When you picture your future career goals, is serving people’s health in a hands-on way at the top of the list? If so, you’ve probably looked into two options: occupational therapy (OT) and nursing.

Both are phenomenal ways to impact people’s lives and steer them toward better health. And while they may look similar on the surface, occupational therapy and nursing are distinct career paths. Each offers unique (but equal) rewards and challenges.

If you’re wondering whether OT or nursing would be the right fit for you, it pays to take a closer look at their care goals, settings, and daily tasks. A deeper dive can help you picture how your talents could serve each role (and which path would best enhance your own quality of life).

Occupational Therapy vs. Nursing

The core goal of both occupational therapy and nursing is to provide care to people. Each position exists to deliver personalized attention and care for as long as the patient requires it.

Because the healing journey unfolds in stages, patients’ healthcare needs evolve as they progress. Nurses and OTs assist patients during different stages of their recovery.

What Do Occupational Therapists Do?

Unexpected health troubles can impair people’s ability to perform daily tasks. Common debilitating conditions include:¹

• Burns
• Broken bones
• Strokes
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Cancer
• Spinal injuries

A registered occupational therapist helps those suffering from physical limitations relearn how to perform the daily tasks of life, such as:

• Getting dressed
• Shopping
• Riding public transit
• Operating computers or cell phones
• Taking daily medicine
• Learning how to use prosthetics

Occupational therapy practitioners help patients effectively navigate their daily environment. They may also introduce tools and strategies to help patients work around their limitations. Their goal is to help people achieve functional independence.

What Do Nurses Do?

Nurses provide direct patient care and advocate on their patient's behalf related to procedures, medications, and more.

During the course of a shift, nurses perform tasks such as:²

• Recording patient intake information (health history, measurements, etc.)
• Monitoring patients’ vital signs
• Administering medications
• Providing direct treatment (i.e., changing bandages or drawing blood)
• Reporting critical patient information to physicians

Nurses also serve their charges by offering compassion and encouragement throughout treatment. Because of this relationship, nurses often form close bonds with patients and help add the “humantouch” to sometimes sterile healthcare settings.

Key Differences Between Occupational Therapy and Nursing

You’ve probably noticed that when a disaster (such as a hurricane or fire) strikes, the response unfolds in stages. At first, the focus is on rescuing people, responding to urgent emergencies, and restoring basic safety and order. After the immediate concerns have been addressed, however, an extended recovery effort takes place. Its goal is to restore the area to its former glory.

When it comes to health issues, it is helpful to think of nurses as the initial search and rescue team. Occupational therapists are the rebuilders. This leads to a few differences in approach.

Patient Interaction and Care Techniques

When someone suffers a health crisis, nurses are the ones (alongside physicians) who address immediate health problems and provide acute care. Nurses focus on stabilizing patients to the point where their doctor can discharge them.

After direct treatment, however, a patient may still wrestle with:

• Physical limitations
• Side effects from medication
• Diminished brain function
• Mental and emotional turmoil

While these issues may not be dire enough to warrant an extended hospital stay, they can dramatically impact quality of life.

This is where occupational therapists come in. They craft personalized recovery plans that help patients either reclaim the function they’ve lost or learn to effectively cope with their limitations.

As you might imagine, this can be a lengthy process. Occupational therapists often spend months (or even years) working with clients. Nurses may see their patients only during a hospital stay.

Work Environments

Unique responsibilities require occupational therapists and nurses to operate in different settings.

Nurses usually work in:³

• Hospital
• Urgent care facility
• Doctors’ office
• Nursing home
• Home healthcare

These environments call for precision medical attention. They are also settings in which physicians require specialized assistance.

Occupational therapists, on the other hand, usually operate in surroundings like:⁴

• School
• Clinic
• Rehab center
• Patient workplace
• Patient home
• Hospital environments
• Home healthcare settings
• Nursing homes

Since they aim to help patients handle the challenges of their daily routine, occupational therapists work where they are needed. They may change locations frequently throughout the course of a day.

Scope of Practice

While their role in direct patient care overlaps, nurses and occupational therapists act within specific spheres of the healthcare world.

A nurse’s role is primarily medical. This means they focus on:

• Providing medical treatments
• Monitoring patients’ vitals
• Dispensing medication
• Assisting physicians

As their name suggests, occupational therapists focus on therapeutic occupation-based goals. Their day-to-day tasks revolve around:

• Studying patients’ everyday activities
• Crafting a collaborative client-centered treatment plan
• Offering a holistic and supportive environment

These two spheres are each critically important in their own right. Being a healthcare professional extends beyond the confines of hospitals and clinical environments.

Key Similarities Between Occupational Therapy and Nursing

While they have their differences, there is plenty of overlap between occupational therapy and nursing.

Both Prioritize Patient Well-Being

Nursing and occupational therapy place the patient on a pedestal—their needs and recovery are the top concern. Both career paths aim to enhance patient quality of life in direct, meaningful ways. They are, at their core, healing professions.

