Selecting among the best occupational therapy programs in Nebraska may be a bit dicey because there are excellent schools in the state.
Before you begin an occupational therapy program in Nebraska, you must be ready to prove that you qualify for a spot.
Again, you should be set for activities while in the program, like mandatory fieldwork. Fieldwork requires some placement practices.
Furthermore, before you become eligible to practice in Nebraska, you must sit for the licensing exams and pass. The state does not cut corners when it comes to those that offer health services.
See Also: Top Occupational therapy programs in New York
If you reside in Nebraska or its environs and searching for an occupational therapy program that you can enroll in, you can check out the list we made but be ready to do the rest of the job when we hand over the baton to you.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is classified as a health care profession that works with individuals or a group of people to teach, assist, help to recover and maintain or improve daily physical and mental activities.
Occupational therapists have been trained to help people rediscover their lost abilities to thrive.
What is the job of an occupational therapist?
Depending on which field they work in, an occupational therapist may work with the disabled. Children can be disabled; this brings us to say that there are occupational therapists that work with disabled children and those that work with disabled adults.
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More so, occupational therapists work with the injured, people recovering from an illness, mental health patients, patients who underwent amputation, and more.
Generally, they help their patients to achieve wholesomeness in their states.
They achieve this result through the joint help of other professionals like nurses, audiologists, social workers, doctors, nutritionists, assistive technologies, and more.
Occupational therapists also work alongside other therapists to help out their patients. You can find one working with a language and speech therapist or a physical therapist. Most times, different therapists make sure they deliver the best services to people in need of their services.
How to become an occupational therapist
Firstly, you do not pass the same procedure if you wish to become an occupational therapist assistant. However, for both, you must earn a degree to qualify you.
So, if your dream is to become a practicing OT in Nebraska, some of the general criteria you must meet include:
Gain admission and graduate from a school certified by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or The American Occupational Therapy Association with a bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
Sit for your licensing exam and pass
Go for the background check
Register and fulfill a six months internship in an accredited occupational therapy place
You can practice as a licensed OT in Nebraska with all these in place. If you finally gain your license, you will have to renew it when it expires. To do that, you must complete 50 hours of competence hours.
How to obtain a license as an occupational therapist?
Firstly, OT is not a job you go into by just having an idea of what you must do and figuring the rest out as you begin.
There are due processes you must follow before you practice, and one of those steps is to acquire the appropriate license, and the steps to getting licensed aren’t extremely challenging.
- To begin with, get a bachelor’s or a master’s degree from an accredited school.
- Complete the following clinical hours for six months. A licensed senior must supervise your hours.
- Score up to 450 in the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam
- Pay for your license, which costs about $120
- Send your transcripts to the necessary body and authorities
- Wait for a confirmation
By the way, becoming certified may take a little time and energy, but the gains outweigh the pains. The search for professional OTs has been on the rise in recent years in America.
Their salaries per annum are over $80,000, plus there is no dull moment on the job. Many OTs say they find fulfillment in their jobs and have no regrets about going into that career.
Furthermore, now that you know how to get started in this field of health care job, it is time to list out the schools you can enroll in, in Nebraska that will usher you into the leagues of professional Occupational Therapists.
Occupational therapy programs in Nebraska
Few accredited schools offer occupational therapy programs in Nebraska.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The school has been accredited by Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). They offer a three years course and award their graduates with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) certificate.
Also, the three years course covers eight semesters divided between online and on-site classes with campuses at Kearney and Omaha.
The OT program of this school runs on three significant courses; translational sciences, professional and personal development, and occupation for health.
Address: 42nd and Emile, Omaha, NE 68198
Phone Number: 402-559-4000
College of Saint Mary
This school offers combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy. Altogether, they make up the five-year duration of the program.
ACOTE already accredits the school, and graduates immediately sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
After graduation, the school awards the graduate a master’s of occupational therapy certificate.
Address: 700 Mercy Road Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Phone Number: 402-399-2400
Nebraska Methodist College
Nebraska methodist college equips its students for a successful career in this field. A comfortable learning environment, the right mindset, and the much-needed knowledge to handle the day-to-day challenges of this occupation. The school drills compassion and how to give an empathetic listening ear to their students.
After completing your studies and passing, you will earn a Master of Occupational Therapy Degree.
Address: 720 N. 87th Street, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone Number: 402-354-7000
Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professionals
Creighton University is the first in America to offer an entry-level occupational therapy program. The program took off in 1985 and has since served the country and the state.
More so, the mode of study in the school is through online or physical classes. Studying in this school empowers you to be the best at your work.
Address: 250 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178
Phone Number: 402-280-2700
Conclusion on the Occupational therapy programs in Nebraska
You can achieve your dreams of becoming a great OT with any of these schools because the program you seek is part of what they know best to handle.
Feel free to reach out to the schools through the links provided in each of the institutions.
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Chibueze Uchegbu is a certified medical physiologist with a great passion for healthy living.