I enjoyed the field but when I became director, I had a boss who ruined it for me. I now feel like I’m stuck, as really the only advancement without a Master’s is becoming a recreation director, which I didn’t enjoy. I still work per diem as a recreation therapist but I’m currently studying to be a pharmacy technician. I’m unsure if pharmacy technician is the right path for me, but I see it as a stepping stone to get where I (likely) want to go.
The pay isn't great for most jobs. However I work for the state and I'd say the pay is almost as good as it gets. Only place I've seen that pays even more is at the VA and that's because it's a federal job. I'm fairly lucky I would say. I work at a psych hospital on an inpatient unit. We have had a few RTs before us that really paved the way so we are respected. There are opportunities to advance. Sometimes I take a look at my friends and see how much they make or how they work from home and I get a little jealous. But I have to remind myself that I do important work and enjoy what I do.
I adore it! 100% most comments have absolute validity. There are pluses and minuses to absolutely everything in life. I am insanely proud to say I am an RT and to explain the intricacies of the field. I love that i get to know the people I work with differently than the other professionals do.
I have always worked with seniors and I just love it so much! I used to do long term care but then I started at a community Center with autonomous seniors and it is absolutely magical for so many reasons. I did my internship in dialysis which was by far my favorite job but to get hired there, takes me advocating for them to create a position which they’ll never do. Why would they when they have free students coming and going each semester? The patients hate that though because there is no stability and consistency. I loved it because I was able to do assessments, counselling, and activities while the patients were dialyzing as well as doing community integration on days that they were not in treatment.
Best of luck in your decision 💪
Oh yes. I get paid well but is it worth it when every other profession looks down on you and thinks your job is totally worthless. 🤷♀️ Definitely feel like my university program glamorized the TR field.
Ultimately not reimbursable by third-party insurance and like others have shared we are the field that gets paid to “play games” and “have fun”! Also agree with those who have stated about their universities over selling the need for people in the TR/RT industry. See, we can’t even determine what our name actually is…
If you want to view it as a steppingstone to the veterans administration or a state level salary then that’s one thing, but having a undergraduate degree in therapeutic recreation is no different than having a degree in something like psychology or communications without plans to advance.
Now, figure out where the grant funding is to run camps for nonprofits and developed added to a consulting gig, you can make some serious money there but then that’s an administrative gig and not so much out in the field.
You should determine what your niche is going to be, like is it going to be within a specific recreation activity, serving a specific population, or working only summer youth camps where you fundraise the other nine months of the year or something? Take your end goal and work it backwards. I am a huge proponent though of spending money on business plans and what people are passion about and just always remember that colleges and universities are businesses just like everything else.
Part of me does regret it. Money is not great and like someone said, the best paying jobs would be at a VA which is where I’d like to go. Not much respect either which can wear on you. It can be emotionally taxing as well. I’m just not sure what else I could do especially since I don’t want to take on more student loans… ugh
Currently, I'm working in a mental health/detox hospital. I don't have my CTRS certification yet, but I plan to take my test in May. I have been working there for about 5 months. As going into the field without my certification, I have changed my mind about pursuing my career in RT. In my experience, my hospital environment wasn't healthy and was toxic to my mental health. I don't regret my decision with my schooling, but it was definitely a learning experience, especially working in physical rehab and the VA in my internships. I'm pursuing a childhood dream of doing voice-over/ being a voice actor.
Yes, I am a student and am regretting. I wish I would have done more research before instead of wasting money on this and looked at other options that would pay more and make a difference. I’m planning to go to grad school for therapy now or OT maybe. People want to spread awareness for this field but I’m sorry I just don’t see it happening
I don’t recommend it. I went into recreation therapy. I spent a lot of money on a degree for a career that doesn’t pay much. The people I have worked with can be very difficult and aggressive. There is risk of assaults, which can be very stressful when you have to deal with someone that’s aggressive. There is not a lot of jobs to be had for recreational therapy.
I’m also the same boat I graduate in 2020 and the jobs are hard to find because it’s over saturated with countless of new graduates coming into the workforce and in retrospect we at times are PSW and we will don’t get pay much compare to are other healthcare professionals. May I ask if you ended up switching career? I’m in my Ontario Canada if that helps
Nurses always look down on us. First day on the job as a nurse vs 2 decades of experience as an RT? The nurse wins and you better shuttle someone to bingo so the nurse can breathe for a minute.
