How satisfied are therapists today with their job?
Therapyjobs.com recently conducted a survey of over 6,000 practicing therapists to determine job satisfaction in their therapy sector of healthcare. The respondents were physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapy assistants and certified occupational therapy assistants.
The majority of responses were from therapists in skilled nursing facilities and outpatient clinics who have been in their current position for more than 5 years (68.1%). While most respondents work approximately 30-40 hours, many are working 40-50 hours per week. 22.7% have been at the same facility for more than 5 years.
The respondents who have been in their field for over 15 years (35.7%) and in the same facility were physical therapy assistants. The most rewarding aspect of these respondents" careers is, "the progress I see with life-changing therapy as a result of my skills and education." The majority of the responses when asked about the most unrewarding aspect of their field were the amount of paperwork that is required and the difficulties in dealing with insurance companies that wouldn"t allow for maximum results of patient care. Some had concerns with their pay and lack of benefits.
The survey indicated that 61.5% of the respondents who have been in their field less than 5 years are Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants and Physical Therapy Assistants with the majority working in skilled nursing facilities. These newest to the field are working approximately 40-50 hours per week. One respondent stated that the most rewarding part of their job is, "Making a positive difference in the lives of the patients we see...seeing improvement in them each time!" They, too, dislike the paperwork involved. 94.7% are motivated to see their patients succeed and have an overall positive outlook on their ability to perform, meet goals and have the materials necessary to complete their job. They look forward to going to work and respect those they work with. Their opinions count.
The results indicated that those who have been a therapist for 6-14 years are typically Occupational Therapists, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapy Assistants where the majority work in schools, outpatient clinics and skilled nursing facilities. They have been at their current facility for more than 3 years and most work 30-40 hours per week. These results indicated that this group is somewhat satisfied with their facility and would definitely recommend a friend to work at the same facility. They, too, are rewarded by seeing and assisting their patients/children improve and succeed, but are frustrated with the amount of paperwork and lack of benefits and low salaries. Overall, more than 65% were very satisfied and over 21% were somewhat satisfied with their career choice as a therapist. The business aspect of the therapy industry seems to be somewhat frustrating to these therapists. The good news for patients is that these therapists want to focus more on the care they provide to patients than paperwork, insurance companies, etc. The bad news for therapists is that, unfortunately, these business items are part of the job. The results indicated that Physical Therapy Assistants seem to remain at their facilities the longest and those with the longest tenure in their field are Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists. They mostly work in hospitals, outpatient care facilities and skilled nursing facilites. Typically, they work between 30-50 hours per week, are very motivated to see their patients succeed, look forward to going to work, feel appreciated and valued, have respect for their peers and are adequately equipped with everything they need for patient care. 32.5% would definitely recommend a friend to work at their current facility and 31.7% probably would.
In general, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/emp/home/htm), healthcare is slated to have a growth of more than twice the rate of all other employment sectors at 27-32% growth. Seven of the twenty fastest growing occupations are in the healthcare industry. (Healthcare Outlook). The positions with the most growth are Physical Therapy Assistants at 32.4% growth, Physical Therapists at 27% growth and Occupational Therapists at 18-26% growth.