Occupational Therapist or RN?

[medapop, BSN, RN]

I'm trying to decide between becoming an Occupational Therapist and an RN. I'm a freshman in college and I have to decide soon. It takes 5.5 years to become an Occupational Therapist and 4 years for an RN at my university. I get 2.5 years of college for free. Both have pros and cons and I just can't decide. My GPA right now is a 3.52. I want a job that helps people and makes me feel like I'm actually making a difference. I've heard that being an OT can be boring and you have to have a lot of patience. RN's have to deal with blood, vomit, etc. I'm considering shadowing both an RN and OT over the summer, but I would like to have some advice on which career I should choose. Thanks!

[Libby1987]

Call a home health agency and ask for an opportunity to speak with an OT.

The pay and education time and expense is almost comparable, not enough difference to make your decision on based on either of those.

While making your decision, do consider the working conditions and job satisfaction of both.

My daughter is working in a pediatric early development clinic with PT's, OT's and ST's. She's seeing first hand people who come and leave everyday happy in their work. And I can vouch for the efforts made to hire all of those and retain them.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Occupational therapists generally work Mon-Fri 9:00- 5:00, whereas nurses work shift work, some people prefer shift work but others prefer to be with their family and friends during evenings, weekends and holidays. OTs schedule therapy times with their patients and provide one on one therapy for an hour or more with each patient. Nurses look after a group of patients and provide one on one care for brief periods of time. Nurses juggle their work day based on the priority of patients' need. A patient's nursing needs can fluctuate throughout the day and as a result a nurse's work day can be chaotic and reactive, whereas a patient's OT needs tend to be stable and as a result an OTs work day can be smooth and proactive.

[NOADLS]

I am willing to bet that the pay range for OT is within the upper end of the RN pay range in most places.

And extra 1.5 years of schooling (and not being paid) doesn't justify it imo.

There is also the job diversity issue which is heavily favorable to RNs.

If it is still on the table, there is the two year degree and you could later go for the BSN if you wanted it.

[elkpark]

OT. No question.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Isn't OT a master's degree? You could get your BSN while taking OT prerequisites and if you don't like nursing, go to OT school.