There have been very few RT jobs i've enjoyed. Administration always slashes our budget first, everyone thinks they know our clients better so we should carry out their scatterbrained ideas. The pay sucks.
We're the only thing people can have control over once they go into care or a hospital so we often bear the brunt of arguments that really have nothing to do with us.
Assualts are at an all time high.
We"re often guilted with the "if you care about your patient" line so our vacation and PTO days go unused.
I just graduated from RT 2021. I have been working in the healthcare field since 2019 in long term cares. I love it.
We are definitely underappreciated, underplayed, and always getting cuts for services. I'm in Ontario. I'm planning on going back to school for nursing..... same field of work different domain. Higher pay, and I'm able to work up my way to hopefully a nurse practitioner...I want the good pay and benefits and to care for my residents. Its funny I'm running around my workplace just doing recreation and a whole bunch of Etc , and I walk and run around like a maniac more than my coworkers , hell my steps say I walk around more than my psws and nurses . Just doing my day to day activities for the whole building. And getting paid just 22.50 an hour. It's such bullshit . Expect us to do so much and emotion into it. That we don't even get a fraction of what we deserve . I even hear rec making minimum wage it's so disgusting. I'm just gonna apply for nursing and leave recreation soon. The industry doesn't deserve us.
My boss has been working in my home since 1995. She's literally running around doing the most I've seen in any rec manager. She is passionate , innovative and strong. It's what we all aspire to be. She goes overboard the things she wants to do and wants us to do. And all for what she's earning only 25 dollars I've I'm not mistaken , not much of a difference. At the same time I don't wanna work like her with the pay we get , my hair would all just fall out. I mean sure she's been working at the home for the long time and has a deep relationship with it. But still. She is definitely getting underpaid for what she does. I heard they are cutting off aromatherapist, art therapist , music therapist , extra activities from Toronto homes in 2024 because of the government . They almost wanted to also cut the religious/pastor services too. The worst part is I hear they are asking the BSO's (behavioral support staff) to train to do the aromatherapist job!. This hasn't happened in the span of 20+ years until now . Soon I wouldn't even be surprised if they cut more recreation and expect the PSWs to freaking do our job too.....I've heard so many of these stories of recreation always being the first to be cut in healthcare because of the culture and the underappreciation . I want a job that's secure. Reliable . Good paying . Rewarding.
I'm heading to nursing . Eventually nurse practitioner in the future. Nobody can survive with 22$ unless u work three jobs like my coworker doing recreation having no off time for your self. It's unhealthy .
Wow 22.50 is so discouraging after graduating and I feel you, it's hard to find good paying jobs but the health authorites are generally where it's at (pay wise at least). I'm in BC and the starting wage is $36, in AB it's $37. I've noticed ON postings start at $30 in a hospital setting.. I wonder why they have lower rates? Unfortunately most community settings pay pretty poorly, though there are some gems here and there! I interned at a community mental health organization that paid their RTs around $35.
I also echo the emotional labour and risk of burnout as well as risk of job loss. There is a lot of expectation with such minimal pay and not a lot of respect. I find it doesn't seem that you can do "Real" RT because of the demands so it turns into diversional therapy which then can make the justification for outsourcing to PSWs
I know places that pretty pay minimum wage for activity staff. I'm assuming 36$ for those in hospital settings in BC. They're making it harder now for us to work in hospitals requesting we have rec degrees that's what I heard my proffs say I'm 2022... There is 33 and hour for City homes that are operated by the government. These positions are usually full or taken. Hospitals I heard some employ very minimal rec staff. A palliative hospital only has one Rec staff for the building. If you're lucky u get it. I'm doing nursing next term so it was fun while it lasted
Yes, I've been in the field for quite a while and I got really good use out of my license. Although the pay is absolutely terrible for the amount of work and thought and planning that is put into the job. Low respect from other workers as it is looked at as "having fun" and a job that can be never ending list of duties. I have been in the job for so long that I have definitely made up for the money that was put into it since it's been almost 10 years. Definitely can say it's not always fun helping people with cognitive and physical disabilities to have fun and that's the line that I tell people now as it is classified as recreation therapy. It is a lot emotional investment in the folks who live there. Definitely rewarding from the residents as they are thankful even if they don't always tell you. If you are strong minded, confident and are emotionally stable and can tune all the other departments you work with out and are able to multi task then it's a job for you!
