PHYSICAL THERAPY VS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Transcription

1 PHYSICAL THERAPY VS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Taylor H. Berlinger FEBRUARY 22, 2014 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI BLUE ASH

2 Berlinger 1 The demand for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy continues to rise each year, along with injuries that put patients in this scenario in the first place (Maura, 2010). Whether the patient is an elderly adult looking for ways to go about their daily routines, or a teenager looking to strengthen his/her leg after a sports injury, therapy is needed for everyone. PT s and OT s are similar in a number of ways, and both share the same goals; the main priority being; keeping the patient healthy and promoting healthy living. Since the two professions are so similar and their work ethic is a lot like, both careers should share the same educational requirements. So what makes the two professions education level so immensely different? While PT s are required to go to grad school after their bachelor s degree to receive a Doctorate, OT s are only required to have a bachelor s degree. So what makes the educational levels so vastly different from each other? Although, OT s do not require the same amount of education, information shows, this might not be the case in the next few years or so. Evidently, with these two professions being so similar, that they are also different in some ways as well, which could be the reason why they have different requirements in the first place. As studies show, the profession s success rests deeply on the education and techniqual levels of each career, which is why patients seem to get better results from PT s then OT s. This research paper will discuss the similarities and differences between the two, detailed information on the educational requirements from both, and even some real life experiences from patients in each profession. Both health professions deserve to go through the same educational requirements. In order for both fields to be prepared the right way in treating patients, both PT s

3 Berlinger 2 and OT s need to go through the right amount of education and experience to be the best that they can be, for the sake of patients around the world. Physical Therapists are there to help rehabilitate, improve, and motivate patients back to the healthy clients they once were. Physical Therapists will help reduce the pain that injuries have caused, and they do it in way where no surgeries or even medications are needed. PT s treat patients injuries by improving their mobility, and providing exercises to help strengthen their muscles and bones. Physical Therapists are mainly found in hospitals, but they can also be found in private facilities, outpatient clinics, schools, work settings, and even nursing homes (Concentra, 2014). Occupational Therapists are more there for patients who need to be brought back to life. Patients who are unable to go through daily rituals or routines, such as brushing their teeth or getting dressed in the morning need a little bit of guidance or motivation. OT s help their patients by providing them with special routines to let them go through the same activities they have always done, just this time, they are able to do them. They simply remove those obstacles from their daily lives (Gupta, Barbra and Pam, 2008). Occupational Therapists are mainly found in hospitals also but they can also be sent to homes as well and will treat patients from their homes (Concentra, 2014). The similarities between Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists clearly weight out more than their differences. These two professions are strictly there to help patients rehabilitate themselves into the healthy clients they use to be. They are there to help the

4 Berlinger 3 patient and nothing more. They both work in similar facilities, both equipped with amenities to help out with all special needs that patients might require. PT s and OT s are their patients support group from start to finish. Both professions are very interactive with their clients and try and go through the work-outs with them to ensure they are more capable of doing the exercises. The difference between the two professions, however, is only slightly different in the area of how they are rehabilitating their patient. Physical Therapists are more in the physical aspect of rehab. Patients are sent to PT s usually after an injury that has been done during a sporting event, and the injury is capable of being healed through a process of exercises and treatment they can receive through Physical Therapists. Patients will continuously go to their Physical Therapists until their injury is fully recovered and they are able to go about their daily lives without their injuries affecting them. Physical Therapists deal with more of a younger age group, such as young athletes. But they also deal with middle age adults. The New York Times wrote an article about a patient s experience with going to see their Physical Therapists multiple times after having countless surgeries done. They discussed the countless hours spent at the facility, the repetitive routines they were given day after day, and last but not least, the horrific pain they endured every day. No one ever said Physical Therapy was easy. But with the wonderful relationships patients gain with their PT s, after spending so many months with them, it makes experience so much better. Patients get to know their Physical Therapist on a personal level and end up gaining a special friendship in a way. PT s will push their patients in ways they never thought could accomplish

5 Berlinger 4 themselves, and won t let them quit until they are healthy and mobile once again. In order for Physical Therapy to be done well, clients must put all of their faith and trust into their PT, and they will stop at nothing to get the patient back to normal (Caitlyn, 2009). Occupational Therapists on the other hand, although they also treat patients through a rehab process, focus more on patients that can only be healed to their fullest potential and have to be taught to go through daily routines with a non-healing injury. OT s are there to focus on patients who cannot go through the motions of the day without depending on someone else. They will then work day-by-day with their patients until they can become dependent on just themselves. Elderly patients are more likely to be sent to Occupational Therapists. "Designing your daily routine so that you can control your lifestyle and stay healthy, happy and productive--rather than its controlling you--can lead to much greater personal satisfaction." This was said by Florence Clark, who works in the Department of Occupational Science and Therapy at a local University in Los Angeles. In The Chicago Tribune, reporters discuss what senior citizens can get out of going to see an Occupational Therapist. Florence Clark hit it right on the head. Occupational Therapists help senior citizens with finding ways to make their daily routines much more do-able. So easy, that it could allow them to live independently and even keep them out of the nursing homes. No one wants to be taken care of, and the older a person becomes, the harder it is for them to be capable of taking care of themselves. OT s will help promote patients to

