Article

Early intervention is among the factors frequently associated with
more positive vocational rehabilitation outcomes; however, vocational
rehabilitation is not generally a core component of inpatient rehabilitation
following spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored the
opinions and perceptions of health professionals regarding InVoc, an early
vocational rehabilitation intervention provided to spinal cord injury unit
inpatients. The aim of this evaluation was to determine the critical elements of
the InVoc programme, and whether it was perceived as successfully implemented in
the hospital setting. METHODS: Twenty-five medical and allied health staff
working in the 3 Spinal Cord Injury Units in New South Wales, Australia,
participated in the qualitative study. Three staff focus-group discussions were
conducted and data analysed thematically. RESULTS: Four themes emerged:
timeliness of the intervention, support and advocacy, value of early
intervention, and conflicting messages to patients. Three critical programme
elements were identified: flexibility, coordinators working on the ward, and good
communication between all staff. CONCLUSION: Early vocational rehabilitation was
perceived as appropriate and successfully implemented in the spinal injury unit
in-patient setting, addressing an existing gap in patient care. The InVoc
programme was seen to assist patients identify the possibility of returning to
work and/or education. The importance of programme flexibility was highlighted.

Langue : ANGLAIS