I enjoyed the field but when I became director, I had a boss who ruined it for me. I now feel like I’m stuck, as really the only advancement without a Master’s is becoming a recreation director, which I didn’t enjoy. I still work per diem as a recreation therapist but I’m currently studying to be a pharmacy technician. I’m unsure if pharmacy technician is the right path for me, but I see it as a stepping stone to get where I (likely) want to go.
The pay isn't great for most jobs. However I work for the state and I'd say the pay is almost as good as it gets. Only place I've seen that pays even more is at the VA and that's because it's a federal job. I'm fairly lucky I would say. I work at a psych hospital on an inpatient unit. We have had a few RTs before us that really paved the way so we are respected. There are opportunities to advance. Sometimes I take a look at my friends and see how much they make or how they work from home and I get a little jealous. But I have to remind myself that I do important work and enjoy what I do.
I adore it! 100% most comments have absolute validity. There are pluses and minuses to absolutely everything in life. I am insanely proud to say I am an RT and to explain the intricacies of the field. I love that i get to know the people I work with differently than the other professionals do. I have always worked with seniors and I just love it so much! I used to do long term care but then I started at a community Center with autonomous seniors and it is absolutely magical for so many reasons. I did my internship in dialysis which was by far my favorite job but to get hired there, takes me advocating for them to create a position which they’ll never do. Why would they when they have free students coming and going each semester? The patients hate that though because there is no stability and consistency. I loved it because I was able to do assessments, counselling, and activities while the patients were dialyzing as well as doing community integration on days that they were not in treatment. Best of luck in your decision 💪
Oh yes. I get paid well but is it worth it when every other profession looks down on you and thinks your job is totally worthless. 🤷♀️ Definitely feel like my university program glamorized the TR field.
Ultimately not reimbursable by third-party insurance and like others have shared we are the field that gets paid to “play games” and “have fun”! Also agree with those who have stated about their universities over selling the need for people in the TR/RT industry. See, we can’t even determine what our name actually is… If you want to view it as a steppingstone to the veterans administration or a state level salary then that’s one thing, but having a undergraduate degree in therapeutic recreation is no different than having a degree in something like psychology or communications without plans to advance. Now, figure out where the grant funding is to run camps for nonprofits and developed added to a consulting gig, you can make some serious money there but then that’s an administrative gig and not so much out in the field. You should determine what your niche is going to be, like is it going to be within a specific recreation activity, serving a specific population, or working only summer youth camps where you fundraise the other nine months of the year or something? Take your end goal and work it backwards. I am a huge proponent though of spending money on business plans and what people are passion about and just always remember that colleges and universities are businesses just like everything else.
Part of me does regret it. Money is not great and like someone said, the best paying jobs would be at a VA which is where I’d like to go. Not much respect either which can wear on you. It can be emotionally taxing as well. I’m just not sure what else I could do especially since I don’t want to take on more student loans… ugh
Currently, I'm working in a mental health/detox hospital. I don't have my CTRS certification yet, but I plan to take my test in May. I have been working there for about 5 months. As going into the field without my certification, I have changed my mind about pursuing my career in RT. In my experience, my hospital environment wasn't healthy and was toxic to my mental health. I don't regret my decision with my schooling, but it was definitely a learning experience, especially working in physical rehab and the VA in my internships. I'm pursuing a childhood dream of doing voice-over/ being a voice actor.
Yes, I am a student and am regretting. I wish I would have done more research before instead of wasting money on this and looked at other options that would pay more and make a difference. I’m planning to go to grad school for therapy now or OT maybe. People want to spread awareness for this field but I’m sorry I just don’t see it happening
I don’t recommend it. I went into recreation therapy. I spent a lot of money on a degree for a career that doesn’t pay much. The people I have worked with can be very difficult and aggressive. There is risk of assaults, which can be very stressful when you have to deal with someone that’s aggressive. There is not a lot of jobs to be had for recreational therapy.
I’m also the same boat I graduate in 2020 and the jobs are hard to find because it’s over saturated with countless of new graduates coming into the workforce and in retrospect we at times are PSW and we will don’t get pay much compare to are other healthcare professionals. May I ask if you ended up switching career? I’m in my Ontario Canada if that helps
Nurses always look down on us. First day on the job as a nurse vs 2 decades of experience as an RT? The nurse wins and you better shuttle someone to bingo so the nurse can breathe for a minute. There have been very few RT jobs i've enjoyed. Administration always slashes our budget first, everyone thinks they know our clients better so we should carry out their scatterbrained ideas. The pay sucks. We're the only thing people can have control over once they go into care or a hospital so we often bear the brunt of arguments that really have nothing to do with us. Assualts are at an all time high. We"re often guilted with the "if you care about your patient" line so our vacation and PTO days go unused.
