Kirsten Beshay, OTD, MA, OTR/L, CIEE, CEAS I & III: OT in Ergonomics
In this post, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in ergonomics. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Kirsten Beshay, OTD, MA, OTR/L, CIEE, CEAS I & III. Kirsten is an OT with 5 years of experience as a contractor for the Global Google Ergonomics Team. She loves introducing OT practitioners to the best-kept secret of the therapy world! Kirsten completed her OTD at Boston University, where she designed her flagship course, "Ergonomics for OT Practitioners". She has also worked in healthcare and school settings as an occupational therapist, where ergonomic principles are ever-present. Kirsten enjoys speaking at conferences and on podcasts to introduce ergonomics to more practitioners.
Q & A with Kirsten:
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a 6th-year OT who loves variety within the profession. (I've worked in acute/skilled nursing, schools, and ergonomics for tech.) I love making sourdough and reading Agatha Christie.
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
I'm passionate about getting more OTPs into the practice area of ergonomics, and I love that this podcast brings visibility to some of the less well-known areas in therapy. I think ergonomics is such a wonderful fit for us as practitioners!
Please describe the Uncommon OT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve, and the needs that you address.
I previously spent five years as a contractor on the global Google ergonomics team. I got to support a lot of different types of settings within the company, develop pilot projects, and use a variety of assessment tools. I also got to travel the world a bit, which was pretty awesome! In that job, I was working with adults in the workplace both preventatively and after discomfort or injury had set in. I would review equipment and work practice recommendations as well as environmental changes, but I also spent time addressing the psychosocial aspects of work that might be hampering them too. These days, I have my own ergonomic consulting business, where I continue to do ergonomic evaluations as well as apply for research grants and develop an online course for therapy practitioners about ergonomics.
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
I had always had a vague idea that we as OT practitioners could do ergonomics, but I didn't really know how to get into it. When I was temping at the front desk of a small tech company back before OT school, the HR team was always mystified by what ergonomic products to buy for people who are having discomfort. I liked the thought that I could use my knowledge to make people more comfortable at work. Then, later on, I was working in an inpatient setting and starting to get worried about continuing to do patient transfers with an old back injury that I had. I decided that it was time to explore ergonomics to give my body a break and to relieve some of the stress of that setting. The reason that I want more of us to work in ergonomics is that it's really a low-stress setting with generally a reasonable workload. It's also very gentle on your body compared to many of the other settings where we work.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
When I was still getting my OT degree, I started reaching out on LinkedIn to therapists who appeared to work in ergonomics in my area. I started just asking them questions, and many of them were very helpful and would share other contacts with me. No one could give me the shadowing opportunity that I was looking for at the time, but one manager I was put in touch with ended up being a long-term connection. She did an informational interview with me after I graduated, and then a year later she had a job opening on an ergonomics team when I reached out. It turned out to be Google!
Please describe a typical day or OT session in your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?
On a typical day doing ergonomics, I word likely to have a few hours set aside for email collaborations with other professionals (such as HR or facilities staff), but I would spend most of my day doing individual ergonomic assessments. These generally take 30 minutes to an hour and can be done at the client's desk, over a video conferencing platform, or in a clinic with a simulated work environment. I prefer to assess the client's physical workspace, when possible, as they are more likely to keep the adjustments that you discussed. I would also spend an hour writing my reports on the assessments, as well as an hour or two developing projects such as a grant proposal or an awareness campaign for teams within a corporate client.
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
I'm currently a finalist for a research grant that would allow us to study how people truly are working from home, and how this affects their comfort. I'm very excited about this topic area, as so much as recently changed about working from home. I have also loved some of the recent assessments that I've done because when people are in pain and you make adjustments that quickly make them more comfortable, it's just very meaningful. My current challenge is learning all about marketing as I launch buy an online course on ergonomics for therapy practitioners. We definitely don't get much business training in OT school, so I've definitely got some impostor syndrome there!
How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?
Staying on top of the research literature is so important as OT practitioners, and I think this really sets us apart in the field of ergonomics. Many different types of professionals work in ergonomics because it doesn't require a specific license or background. However, this means that some may not be well-versed in evidence-based practice. OTPs must stay current to ensure that we're providing the best recommendations that we can. This often means reading both OT and human factors journals and setting aside time during the workday to look up research on a specific topic.
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
I would say that my pay has been pretty comparable during my work in acute care, school-based OT, and ergonomics. I've been able to make the case for my hourly rate based on the other settings where I've worked. Again, I think as OT practitioners we have a little bit more leverage in this area. That said, it's really going to depend on what the client will pay, and that is hugely influenced by the economy and the area where you work. Because I live near large tech companies, I've likely had a bit of an easier time negotiating. If you're seeing clients through a company, that company would pay you using a cash-based model for the hours that you support them, whether it's a one-off or a regular occurrence. When I work with private clients, it's also cash-based. There are obviously pros and cons to this, but it does mean that I'm less dependent on insurance than I would be in another setting.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Yes, I've thought about this a lot because it's so important to me that we expand the practice area. I've put together some resources on my website (www.thriveergonomics.com) to help OTPs get started. I have a free handout on "Getting a Job in Ergonomics", and I frequently run free webinars on this and other topics about the practice area.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
OTPs can work in ergonomics! However, our job title might not be "OT" or "COTA". I've worked as an ergonomic specialist or ergonomic consultant and used my skills as an OT.
How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
Thank you! Please check out my website for resources that will help you learn more about ergonomics (www.thriveergonomics.com). My free webinar covers finding your first ergo job, interviews and resumes, what makes OT practitioners wonderful ergonomists, and certification options. You can also find me on Instagram or Facebook as Thrive Ergonomics.
RESOURCES:
REBA assessment
RULA assessment
As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
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