Priorities for returning to work after traumatic injury: a public and professional involvement study

Introduction: following traumatic injury, occupational therapists (OTs) are pivotal in supporting people to return-to-work (RTW) and regain independence. Aim: to identify priorities for RTW after traumatic injury and highlight barriers hindering the process.

Method: we recruited 17 participants with direct (i.e. trauma survivor [n = 11]; OT trauma survivor [n = 2]) or indirect (i.e. OT [n = 4]) experience of returning to work following traumatic injury. Online consultations, lasting 60 min, were guided by a semi-structured script ensuring relevant topics were covered. An inductive approach was used for coding themes using thematic analysis.

Findings: sense of purpose, identity and social interaction were greater priorities for RTW, than financial stability. Major barriers were: pain and fatigue; adapting to physical changes; impacts on mental health; and lack of support (healthcare and the workplace). Participants (public and healthcare professionals) reported a lack of vocational rehabilitation in supporting trauma survivors RTW, but advocated occupational therapy for psychological recovery; purposeful engagement in occupations; and community support.

Conclusion: restoring an individual’s self-identity and social connections, whilst helping control pain and fatigue, should be prioritised when planning occupational therapy for those returning to work after traumatic injury. This study was limited to ‘returners’, but can inform occupational therapy interventions for RTW.

Vocational rehabilitation, amputation, limb loss, major trauma, occupational therapy, return to work

10.1177/03080226221107772

0308-0226

974-983

Gavin, James P.

e0d9b404-3f63-4855-8e64-bf1692e6cc3f

Kettlewell, Jade

9b94ab32-ab3c-4542-bbec-fd199a9cbe09

Elliott, Abigail O

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Ammour, Sandra

52002bfe-2f06-47cc-8e68-fc26e142da56

Wareham, Peter

ac753036-6728-4786-a3ef-013595b10370

December 2022

Gavin, James P.

e0d9b404-3f63-4855-8e64-bf1692e6cc3f

Kettlewell, Jade

9b94ab32-ab3c-4542-bbec-fd199a9cbe09

Elliott, Abigail O

00e1b696-97f7-4b6d-9468-3f608a9d561e

Ammour, Sandra

52002bfe-2f06-47cc-8e68-fc26e142da56

Wareham, Peter

ac753036-6728-4786-a3ef-013595b10370

Gavin, James P., Kettlewell, Jade, Elliott, Abigail O, Ammour, Sandra and Wareham, Peter (2022) Priorities for returning to work after traumatic injury: a public and professional involvement study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 85 (12), 974-983. (doi:10.1177/03080226221107772).

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Accepted/In Press date: 30 May 2022

e-pub ahead of print date: 20 June 2022

Published date: December 2022

Additional Information: Funding Information: The authors thank all of the public and professional partners who participated in this work, including academics from the University of Nottingham’s ROWTATE group, who shared their time, experiences and insights for the purposes of this study. This study was supported by an RCOT Innovation award and we would like to thank the RCOT Research & Development Office for their ongoing guidance. Funding Information: The authors thank all of the public and professional partners who participated in this work, including academics from the University of Nottingham’s ROWTATE group, who shared their time, experiences and insights for the purposes of this study. This study was supported by an RCOT Innovation award and we would like to thank the RCOT Research & Development Office for their ongoing guidance. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project was supported by the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) Innovation Award 2020. The award was granted to the corresponding author (JG) to support the project, ‘Collaboration building with a Major Trauma Centre - supporting research-led student projects for occupational therapists’. Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project was supported by the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) Innovation Award 2020. The award was granted to the corresponding author (JG) to support the project, ‘Collaboration building with a Major Trauma Centre - supporting research-led student projects for occupational therapists’. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022.

Keywords: Vocational rehabilitation, amputation, limb loss, major trauma, occupational therapy, return to work

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