Occupational Therapy vs. Nursing: Which One Is Right For Me?
Choosing between two career paths is never an easy decision, especially when two medical fields, such as occupational therapy and nursing, are involved. These two similar yet different careers will allow you to make a difference in your patients' lives. But choosing between them is a daunting task, and if you want to go into healthcare, there are a couple of things to know beforehand.
Stay with us if you want to know more about both professions and the main differences that set them apart.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) is a healthcare profession that supports people with either physical or psychological problems. The term occupation is used to describe what we all do to take care of ourselves, work, socialize, contribute to society, and have fun.
These occupations are the activities that give a sense of purpose on our day-to-day basis. And that's where OTs come to help: enabling you to become productive and learn more about self-care.
Occupational therapists are experts, and as such, they can assess different health conditions and help their patients overcome these difficulties in their daily occupations. In other words, occupational therapy is client-centered in that they tailor a unique program for each individual because therapists are aware that every person has different situations and needs.
Are occupational therapists in high demand?
Undoubtedly, there's a high demand for occupational therapists. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 17% increase for OT professionals in the next ten years. On average, around 10,000 openings for occupational therapists are estimated every year.
This increase results from the aging population as senior citizens need help with their daily activities and other conditions associated with aging.
Is a career in occupational therapy worth it?
There is something gratifying about spending days with injured or ill patients and providing care and comfort to them. If you want to positively impact a person's life, then, by all means, a career in occupational therapy is worth it.
However, you need to consider your interests first and then look into income or employment prospects. So, is this a rewarding career? Absolutely! You have the potential to help people with their daily chores while also making good money (more on that in a minute), so it's a win-win situation.
What is Nursing?
Nursing, on the other hand, requires a serious commitment. Like occupational therapy, nursing is a medical field primarily focused on providing care to patients. However, the level of care varies depending on the situation, setting, or level of need. To become a nurse, you can choose many paths, such as Certified Nurse Assistant, Licensed Practical Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, or the most common path as Registered Nurse. You can also further your education and take more advanced nursing roles such as Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners, and more.
Apart from providing care for patients, nurses can also take on leadership roles such as Clinical Nurse leaders or Nurse Administrators.
Though it comes as a rewarding profession, you must be aware of the long working hours and stressful situations that will follow you in your life as a nurse.
Do nurses make more money than OT?
Yes, and no, it depends on the nursing career you choose. According to BLS, the annual salary for Occupational Therapists is $98,700, while the yearly salary of Registered Nurses is $85,970. However, if you take more advanced roles, such as Nurse Practitioners, you can expect an annual salary of $123,780. However, it's essential to keep in mind that wages will vary depending on your location and years of experience.
Contrary to OT, nursing is a well-rewarded career, with the possibility to increase your earnings through specialization.
Occupational Therapy vs. Nursing: Key Differences
Getting some hands-on insight into the differences between occupational therapy and nursing helps you decide which one works best for you.
While the two are similar, they are very different career paths that will have you making a difference in people's lives. One similarity includes working in the same settings, such as hospitals, schools, or community-based care settings. But, aside from this similarity, these two fields are much more different.
OT vs. nursing: education
Education is the first difference between these two careers. To become an Occupational Therapist, you first need a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy, such as health sciences, biology, or kinesiology. However, you can't practice your profession with a bachelor's degree. As such, to get a license and become an OTR, you need a master's degree.
In terms of licensing, occupational therapy assistants should take the COTA certification via the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). This exam has 200 questions, and you have to score at least 450 out of 600 points to pass, and it's retaken every three years.
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On the other side, nurses have to follow specific nursing programs to earn their degrees. For example, to become an LPN, you need to get an LPN certificate which you typically get in a year. Registered nurses can pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN) to practice their career. However, all nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to get a license.
As a nurse, you can pursue a Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN) to take on more advanced, independent nursing roles or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) to work in clinical settings or leadership roles.
OT vs. nursing: job responsibilities
When it comes to responsibilities, neither profession has it easy. However, nurses have more responsibilities because they deal with different injuries and patients every day.
Occupational therapists will assess what roles or activities are necessary for a patient after an injury while also teaching them how to be independent again. In simple words, occupational therapists train and help patients solve any obstacles in their everyday life during their recovery. Here are some of the primary duties of an OTA:
Helping patients perform daily tasks by using a variety of rehabilitation methods;
Designing a treatment plan to help address patients' needs;
Evaluating potential patients to examine their needs;
Assisting patients to improve and regain the skills they need for everyday tasks;
Providing acute patient care and long-term patient care.
On the other hand, nurses work to heal patients by providing direct care; they assist with self-care while recovering and help relieve pain through medications. To be more specific, here is a list of common nurses' responsibilities:
Administer medications and treatments;
Record medical history;
Monitor patient health and record symptoms;
Perform diagnostic tests;
Work with teams to assess patient care;
Educate patients about their injuries or illnesses.
OT vs. nursing: career Opportunities
Nursing provides more career opportunities than occupational therapy, plus it pays better (in most cases).
One of the most remarkable things about working as a nurse is the ability to work in different roles and environments. These roles can be differentiated by either indirect or direct patient care. An RN works with the interdisciplinary team and directly with the patients. They also work with the Bedside Nurse and multidisciplinary team, though this is not direct patient care.
For nurses who want advanced career opportunities which require graduate-level degrees such as a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) provides high-level duties and nursing positions, like:
Clinical Nurse Specialist,
Nurse Practitioner,
Nurse Midwife,
Nurse Anesthetist.
This is not to say that OT is restricted to occupational therapy only. Also, some OTs may work with a specific age group or with individuals who have particular disabilities. Here are some specialties within the field, which include:
Pediatrics,
Gerontology,
Developmental disabilities,
Prosthetics training,
School-based practice,
Spinal cord rehabilitation.
Final Thought: What Is Better Career Occupational Therapy Or Nursing?
Before deciding between occupational therapy and a nursing career, it's essential to do your research first and examine your needs. Do you want to work in various settings and provide different care for patients, or do you prefer a focus on healing a few patients at a time?
You are good to go once you examine your needs and other requirements, such as education or career opportunities. Nevertheless, either career path is a good choice if you want to help people make a difference in their lives.