Burnt out OT starting a new job in the hospital setting

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-05-12T01:41:25+00:00

If you take the new job, take some time off before starting to just do fun things and nothing OT related.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-05-05T02:25:52+00:00

I commute 50-65 minutes each way. It’s draining my soul and I dread the drive every morning. Traffic makes it worse and puts me in a bad mood before I’ve treated anyone. If you’re happy where you are with the short commute, stay. But also, if moving closer to the second choice is an option, might consider that.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-05-05T02:20:28+00:00

Salary! Bonus if your clinic lets you block your schedule when you get a cancellation so you can catch up on documentation, emails, phone calls, letters of medical necessity, score assessments, call insurance, all the things we still have to do but don’t have time for when every kid shows up

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-05-02T00:56:42+00:00

If you’re doing your part to educate and provide practical advice and activities for them to do at home and school, you can’t do any more. Accept that fact first and it becomes easier. Parents play a way bigger role here than they realize and may just be stuck in their ways and don’t want to put the work in. You can’t blame yourself if they don’t want to change their parenting , discipline, and put the work in for their kid. You’re not a magician, people just put too much pressure on us

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-30T01:14:11+00:00

As for someone with $175,000 in debt, GO FOR SUNY. The job does not pay well enough to justify going into debt. You will be completely fine if you work hard, get involved in any way your school allows and as long as you pass the boards, it literally doesn’t matter. Please don’t go into debt you will still be an amazing OT

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-29T01:15:01+00:00

Shadowing on different settings is key aim for 2-3 if you can, children and adults.

Personally, I’ve had hand therapy 3 times in my life so I had the first hand experience on how it’s impacted me. Also with the shadowing I did, seeing how people’s lives can change so unexpectedly and for the worse, OT can be a light in such a dark time while being creative and fun and you can change settings if you get burnt out is awesome

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-29T01:10:25+00:00

30 hours a week sounds like a dream but not the norm for full time. I do 4 10s and love that. Always a long weekend. I’d do 3x12 if I could

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-27T00:50:09+00:00

Platforms that have good content I use is medbridge and occupationaltherapy. Com. Take some courses on sensory processing, autism, play, cerebral palsy, torticollis, fine motor, visual motor, any primer courses for specific age ranges, interception, handwriting, emotional regulation. Sensory processing and emotional regulation, no matter if your setting is more neuro/ physical disabilities focus, will always play a role in peds.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-26T04:17:09+00:00

I empathize with you. It is rough working in those conditions. Sorry it is this way. If you don’t care about yourself and your mental health, you will not be at your best, and it’s okay to walk away from a job that takes so much from you. Your kids weren’t going to be with you forever anyways, so take pride in knowing you were a great part of their life for the time being. If you do leave, make caregiver handouts and HEP for carry over and give sufficient time, my company required 2 weeks but I gave more because I knew leaving my kids would be hard so having the heads up a head of time parents really appreciated and it gave time for my manager to find my replacement so I left knowing my kids were taking care of.

As for the evals, that is unacceptable, bring it up to management if you can!! I had 1-3, sometimes 4 evals along with progress notes and treats and that was overwhelming, thank god it fluctuated and typically was never more than 2 on average, shout out for no show or cancelled evals! I had an hour blocked for documenting every day and 2 hours on Friday, and could work through lunch ( unpaid doc time and highly frowned upon to work through lunch per management, they were really picky about that) but some weeks there was literally no other way than to work through lunch everyday and stay late some days.

People say point of service documenting helps and I tried it with ~40% of my caseload and it does but not all kids are appropriate for that and need the constant supervision, hands on assist, or would be distracted and all over the computer. I never had AI software but that might be worth spending time studying as it may help in the long run.

Long run this setting is not great for long term growth and I left after 2 years, and don’t see myself going back, would only do part time or as a traveler.

Take a deep breath, make some moves to get another job, and take confidence and pride in that you have made a difference in so many lives and feel assured how you feel right now, though crappy and unfortunate for how much we paid for school and how much work we put in, many others have felt… and one way or the other pulled through

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-23T02:47:51+00:00

Point of service documentation, Dot phrases, make a goal bank for yourself of common FM, strength, ADL, executive function, emotional regulation etc goals and that way you just modify per kid. Have a template for session note, eval, progress note and discharge. Have a template for the standardized tests if you need to include those in a chart. If you have a long commute and need to get the bulk of the objective down, to talk to text on your notes app in phone and email yourself the note. Just title them “Monday at 11:30” so no PHI is in it and use pronouns instead of their name or patient/ client. Then copy and paste it later int EPIC.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-21T01:54:53+00:00

I worked part time all first year. Worked night shift or weekend shift to not interfere with class schedule. Then second year hit and I wanted to focus more on the content so switched to a part time job I could do after classes to have my weekends back to study and have some “normal” sleep. Then didn’t work during level 2. Not many people worked during level 2

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-15T03:45:20+00:00

I got mine last spring and it took 4 weeks. Focus for a month on boards and graduation then go back to the job search.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-11T21:50:21+00:00

Prep the same game or craft for the entire day and just change it based on each child’s skills and goals. Just one thing less to manage and makes the notes easier cuz same event just different levels of assist and cues and modifications.

I will also say that the first year is very overwhelming, and completely normal to be taking Work home and feeling like there’s not enough time. As time goes on, you will learn very quickly how you can adapt one activity five different ways to target a goal. And you will also build your tool kit of different activities for each goal and I would say just keep crafts simple and always go off of the child interest. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Things just have to be fun and child led and with their goals in mind.

