Why I Love My Job: Linda Johnson, OTR/L, ATP, CBIS

Job: Occupational therapist, Level 4/Senior, Walton Rehabilitation Health System in Augusta.

What I do: “I evaluate and provide inpatient treatment for adults and adolescents who have suffered spinal cord, brain and orthopedic injuries. I do customized seating for wheelchairs, splinting, and home and equipment evaluations for when patients return home.

“I also work with patients’ families to show them how to help a patient be as independent as possible.”

What got me into this: “I was looking for a career field and a friend suggested I look into occupational therapy. The Medical College of Georgia would let you come take a look at their program, so I did and fell in love with it. I put my foot on the path and never looked back.

“I enjoy working with people and wanted to be in an educational setting, but not in a classroom. I do a lot of educating one-on-one, which is perfect.”

Best part of the job: “I get to work with people whose whole lives have been turned upside-down and have little hope. They may not be able to hold a fork by themselves or sit up, but with treatment they can learn.

“When I’m able to help them and see them smile, it makes me feel so good. I realize how much we take for granted — being able to get out of bed, brush our hair and teeth. We are so blessed and don’t know it.”

Most challenging part of the job: “Trying to get what patients need, whether it’s more time in rehab or equipment to help them go home, is the most frustrating part. Insurance mandates how long patients stay with us. Seven to 14 days isn’t long enough for many cases. If we could keep them longer we could help them more and increase their mobility.”

What people don’t know about my job: “People confuse us with physical therapists or they think we’re there to help people get back to work. Our definition of ‘occupation’ is anything you do in the course of a day.

“We might teach someone how to dress himself, feed himself or get himself to the bathroom. It’s humiliating for patients not to be able to take care of themselves. Putting them at ease takes empathy and compassion.”

What keeps me going: “When things get hairy and I want to call in sick, my patients keep me going. I want to be part of their lives and to see them get better. If I miss a day, my patients worry about me, and when my Dad passed away and I was gone a week, I got cards from my patients. What a testimony that was.”

Preparation needed: “You need a master’s degree in occupational therapy from an accredited program to sit for the necessary certification exam to practice.”