Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction Among Swedish Occupational Therapists in Psychiatric Care

Clinical practices, challenges, and job satisfaction of occupational therapists working in Community Mental Health Centers in Turkey

Introduction:

Occupational therapists have been involved in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) since 2016 in Turkey. To the best of our knowledge, no data about occupational therapists’ practices in CMHCs is available in the extant research literature. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the clinical practices, challenges, and job satisfaction of occupational therapists working for CMHCs in Turkey.

Method:

We conducted a cross-sectional survey study in which 28 volunteer occupational therapists working in CMHCs participated. The participants filled out the Sociodemographic and Professional Experience Information Form and the Job Satisfaction Scale.

Results:

Occupational therapists were experienced practitioners implementing various occupational therapist practices in community mental health and they were generally satisfied with their job. The challenges facing Occupational therapists were communicating with caregivers, motivating the client, enabling the client to perform occupational participation. Collaborative teamwork and participation in training about community mental health were found as the important factors contributing to occupational therapist professionals’ job satisfaction.

Conclusion:

Investigating the professional behaviors of Occupational therapists, an emerging health profession in Turkey, is important for the development of the profession. The education and supervision specially adapted for community mental health and the supportive teamwork seem to be significant for the job satisfaction of community mental health Occupational therapists.

Job Satisfaction among Occupational Therapists Employed in Primary Care Services in Norway

The aging population will place healthcare services under considerable strain in the years ahead. Occupational therapists play a vital role in securing sustainable healthcare services and are increasingly employed by municipalities. To promote sustainable services, the job satisfaction among core professional groups needs monitoring. A comprehensive cross-sectional survey was distributed among municipality-employed occupational therapists in Norway during May-June 2022, to which 617 responded. Job satisfaction was assessed with the Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS), and factors associated with job satisfaction were assessed with linear regression analysis. The mean JSS score in the sample was 51.4. The regression model explained 14.4% of the variance in job satisfaction scores. Having more work experience as an occupational therapist (β = 0.16, p = 0.02) and having higher perceived influence on the work unit's goals (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) were significantly related to higher job satisfaction. The study implies that job satisfaction in the occupational therapy profession increases with years of experience and also with the ability to engage with and influence the larger work environment. Thus, to promote job satisfaction, occupational therapists should seek to engage not only with their own work at hand but also with the larger goals and strategies of the organization they work for.

Job satisfaction among occupational therapists working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Job satisfaction is a critical factor that must be considered in every profession. It is important for both the employees and the institutions they work for. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the level of job satisfaction of occupational therapists working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This is a cross sectional descriptive study. A validated job satisfaction questionnaire composed of 44 items was distributed and collected from licensed occupational therapists working in 4 hospitals in Saudi Arabia, with at least one year of experience in direct patient care. The sampling was a non-probability purposive sampling. RESULTS: A total of 48 occupational therapists responded to the questionnaire, most of which reported high overall satisfaction level. Occupational therapists showed satisfaction with coworkers, care provided to clients, and autonomy. On the other hand, occupational therapists showed dissatisfaction with salary compared to the work efforts, lack of reimbursement for continuing education, and lack of opportunities for career advancement. CONCLUSION: The overall level of satisfaction of the occupational therapists was high. Efforts must be directed towards maintaining this level of satisfaction. Human resources are encouraged to support areas of satisfaction and find solutions to areas of dissatisfaction.

Impact of clinical supervision on healthcare organisational outcomes: A mixed methods systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To review the impact of clinical supervision of post-registration/qualification healthcare professionals on healthcare organisational outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Clinical supervision is a professional support mechanism that benefits patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations. Whilst evidence is growing on the impact of clinical supervision on patient and healthcare professional outcomes, the evidence base for the impact of clinical supervision on organisational outcomes remains weak.

METHODS

This review used a convergent segregated approach to synthesise and integrate quantitative and qualitative research findings, as per the Joanna Briggs Institute's recommendations for mixed methods systematic reviews. Databases searched included CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PschINFO, and Scopus. Whilst a narrative synthesis was performed to present the findings of the quantitative and qualitative studies, the evidence from both quantitative and qualitative studies was subsequently integrated for a combined presentation. The review followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies including 27 quantitative, two qualitative and three mixed methods studies, were included in the review. The results of the quantitative analysis showed that effective clinical supervision was associated with lower burnout and greater staff retention, and effective supervisor was associated with lower burnout and greater job satisfaction. Qualitative findings showed that healthcare professionals believed that adequate clinical supervision could mitigate the risk of burnout, facilitate staff retention, and improve the work environment, while inadequate clinical supervision can lead to stress and burnout. The evidence from quantitative and qualitative studies were complementary of each other.

