Occupational therapists' competencies utilised in Danish job centres

Abstract

Background: Twenty-nine out of 94 Danish job centres employ occupational therapists (OTs) and numbers are increasing. Occupational therapy (OT) vocational rehabilitations are diverse, and a more specific description of OT practice within this field is lacking.

Aims: To explore how OTs employed at Danish job centres describe their own competencies and what they perceive that their colleagues from other professions request from them.

Material and methods: Firstly, working diaries were obtained from 16 OTs working in job centres and analysed using content analysis. Secondly, semi-structured interviews were performed and analysed using systematic text condensation.

Results: The 16 OTs described four areas of competencies to their profession's practice within job centres; client-centeredness; a holistic approach; work ability assessments and ergonomics and adaptation. The OTs perceived that their colleagues requested their work ability assessment skills and their competencies as health professionals.

Conclusion: The OTs had a client-centered and holistic focus on the citizens' whole life situation and used their health professional education and knowledge of ergonomics and adaptation to strengthen their work ability assessments.

Significance: The OTs perceived that they had competencies that supplemented the competencies of the interdisciplinary team. The results therefore support the inclusion of OTs within job centres.

Keywords: Client-centeredness; ergonomics; holistic approach; vocational; work ability assessment; work rehabilitation.