds, giving shots) and you have to do these quickly.I hated feeling like a a glorified technician and having my communication skills go completely to waste. sticking tubes into people all day and not being able to counsel my pts SUCKED! My starting pay in nyc was $74,000.

I have since changed to a dietetics masters program because i LOVE nutrition-while many say, "Oh it doesn't pay well"---it really depends on the location of your job and whether it suits you. Also, the tide is shifting and the role of nutrition in health is finally getting the attention/respect it deserves. Considering the rigor and competiveness of dietetics programs I'm sure salaries will rise, bacause demand for RD services will grow and there will be fewer people available to fill those slots.

Many people went to law school thinking they'd be paid six figures and many lawyers in this economy now either can't get hired or make 50-70k typically. Dietitians avg. about 50,000, and most likely make 10k more in large cities, or even 70k. I would gladly get paid a decent but lower salary doing what i enjoy. there are a number of dietitians who have written books, are supervisors, etc. who clear 100k.

Don't pick something based on the assumption that you will make money-i fell into that trap. if I had it all to do again I would have been an RD/SLP and not be plagued with tution/student loans now. No amount of money makes up for a job you hate!

I worked with two nurses, who became SLPs. They researched different careers (post RN), and decided that it was the easiest, and most economical way to go get out of bedside nursing. And an easier transition. lot easier than going into, PT, or OT.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

somewhere in the PACNW

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, rehab to home, PACU.

If I had it to do all over again I would have become a therapist rather than a nurse. Having worked in the Rehab setting it surprised me to see how much more respect the therapist get from the Dr.'s and the impact they have on the patient's care as opposed to nursing. As a nurse in Rehab you are included in team planning but I feel like an overworked housekeeper most days while therapy has scheduled 1 on 1 time with the patients for their care. It is exhausting to be consistently pulled in all different directions and to have tons of charting that you are forced to do in the hallway so everyone (therapist, family, visitors) can stop and interrupt you for help. Nobody cares that you have a job to do as well. I think I would like SLP as opposed to OT or PT due to the physical demands ( I don't plan on having a physical bedside nursing job forever, I will never make it to 75-80 yrs old in this job lol!). Rehab is very rewarding, our therapist do an awesome job and I wish I had the same satisfaction in my own job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i'm getting ready to get my BSN as a second degree. i had also considered the EXACT same fields you mentioned, but i chose nursing because i KNOW i can get a job the day i pass the N-CLEX. then, if i choose to go into another field later, i can get tuition assistance through my employer. plus, if i went to be a SLP for example and didn't love it - i'd be stuck again. with nursing there are so many different directions you can go. of course, my thought process is a little different as a second degree student.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

tis true everyone selects careers based on various reasons-i did have a chance to start out on a maternity floor and didn't take it-i think if i had i would have still been on that floor! med surg is tough and it did suck that you felt disrespected even though your job was arguably tougher-i was for the most part respected by drs though. I think with health care jobs unfortunatley unless you have family members in the oter allied professions 9ie PT OT or SLP and RD) there's no way to find out about them. When i was in high schoolif you wanted to do medicine it was be an MD and no other member of the health care team was really known. If my parents had been tecahers for instance I'm sure i would have known about SLP. and with my interest in prevention and nutrition i totally didn't know about RD!

still i'm glad i made the switch, my floor was a biy risky too with many drug abusers with multiple infectious diseases so it was quite stressful and i didn't want to bide my time until some accident happened!

my advice to nurses just starting out, do whatever it taks to start on a mre speciality floor-like maternity, or rehab. med surg may give you good practice but it's basically learning multi tasking. think what slps would do if given 8-9 patients to do at the same time, in differnt rooms, with charing done in the hallway, they would not like their jobs either!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment