Careers
The New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists is the provincial professional and regulatory body for nearly 300 practicing Occupational Therapists in New Brunswick.
Qualifications of Occupational Therapists
Who can benefit from Occupational Therapy?
Where do OTs currently work in New Brunswick?
How to Access Services provided by Occupational Therapists
Qualifications of Occupational Therapists
- university educated (many hold post-graduate degrees)
- completed a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised clinical fieldwork
- have passed the national certification examination before they are eligible to practice
- practitioners in N.B. must be registered with the New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists.
Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with people and communities to promote, restore and maintain health. Some examples of what OTs do:
- Adjust work areas to reduce injuries
- Plan accessible home, school, workplace design and renovations
- Provide client and caregiver education such as implications of disease process on daily living and practice solutions to daily problems
- Teach communication and interaction skills such as assertiveness training
- Assist in improving existing functions such as how to plan, pace, prioritize, use good posture
- Diminish conditions caused by the disease process (e.g. modifying the environment, using equipment)
- Facilitate the learning of skills required for adaptation and productivity
- Modify activity, equipment and environment to enable people to achieve greater independence, productivity and an improved quality of life.
Who can benefit from Occupational Therapy?
People of all ages who want to improve their skills for the job of living! Does a physical, cognitive, or mental health problem prevent you from doing all your daily activities; things like driving a car, opening a book, getting groceries, or going to school? Examples of health problems that may interfere with living life as you want:
- Spinal cord injury
- Brain injury, stroke
- Mental health problems, depression
- Injuries from vehicle accidents, work related injury (e.g. amputation)
- Autism Spectrum disorders, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder( ADHD)
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, ALS, multiple sclerosis
- Arthritis, back pain, total hip replacement
- Alcohol and substance abuse
- Cumulative trauma injuries(e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Burns
- Spina bifida, cerebral palsy
Benefits of Occupational Therapy also extend to the families, friends and employers of clients; ultimately to everyone who comes into contact with them. By helping clients gain and maintain a higher level of independence and self-sufficiency, Occupational Therapists also help ease the strain on our over-burdened health care system.
Where do OTs currently work in New Brunswick?
In a wide variety of settings including:
Hospitals - within each of the 8 Provincial Regional Health Authorities - providing in-patient, out-patient and day programs such as: acute care, neonatology, pediatrics, mental health, pre and post-surgery (e.g. hip, hand), orthopedic surgery (e.g. hip, shoulder, neck), plastic surgery (e.g. burns, hand), cardiac, geriatric and general rehabilitation.
Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation - only tertiary level rehabilitation centre in New Brunswick that offers comprehensive, bilingual services to adults and children who have complex primarily neurological needs that require special expertise, or special equipment, or for which there are no local resources available.
Extra-Mural Program - community based client services at homes, schools, day-cares, nursing homes, special care homes, senior centers, community health centers.
Workplace Health Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) - in-patient and out-patient community based programs addressing work injuries and vocational rehabilitation.
Group Homes, Rehabilitation Centers - (e.g.) MacDonald Independent Living Centre; transitional living center where persons with disabilities learn life skills necessary for them to move out into the community.
Mental Health Facilities - serving clients with mental health concerns (e.g. Centracare, Restigouche Centre).
Private Practice - Services offered to a variety of organizations: business, industry, insurance, home health and rehabilitation care, clinics, architectural, legal, and supported work environment.
Research - research clinicians (e.g. biomedical engineering at U.N.B.).
Federal and Provincial Governments - (e.g. Department of Health and Wellness as well as Veteran's Affairs Canada).
Health Boards - members of various Boards of Health Care organizations, including community related and non-profit.
How to Access Services provided by Occupational Therapists
Physician's referral - for all services provided within the hospital setting.
Self-referral - clients and caregivers receiving or providing services under the Extra-mural program, and persons who wish to contact a private practice