6 Berlinger 5 staying healthy and independent; and make sure that they are in control of their own life (Ascribe News, 2001). As discussed, there are many reasons as to why Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy is so comparable. Which makes the reasons why both professions have different educational requirements a little puzzling. The age differential are a main difference between the two professions. Although, this difference and many other small differences might seem so obsolete and not as influential as to why these health professions are so vastly different on an educational level, they seem to be the sole purpose. Here are the educational requirements for both careers: In order to become a Physical Therapist, health professionals must first achieve a bachelor s degree. Once that degree is finished completed, they are capable of moving onto attaining a graduate degree from an affiliated program to Physical Therapy. In order to move on and take your licensure requirements, that above statements must be completed so that they can begin practicing. Previously, most PT careers required a master s degree, but they are quickly converting to doctoral programs. Studies show that 199 colleges and universities around the world to support 212 accredited professional physical therapist education programs. 96% of which offer the DPT and the rest of the programs are beginning to switch in the next few years due to the increase in success (Wendell, 2013). For Occupational Therapy it is a little different. Occupational therapists are not required to attend grad school and obtain a master s or a doctoral degree in order to move forward on their licensures. OT s are only strictly enforced to receive a bachelor s degree to move forward in

7 Berlinger 6 their career. Though this seems unfair, research studies looked deeper into the reasons why this was the case in the first place. Researchers did a study back in 2000, to discuss the differences in experience that Occupational Therapists have that have a master s degree or a just a bachelor s degree. That data stated that only less than.2 percent of OT s had a master s degree or higher; and it s not just because it s not required to be a certified Occupational Therapist. It s based off of the level of research OT s use when they are on the job. Studies show that as the level of academic education increased, the less important research became to them. Occupational Therapists eventually stopped consulting to their research and began working with of what they just retained in school. So to clarify, this means that a person who just has a bachelor s degree is just as qualified, if not more qualified, than someone who has a doctoral, because eventually everyone stops going the extra mile and only remembered that basics of the practice. Even though professions who have a doctoral degree are more trained than those without one, they tend to rely less on their research, making them not that much more valuable than everyone claims them to be (Cameron, et al 2005). Although that these facts are reliable, there is a lot of other people, that look at things differently. In order to ensure the profession's success in the future, access to education, implementing uniform entry-level educational competencies for the professional and technical levels of education and the globalization of educational programs and accreditation need to be addressed, Paul Grace, President and CEO, National Board for Certification in Occupational

8 Berlinger 7 stated in this article. This means that the educational level is important to both professions, and education is what makes or breaks you in this business. (Grace, 2007) Eventually, the educational requirements for Occupational Therapy will ultimately change, but to what, is another question. This research paper discusses the controversial question, why do Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists have different educational levels? Although, education is important, and a big factor on having a successful career, too much education can be a corrupt thing as well. Since countless hours of research have been spent, the conclusion has come to that the educational requirements should be the same, no matter what small differences between the two careers exist. As far as what educational requirement should be proclaimed, that answer is still unclear. It is proven that to be a successful and knowledgeable therapist with just a bachelor s degree can be done, but more education than just that can result in a lot more success in both Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. However, a master s degree is too much education. So in order to fix this, they should meet in the middle. Even a master s degree over a doctorate is much more reasonable, and students would still be receiving still the same amount of education to be just as successful in their profession. Both Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy are growing professions around the globe, and will be continuing to rise each year. Everyone at some point will come to a situation in life where they re going to need some help, and at the end of the day, they want to have the

9 Berlinger 8 best-of-the-best, taking care of them. In order to get this kind of help, education is important and anticipated by the professionals. At some point in time the educational requirements will change for Occupational Therapists, but if it s going to be changed, the same requirements that Physical Therapists require are still in the cards. Education is important, and it s about time that people in the Occupational profession are beginning to take this into consideration. Both PT s and OT s are related in many circumstances, and maybe one day, education will be similar as well. So that Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists can be trained and certified to their greatest potential and in return, can provide the very best health care and promote the most sufficient way of healthy living for their patients.

10 Berlinger 9 References AScribe News. (2001, March 4). Occupational therapy keeps seniors vibrant, independent. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from 04/news/ _1_occupational-therapy-senior-citizens-elderly-study Caitlyn, K. (2009, November 7). Physical therapy and the camaraderie of healing. The New York Times. Retrieved from 17case html Cameron, K. V., Ballantyne, S., Msot, A., Msot, M., Msot, T., & Ludwig, F. (2005). Utilization of evidence-based practice by registered occupational therapists. Occupational Therapy International, 12(3), Concentra Operating Corporation. (2014). Physical and occupational therapy. Retrieved from Maura, K. (2010). Rehab on the rise. Fitness. Retrieved from Grace, P. (2007). Future Considerations in Occupational Therapy Education. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 21(1/2), Gupta, J., Barbra, C., & Pam, T. (2008). Occupational therapy s role in health promotion. Retrieved from /media/corporate/files/aboutot/professionals/whatisot/mh/facts/factsheet_healthpr omotion.pdf

11 Berlinger 10 Wendell, E. (2013, May 23). Who are physical therapists? Retrieved from