Is it a good time to change careers

Cranmans · Feb 9, 2009

Do what you are happy with, what you want to spend the rest of your life doing. That is what is impt.

oregonchinamom · Feb 10, 2009

After being the manager of a rehab floor I can tell you that OT and RN are not at all the same---not even close. I wonder, however, if you are talking about an OT tech??? I can't imagine that you can go back to school for 1 year and be an OT. As far as I know, all the therapies are going to doctorate as entry level but I may be wrong.

What I can tell you....In my experience, OT's have a much easier job than RN's. Not that what they do is not important, it is. I have seen some amazing things with people regainging so much of their independence with ADL's and consequently being able to go home with family care instead of a LTC facility.

OT's have a much better work schedules for people with families, but expect to work weekends.

Right now, OT's have a much better job prospect in many parts of the country. I know in my geographical area (Southern Oregon) the only job postings there are in hospitals are for therapists. All the RN positions have been frozen and there is even talk of lay-offs. This will change with time, however, and you never know what it will be like when you graduate.

If I were you, I would sit down with a peice of paper and do a pro/con for each and see which comes out on top. But, if you are really feeling a calling toward one over the other, I would give that alot of weight. Neither of these careers are for the faint of heart and take dedication

Good luck!

hellerd2003, RN · Feb 10, 2009

I don't mind either RN or OT since it seems like they pretty much deal with the same type of issues and stress. OT work is also somehow similar to RN since they also have to deal with bodily fluids. You can't escape this in either profession.

Whoa, there. I've been an OT, and I'm now a nurse, and there is no way I would say that nursing and OT deal with the same type of issues/ stress. I find nursing far more stressful (but I personally love it more, so I'm happy with where I am) than OT. Sure, as an OT you will have insurance/ billing issues and you'll have to approach MD's at times to receive orders for continued treatment . . . but you don't have so much of the life-and-death decisions in your hands, and families rarely, if ever, are argumentative/ demanding of therapists like they are for nurses. Doctors generally treat therapists better-- if only for the fact that they rarely are working with you directly (unless you are in an ortho program). You also will have far, FAR fewer encounters with bodily fluids as an OT than you will as a RN. OT can get monotonous at times-- many days, it feels like you're running the same rehab program on EVERY patient you see (more so if you're working with a poorly diversified patient pool). Nursing is full of more change and a need to be a strong critical thinker.

As for which is right for you, that will take some soul searching. If you truly want OT, don't let the education cost hold you up. Better to spend the $$ the first time than go to school as an RN, realize you want OT, and THEN go for the education cost! If you want the RN, then make peace with the lower wage and follow your heart. Just do your research, because both fields have their strengths/ weaknesses and both are completely distinct from each other.

2bNurseguru · Feb 10, 2009

Whoa, there. I've been an OT, and I'm now a nurse, and there is no way I would say that nursing and OT deal with the same type of issues/ stress. I find nursing far more stressful (but I personally love it more, so I'm happy with where I am) than OT. Sure, as an OT you will have insurance/ billing issues and you'll have to approach MD's at times to receive orders for continued treatment . . . but you don't have so much of the life-and-death decisions in your hands, and families rarely, if ever, are argumentative/ demanding of therapists like they are for nurses. Doctors generally treat therapists better-- if only for the fact that they rarely are working with you directly (unless you are in an ortho program). You also will have far, FAR fewer encounters with bodily fluids as an OT than you will as a RN. OT can get monotonous at times-- many days, it feels like you're running the same rehab program on EVERY patient you see (more so if you're working with a poorly diversified patient pool). Nursing is full of more change and a need to be a strong critical thinker.
As for which is right for you, that will take some soul searching. If you truly want OT, don't let the education cost hold you up. Better to spend the $$ the first time than go to school as an RN, realize you want OT, and THEN go for the education cost! If you want the RN, then make peace with the lower wage and follow your heart. Just do your research, because both fields have their strengths/ weaknesses and both are completely distinct from each other.

Why did you change from OT? Was it unfulfilling? My personality style does not like surprises. I thrive well in a structured environment where I know what to expect. I also like routine jobs. Dealing one-on-one with people is my strength. I don't like groups. A desk job like human resources or accounting would be best for my personality, but think you can always learn something new. Those field are not promising with this economy. It seems like OT would be a little bit more structures than nursing. I don't like to think on my feet--I am not very good at it.

hellerd2003, RN · Feb 12, 2009

Why did you change from OT? Was it unfulfilling? My personality style does not like surprises. I thrive well in a structured environment where I know what to expect. I also like routine jobs. Dealing one-on-one with people is my strength. I don't like groups. A desk job like human resources or accounting would be best for my personality, but think you can always learn something new. Those field are not promising with this economy. It seems like OT would be a little bit more structures than nursing. I don't like to think on my feet--I am not very good at it.

If you don't like to think on your feet, I think nursing would be the less desireable of the two for you. Nursing is fast paced, no matter the setting, and requires multitasking. OT also requires some multitasking (in a rehab setting, you may have two clients doing exercises at the same time), but the stress of that multitasking is far, far less than nursing. Because you will be following a care plan, and the care plan rarely changes from norms-- most recovery is fairly straightforward. You will still have to think creatively, but if you don't like surprises, then OT might be best.

I found OT to be fulfilling on one hand; frustrating on the other. I didn't like working with kids-- you could work 2+ years on getting them to move from supine to sit. Change in stroke patients can be fantastically fast, or horribly slow. You will do the same types of exercises with most of your patients. Your education program will teach you these things. I enjoyed making a difference, which I did many times. But for me, I needed a bit more. I don't "look for" surprises, but when I get them, I'm invigorated. I've been on light duty due to injury recently, and when they call a code, I respond, if only to be the recorder. I want to be a part of the coordinated chaos, as odd as that sounds. It keeps me sharp, and as an OT, I , personally, felt myself becoming duller over time. But, the field is enjoyed by many. Only you will know if it's right for you.