My doctor has suggested that I see a vocational counselor. Why would I need to have a vocational counselor for my rheumatoid arthritis?
RA is a serious, progressive, and sometimes debilitating disease. By the time most people with RA have been correctly diagnosed, they have already experienced some joint damage and decreased physical ability. In some cases, these individuals' jobs may expose them to increased joint stress or they may no longer be able to perform their work owing to RA-related pain, fatigue, or loss of motion in a joint. With these issues in mind, your physician may recommend that you see a vocational counselor.
A vocational counselor is a professional with a college degree and frequently a master's degree. Such a person has received specific training in vocational counseling; in many states, he or she must also be certified. These healthcare professionals are responsible for counseling clients and maintaining professional contacts with voluntary, community, public, and private agencies for the purpose of identifying employment possibilities and engaging in job development and placement. To do so, vocational counselors work closely with local businesses and industries to elicit their cooperation for the placement of the counselors' clients in the workforce.
The vocational counselor tries to make sure that there is an adequate fit between you and your work. To determine whether this fit is right, the counselor will seek information on the following topics: your current abilities, any current difficulties that you have in performing your duties at work that are the result of your RA, your education and job training history, your personal interests and motivation, and your financial needs.
To further investigate the fit between you and your job, the vocational counselor will work cooperatively with you, your doctor, and your employer. Other assistance provided by the counselor may include testing your interest and aptitude for various jobs, a process called occupational exploration.
After a thorough evaluation, the vocational counselor should provide you with a realistic appraisal of your abilities and potential. Based on this appraisal, you can seek a job that will enable you to become employable and self-sustaining. The vocational counselor may want to speak with your current employer to see whether your old job can be temporarily or permanently changed to meet your needs. If not, the counselor can investigate other job options with your employer. Failing that, the vocational counselor will assess your skills in preparation for a new job. The counselor may suggest new employment goals based on your projected abilities or recommend educational or training facilities to help you change career paths. Through this journey, the vocational counselor remains in contact with you, monitors your career progress after job placement, and determines whether further training or job modification is appropriate.