Occupational Therapist (Acute)
Compensation
Pay not listed
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.
Job Description
Position Summary
FirstHealth of the Carolinas is a nationally recognized health care system located in central North Carolina. Comprised of four hospitals with more than 600 beds, the system also offers leading-edge heart care in the Reid Heart Center, the area’s only dedicated heart and vascular center.
Our growing health system has more than 6,200 employees serving in more than 75 locations throughout a 15-county service area. In addition, FirstHealth has received numerous accolades for its patient care and outcomes, including recognitions from Healthgrades, U.S. News & World Report, and Becker's Healthcare.
Employee Benefits
At FirstHealth of the Carolinas, we believe in supporting our employees' professional growth and personal well-being. That is why we offer a comprehensive benefit package that is designed to help you thrive.
Enjoy a free gym-membership to one of our 7 FirstHealth Fitness Centers to stay active and prioritize your health, take advantage of our educational assistance programs through FirstU to pursue academic or professional development goals.
You'll also benefit from exclusive employee discounts through PerkSpot, saving you money on quality offerings. Additionally, we're committed to your future with a competitive retirement savings plan, including an employer match to help you build financial security.
These are just a few examples of how our leading-edge employee benefits align with our mission to put your career first. Join FirstHealth of the Carolinas and help us in our mission to become the best place to work in healthcare!
The Occupational Therapist (Acute Care) specializes in helping to stabilize patients, assist with mobilization, implement therapeutic interventions, and establish discharge plans.
The OT will collaborate with other healthcare professionals and create a course of action with the end goal of helping patients with treatment to support them as they work towards improving their ability to handle everyday activities related to their daily life. The successful candidate will outline steps for care, such as continued therapy, home exercises and adaptive ways to perform daily activities.
Responsibilities Include and Are Not Limited To
Assessing a Patient’s Condition and Care Needs
- Developing treatment schedules to focus on a patient’s needs and assisting them in meeting goals.
- Evaluating a patient’s home and/or other environments and proposing changes to fit the patient’s demands and improve autonomy.
- Teaching patients to use specific equipment.
- Measuring and documenting progress for assessments, billing, and reporting reasons.
Qualifications
Minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Occupational Therapy
Excellent communication skills both verbally and written to ensure clear patient/caregiver collaboration to facilitate successful patient outcomes. Having empathy and compassion is essential as well.
Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced environment with resilience and strong attention to detail.
Ability to assess risk and make decisions rapidly.
Problem solving is essential as no two treatment plans are the same. Using problem solving skills the successful candidate will craft solutions specific to the nuances of the patients they serve.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
Key Skills
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In North Carolina, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$90k (157 salary observations; 754 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,202 salary observations; 27,817 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | not listed | Occupational Therapy median $88k (middle half $86k–$89k)11 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| North Carolina vs national | $90k median in North Carolina | $97k nationally (−6%)157 state / 5,202 national salary observations |
| Cost of living | North Carolina index 94.3 | US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Occupational Therapy listings in North Carolina | 243 active | 9,075 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 2% remote · 46% no call · 72% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | North Carolina Occupational Therapist listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 8% offer loan repayment270 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Occupational Therapy listings | 3,118 in the last 30 days | 1,757 the 30 days before (+77%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Occupational Therapy pay trend | +2.9% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
Top Occupational Therapist Jobs
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Benefits & Perks
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