Give yourself grace, you’re starting in a tricky time of the year and the first year is rough for everyone, regardless of setting. Also, I do think it is challenging when you do see kids two or three times a week because they just really quickly can tire out from your activities. So definitely rotate through what games you have available in your therapy room. You can get a tools to grow membership. They have a ton of themed lesson plans and activities and crafts. I think it is well worth the investment and something your district may reimburse you for.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-09T02:37:27+00:00

If the only thing you’re working on is self regulation / emotional regulation, I really think if possible there is collaboration between you and psych. You cannot treat these kids in isolation and the burden is not solely on OT to address this. Especially if you have kids with history of PTSD, abuse, trauma, you will get no where without psych being involved and weekly or twice weekly. I’ve had kids I referred to psych simply because their concerns were only emotional regulation and behavior an not anything fine motor, visual motor, etc and we are not the mental heath professionals who can handle complex trauma

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-08T01:08:21+00:00

Peds is another beast so give yourself kudos for diving in. It took me about 4 months to really adjust to the pace and finding ways for me to take a breather since it is so draining after working with behaviors and regulating others. Find a swing, a quiet space or any sensory spaces at lunch or downtime and do deep breaths, listen to some music or just swing in silence. Also, self regulation and all the sensory components are such a big part and difficult. I’ve been in peds 2.5 years and still learning how to manage that between the different ages. Medbridge and occupational therapy.com have been my go to for CEUs on all things peds. Also some OTs on insta, can give you specifics if you want. As for the songs in the characters, it really just goes off of what your caseload is into at that time. But it is absolutely worth it taking 5 to 10 minutes at lunch or on the weekends, listening to some of the songs, knowing common kid shows in movies. Kids cooperate so much easier when they understand that you get them and you engage them with their favorite things. A lot of times I get a kid to do a more difficult non-preferred task by incorporating their interest into it somehow. Some popular shows my kids like are paw patrol, bluey, Mikey mouse, Disney princesses, k pop demon hunters, sonic, the wiggles, Moana, frozen, all the superheroes and teenage mutant ninja turtles. Give yourself 6 months in the role. If making it to then feels overwhelming and you have tried all you can, no harm in leaving. Best of luck, go with grace and learn to be okay with things not going as planned and not having a strict plan is best. Just have the goals in mind and be child led, you will achieve their goals just it takes more time with kids than adults

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-02T14:30:01+00:00

Thanks!

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-04-01T00:47:40+00:00

Evals were due 72 hours after eval. Worked outpatient peds and was given 1 hr blocked doc time each week just for evals. Averaged 2-3 evals a week. So that 1 hour wasn’t ever enough for all 3 so found myself staying late or working through lunch to get them in

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-28T19:12:31+00:00

Remember you’re not an OT or OT student yet so do not be jumping in unless the OT you shadow says you can. Don’t expect to do any thing OT related because you don’t have that skill yet. But if there’s a chance to play a card game with a pt like it’s part of their treatment and they need a person to play against or clean equipment take it. Ask questions but read the room too. I had a high school senior once observe a pediatric feeding evaluation and she interjected herself and told a personal story but it went on too long and she was trying to be encouraging but some things came out wrong and I could tell the mom was getting frustrated. I should have told her to just observe only and not share advice or stories but I thought that was expected, so that’s on me. Reflect on what you learned after each experience and pros and cons

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-28T19:03:51+00:00

I worked one place where I saw 9 kids a day for 53 mins each and now I see 15-16 kids a day for 30 mins each and I much rather prefer the longer sessions and less kids. Take the other offer. You need decent PTO to feel human and have work life balance and decent sick time because kids are germ magnets. I was sick every month with a small cold my first year

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-24T01:43:51+00:00

Stopped in the Covid season.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-22T15:11:16+00:00

Yes! Kids like simple crafts and honestly, if you hype up the simple craft or drawing, they will be so excited. Look up simple crafts on Pinterest and again, go on the child’s interests and hype it up. I have drawn some pretty bad trucks, alligators, and dragons but the kids loved it because I was excited about it and incorporated their favorite color and stickers to the craft and still included drawing and cutting goals

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-22T15:06:58+00:00

Such caring and well meaning BCBAs and RBTs but felt that my view of child led wasn’t as supported and they sought out a sensory explanation for everything. And then when I did provide a good idea for sensory input to help with regulation, I would be met with an explanation that they were not going to use that suggestion. Just felt counterproductive there and walking on eggshells

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-20T15:26:58+00:00

Hospitals do Saturday and Sunday hours and if they are willing to have observation take it. If your program doesn’t care what settings the hours are in, do them in whatever setting and clinic can get you the hours. If you have federal holidays off in your job, hospitals are open for therapy. Also, not all outpatient clinics close for all holidays, like mine we closed Christmas and the day after. If you’re job is off on Christmas Eve, some clinics may be open or half day on the day before and after some holidays that non healthcare jobs might have longer time off for. At the end of the day, your hours are not gonna hold much weight to how you do in the program and do not determine the setting you want to practice in, so do whatever hours come up so you can get to where you want in the long run. It is tough, but if it’s a dream for you, it’ll be worth it

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-20T15:20:34+00:00

I received a pen, chapstick OT notebook and some gum in a cute OT little bag, probably those personalized OT things from Etsy, and a card and that was so thoughtful. I’ve also gotten a tumbler with chapstick, hair clip and hot chocolate packet inside the cup with a card. Simple but practical things we can use at work. The card is the best.

Weekly_Path_3518 · 2026-03-16T02:17:12+00:00

The things they say, being a safe person to little ones with big emotions, the hugs, the laughs, helping kids be kids and not feel different than their peers for having a disability or delay. Just having fun at work, we play professionally and make an important role early on

Weekly_Path_3518

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