Contrast and compare occupational therapist and registered nurse Essay

Contrast and compare occupational therapist and registered nurse - Essay Example A Registered Nurse (RN), on the other hand is a professional qualified to perform health care and practice nursing through assessment, planning and implementation of the required level of nursing for the sick and injured. While therapists concentrate more on physical rehabilitation, disabilities in learning and improving mental health, registered nurses are widely associated with the care, medication and health maintenance of a patient. â€Å"Nurses do a lot of chores that occupational therapists don’t have time for. This includes feeding, bathing, administering oral, subcutaneous, injectable and IV medications (Gavin R, 2008). Gavin R (2008), a retired nurse, also pointed out that nurses tend to the cleaning of wounds, console and comfort the patients and are a vital cog in medical emergencies. They can also assist the surgeons if there is a need. They keep all lengthy records and progress reports and also influence charting down of treatment and progress plans. Gavin (2008) further emphasised that a therapist’s job is not that easy but it does not contain the variations that a nursing job has; a therapist normally devises rehabilitation plans on the basis of well-known methods. Nursing is mainly controlled and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in the UK. It lays down all of the things that a person needs to do to qualify as a registered nurse and stay registered. To work as a registered nurse, the person must complete an education program that is recognized by NMC and meet the required standard proficiency level. This includes completing a degree or a diploma from a university offering a course in the chosen speciality. This leads to an academic award and professional registration as a 1st level registered nurse. These courses are normally three to four years long and are a 50/50 split between learning in university, and practicing patient care in a hospital or community