While physicians ultimately steer the ship medically, nurses and occupational therapists have a profound impact on their patients’ day-to-day healing journey.

Both Share Common Skills

It’s no surprise that there is a skill crossover between the two. Both of these types of healthcare professionals require a high degree of soft skills, including:

• Compassion – By definition, all medical patients have a health concern. It takes someone with exceptional empathy to lend support and encouragement during the recovery process.
• Communication –  As a go-between for physicians and patients (and as medical professionals themselves) both nurses and occupational therapists need to effectively communicate with precision, tact, and sympathy.
• Critical thinking – In healthcare, situations can evolve rapidly. Swift decision making and exceptional reasoning skills are critical. No two patients are alike, either. Nurses and OTs must tailor their choices to the situation at hand.

These qualities are important foundations for exceptional patient care.

Which Career Path is Right for You?

Nursing and occupational therapy are each deeply fulfilling paths that offer countless opportunities to nurture and support. When choosing your path, it’s wise to reflect on a few things:

• Your interests and strengths – In order to deliver quality care, you need to feel both capable and invested in your work. Consider whether you’d be happier offering direct care or if you’d rather engage with patients long-term in a therapeutic manner.
• Your ideal work environment – Hospitals and clinics can be intense. Some people relish the pressure, while others find it wears them down. If you’d prefer a more personalized setting, an occupational therapy program might be for you.
• Long-term career goals – Do you see yourself enjoying the process of treating patients in fast-paced surroundings? Or do you savor the thought of serving as deep-rooted support for those struggling with chronic limitations?

Educational Pathways for Occupational Therapy and Nursing

Whichever path you choose, an excellent education is enormously beneficial. Both nursing and occupational therapy services have specific education and certification requirements to consider.

Master's in Occupational Therapy (MOT)

To practice occupational therapy, you will need to know what degree you need to become an occupational therapist. Usually, this involves completing a master’s program from an accredited school. Depending on which school you choose, this typically requires passing the GRE and getting a bachelor’s.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has established a few additional qualifications. Normally, you will need to:⁵

• Complete clinical rotations – OT Students will first shadow licensed occupational therapist practitioners in a variety of settings, then spend around 24 weeks in supervised clinical settings. This allows OT students to develop their skills in a wide array of environments.
• Pass the certification exam – How do you get an occupational therapy license? The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) administers a national exam. A master’s degree is generally a prerequisite to take the exam.
• Apply for a state license – After you pass the NBCOT exam, you will likely need to apply for licensure in the state you wish to practice. Some states may also require you to pass a background check and submit official transcripts.
• Pursue specialty certifications in occupational therapy – Obtaining additional certifications in specialized areas like pediatrics, hand therapy, or geriatrics can further bolster your career prospects and allow you to focus on a specific population.

To keep your license in good standing, you will also need to observe your home state’s continuing education requirements (usually somewhere between 10-40 hours yearly or biannually).⁶

Requirements for Nursing Programs

While there are a wide variety of nursing paths, they all begin with similar steps. To become a registered nurse, you will usually need to:

• Earn a degree – You can enroll in either an associate degree in nursing (ADN), a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), or a master of science in nursing (MSN). Which degree you pursue will depend on your budget, timeframe, and career aspirations.
• Gain clinical experience – Clinical rotations, internships, and externships help a nursing student garner real-world experience in healthcare settings. Hands-on practice can help you become more competitive as a job candidate.
• Get licensed – To become a licensed RN, you will need to pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX). As you approach graduation, check your home state’s licensing rules for additional requirements.

After you graduate, consider pursuing advanced certifications in areas that interest you. This bolsters your resume and may enhance your hiring prospects.

Occupational Therapy or Nursing—Which is Your Path?

Few professions offer the same rich combination of intellectual challenge and people-oriented compassion as nursing and occupational therapy. If you’re someone who desires to heal, uplift, and lead patients down the path to recovery, you can’t go wrong with either.

The choice comes down to your personal goals and temperament.

Whichever path you’re leaning toward, Alliant International University is here to lend a helping hand. Our nursing programs are the ideal foundation for a career in nursing, while our master of occupational therapy degree can help you put your compassion into practice.

We invite you to schedule a consultation with our admissions department today.

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Sources:

1. "Occupational Therapist.” Cleveland Clinic. February 27, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24617-occupational-thera…. Accessed September 18, 2024.
2. Pooja Toshniwal Paharia. “Roles of a Nurse.” News Medical Life Sciences. September 24, 2022. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Roles-of-a-Nurse.aspx. Accessed September 19, 2024.
3. Yolanda Smith. “Workplace of a Nurse.” News Medical Life Sciences. August 22, 2023. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Workplace-of-a-Nurse.aspx. Accessed September 18, 2024. 
4. “Occupational Therapist.” Cleveland Clinic. February 27, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24617-occupational-thera…. Accessed September 18, 2024.
5. Heidi Borst. “How to Become an Occupational Therapist.” Forbes. November 9, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/healthcare/become-an-occupatio…. Accessed September 18/2024.