CONCLUSION

Clinical supervision can have a variable effect on healthcare organisational outcomes. The direction of this effect appears to be influenced by the effectiveness of both the clinical supervision provided and that of the clinical supervisor. This highlights the need for organisations to invest in high quality supervision practices if maximal gains from clinical supervision are to be attained.

Relationship between Work-Related Quality of Life and Job Satisfaction in Iranian Occupational Therapists

Objective

This study is aimed at exploring the relationship between the work-related quality of life and job satisfaction among Iranian occupational therapists.

Methods

In an analytical-descriptive, cross-sectional study, 322 occupational therapists were recruited through a convenient sampling. Inclusion criteria consisted of age between 22 and 50 years, at least one-year work experience, 24 hours of working per week as an occupational therapist, and membership of Iranian Occupation Therapy Association. After signing the informed consent and completing demographic information, each participant completed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire- Short Form (MSQ-SF) and work-related quality of life scale.

Results

The highest quality of working life belonged to occupational therapists who were female, married, with an annual salary of more than 40000$ (compared to below 20000 $), and those with work experience between 5 and 12 years. There was a positive and significant relationship between work-related quality of life and job satisfaction. Work-related quality of life scores could significantly predict MSQ-SF scores (β1 = 0.54, p < .001).

Conclusions

The significantly positive relationship between work-related quality of life and job satisfaction suggests the importance of organizational programs for enhancing factors of work-related quality of life in order to improve job satisfaction and quality of life among Iranian occupational therapists.

Psychologist and Physician Inter-Professional Collaborative Experiences in Primary Care Integration

In recent years, the subject of integrated healthcare, including the integration of behavioral health services into primary care, within the healthcare field has been increasingly of interest to researchers, providers, and policy makers. However, little is known about the experiences of providers within integrated care and the impact of these experiences on inter-professional relationships and collaboration. The researchers aimed to explore differences in providers' perspectives, including inter-professional collaboration and overall job satisfaction, by provider type and level of integration. The current study uses a mixed method exploratory approach, gathering both qualitative and quantitative data to investigate the perspectives of providers (both psychologists and physicians) on their work together. This study included 30 psychologists and 30 primary care physicians from three levels of healthcare integration (traditional/coordinated, co-located, and integrated). As hypothesized, results indicated that providers in integrated settings were the most satisfied with their collaboration with other providers. Furthermore, the providers' narratives revealed promising insights which contribute to a broader understanding of how to improve the relationships between psychologists and primary care physicians in integrated healthcare and other settings.

Occupational therapy practitioners' ratings of job satisfaction factors through a lens of social capital

While there is a body of knowledge regarding job satisfaction in occupational therapy, less is known about job satisfaction in occupational therapy through a lens of social capital. The purpose of this research was to investigate practitioners' rankings of 14 aspects of job satisfaction by gender, generation, therapist vs. manager, therapist vs. assistant, and experience. Participants (n = 112) recruited from attendees of a state association annual conference completed a short questionnaire. Relationships with other therapists on the rehab team, relationship with immediate supervisor or manager, and interprofessional teamwork, all reflective of social capital were highly ranked. Salary and benefits, more traditional area of focus in recruitment, were ranked lower. Given the incidence and implications of healthcare turnover, an awareness of social capital related to job satisfaction is valuable to practitioners and managers.

To Be or Not to Be a Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist: Factors That Influence Career Choice in a Sample of Canadian Physiotherapists

Purpose: This study explored the factors that influence choosing or not choosing a career in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy (CRP) from the perspective of a group of currently practising, experienced physiotherapists in Canada. Methods: A modified Dillman approach was used to distribute a cross-sectional, self-administered, online questionnaire to all eligible members of the cardiorespiratory and orthopaedic divisions of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. A total of 438 participants-21 CRP and 417 non-CRP therapists-completed the survey. The survey response rate was 9.4%. Results: A narrow scope of practice (61.9%) and a lack of interest in CRP subject matter (50.1%) were the most influential factors deterring the respondents from making CRP their career choice. Interest in CRP (81.0%), mentorship (76.2%), access to physical resources (76.2%), and inter-professional practice (71.4%) were the most influential factors in pursuing a career in CRP. Conclusion: Increasing the awareness of the scope of practice for CRP, exposure to positive mentors, and rich practice settings are key factors in promoting physiotherapists' specialisation in CRP.