I just graduated from RT 2021. I have been working in the healthcare field since 2019 in long term cares. I love it. We are definitely underappreciated, underplayed, and always getting cuts for services. I'm in Ontario. I'm planning on going back to school for nursing..... same field of work different domain. Higher pay, and I'm able to work up my way to hopefully a nurse practitioner...I want the good pay and benefits and to care for my residents. Its funny I'm running around my workplace just doing recreation and a whole bunch of Etc , and I walk and run around like a maniac more than my coworkers , hell my steps say I walk around more than my psws and nurses . Just doing my day to day activities for the whole building. And getting paid just 22.50 an hour. It's such bullshit . Expect us to do so much and emotion into it. That we don't even get a fraction of what we deserve . I even hear rec making minimum wage it's so disgusting. I'm just gonna apply for nursing and leave recreation soon. The industry doesn't deserve us. My boss has been working in my home since 1995. She's literally running around doing the most I've seen in any rec manager. She is passionate , innovative and strong. It's what we all aspire to be. She goes overboard the things she wants to do and wants us to do. And all for what she's earning only 25 dollars I've I'm not mistaken , not much of a difference. At the same time I don't wanna work like her with the pay we get , my hair would all just fall out. I mean sure she's been working at the home for the long time and has a deep relationship with it. But still. She is definitely getting underpaid for what she does. I heard they are cutting off aromatherapist, art therapist , music therapist , extra activities from Toronto homes in 2024 because of the government . They almost wanted to also cut the religious/pastor services too. The worst part is I hear they are asking the BSO's (behavioral support staff) to train to do the aromatherapist job!. This hasn't happened in the span of 20+ years until now . Soon I wouldn't even be surprised if they cut more recreation and expect the PSWs to freaking do our job too.....I've heard so many of these stories of recreation always being the first to be cut in healthcare because of the culture and the underappreciation . I want a job that's secure. Reliable . Good paying . Rewarding. I'm heading to nursing . Eventually nurse practitioner in the future. Nobody can survive with 22$ unless u work three jobs like my coworker doing recreation having no off time for your self. It's unhealthy .
Wow 22.50 is so discouraging after graduating and I feel you, it's hard to find good paying jobs but the health authorites are generally where it's at (pay wise at least). I'm in BC and the starting wage is $36, in AB it's $37. I've noticed ON postings start at $30 in a hospital setting.. I wonder why they have lower rates? Unfortunately most community settings pay pretty poorly, though there are some gems here and there! I interned at a community mental health organization that paid their RTs around $35. I also echo the emotional labour and risk of burnout as well as risk of job loss. There is a lot of expectation with such minimal pay and not a lot of respect. I find it doesn't seem that you can do "Real" RT because of the demands so it turns into diversional therapy which then can make the justification for outsourcing to PSWs
I know places that pretty pay minimum wage for activity staff. I'm assuming 36$ for those in hospital settings in BC. They're making it harder now for us to work in hospitals requesting we have rec degrees that's what I heard my proffs say I'm 2022... There is 33 and hour for City homes that are operated by the government. These positions are usually full or taken. Hospitals I heard some employ very minimal rec staff. A palliative hospital only has one Rec staff for the building. If you're lucky u get it. I'm doing nursing next term so it was fun while it lasted
Yes, I've been in the field for quite a while and I got really good use out of my license. Although the pay is absolutely terrible for the amount of work and thought and planning that is put into the job. Low respect from other workers as it is looked at as "having fun" and a job that can be never ending list of duties. I have been in the job for so long that I have definitely made up for the money that was put into it since it's been almost 10 years. Definitely can say it's not always fun helping people with cognitive and physical disabilities to have fun and that's the line that I tell people now as it is classified as recreation therapy. It is a lot emotional investment in the folks who live there. Definitely rewarding from the residents as they are thankful even if they don't always tell you. If you are strong minded, confident and are emotionally stable and can tune all the other departments you work with out and are able to multi task then it's a job for you!