Introducing purposeful activity kits in a hand rehabilitation practice: Effects on clinical practice patterns and job satisfaction among occupational therapy practitioners

Introduction

Facilitating function through occupation and purposeful activity is the basic tenet of occupational therapy. However, the majority of research in hand rehabilitation clinics continues to focus on biomechanical interventions. The purpose of this research was to study practice patterns and personal opinions of occupational therapy practitioners before and after providing purposeful activity kits to an outpatient occupational therapy hand clinic.

Methods

Mixed-method design to evaluate an 8-week intervention of providing purposeful activity kits to a busy, military outpatient hand clinic. A paper survey was administered to nine occupational therapy practitioners before and after the intervention. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews.

Results

A descriptive analysis indicated an increase in the use of activities, crafts, and occupation after the introduction of the purposeful activity kits. Practitioners consistently reported time as the top factor in their inability to incorporate more purposeful activities. Qualitative results support use of the new activities during both intervention and evaluation due to the focus on function and ease of use of the kits.

Conclusion

Purposeful activities can enhance any rehabilitation clinic in an organized, cost-effective manner. Practitioners responded positively toward the added equipment; however, it will take time and effort to adjust the theoretical decision making of practitioners. Additional participants and length of intervention is needed.

Practice assistants in primary care in Germany - associations with organizational attributes on job satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Job satisfaction and organizational attributes in primary care teams are important issues as they affect clinical outcomes and the quality of health care provided. As practice assistants are an integral part of these teams it is important to gain insight into their views on job satisfaction and organizational attributes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the job satisfaction of practice assistants and the organizational attributes within their general practices in Germany and to explore the existence of possible associations.

METHODS

This observational study was based on a job satisfaction survey and measurement of organizational attributes in general practices in the German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Job satisfaction was measured with the 10-item 'Warr-Cook-Wall job satisfaction scale'. Organizational attributes were evaluated with the 21-items 'survey of organizational attributes for primary care' (SOAPC). Linear regression analyses were performed in which each of SOAPC scales and the overall score of SOAPC was treated as outcome variables.

RESULTS

586 practice assistants out of 794 respondents (73.8%) from 234 general practices completed the questionnaire. Practice assistants were mostly satisfied with their colleagues and least of all satisfied with their income and recognition for their work. The regression analysis showed that 'freedom of working method' and 'recognition of work', the employment status of practice assistants and the mode of practice were almost always significantly associated with each subscale and overall score of SOAPC.

CONCLUSIONS

Job satisfaction is highly associated with different aspects of organizational attributes for primary care ('communication', 'decision-making' and 'stress'). Consequently, improved job satisfaction could lead to a better-organized primary care team. This implication should be investigated directly in further intervention studies with a special focus on improving the recognition for work and income.

[State of internal communication in primary care]

OBJECTIVES

To study internal communication between primary care health professionals

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive.

SETTING

Catalan Health Institute Costa de Ponent Primary Care Area, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

All workers in the area (n=3565).

MEASUREMENTS

Three part questionnaire: a) sociodemographic questions; b) questions scoring from 0 to 10 the current importance and operation of certain aspects; and c) questions on new communication tools.

RESULTS

Of those sent a questionnaire, 39% (n=1388) responded, with a mean age of 43.2 years (95% CI, 42.75- 43.65), 28.9% being male. The major differences between importance and current events were said to be "to be informed of projects before they appear in the communication media," "by official routes and not by rumour," and "to be aware of projects of other teams." The least communicated within teams. The doctors considered upward communication to be more important. Doctors are those who appreciate communication within teams better and the professionals of the users services unit (UAU) less so. Doctors are the ones who give more importance to being informed of projects at the time. 55% do not use the intranet, mainly due to lack of time. The second reason is that they find it difficult. Sixty-two per cent read e-mail >2-3 times per week. Eighty-nine per cent want an electronic bulletin. The older workers use new technologies less.

CONCLUSIONS

Downward, upward, and sideways communication needs to be improved, particularly upwards by doctors, and that of the teams for the UAU professionals. Intranet tools must be provided that make the work easier and training in handling new technologies must be offered.

Do nurses feel empowered? Nurses' assessments of their own qualities and performance with regard to nurse empowerment

Empowerment ideology has been adopted increasingly as one conceptual framework for the development of nursing care, training, and management. The present article examines a quantitative study (n = 416) on critical care, long-term care, and public health nurses' views over their personal qualities and performance in relation to an ideal model of nurse empowerment. The results obtained provide strong evidence that nurses do have a positive image of their own empowerment. There was only slight variation between different groups of nurses. Length of working history and employment status (permanent/temporary) correlated highly with empowerment. The ideal model seems to depict nurse empowerment relatively well. It might be feasible to develop these concepts further so as to obtain a tool for the enhancement of professional competence, nursing education, and personnel management.