Managing rehabilitation and return to work can be a challenging task. To be effective in their role, a rehabilitation professional often requires a substantial amount of experience, gained over a long period of time working in the field. Professional development for rehabilitation providers is often complemented and enhanced by supervision and mentoring.

Researchers from the University of Queensland have explored the benefits of mentoring in the field of work rehabilitation within their home state.

Approximately 80 rehabilitation professionals completed a survey, which asked for information regarding their practice and the extent of supervision and mentoring they received within their role.

The researchers found that approximately 60% of the rehabilitation professionals had not received any mentoring or supervision over the two years prior to the survey.

They also noted that being supervised was appreciated by the rehabilitation professionals, who largely reported it as a worthwhile or valuable practice.

The researchers followed the survey with a focus group to identify barriers to mentoring supervision. The pressures of a high volume of work and the number of billable hours were cited as impediments by rehabilitation professionals. Staff turnover and inexperience among case managers were also cited to be barriers to implementing regular systems of mentoring and supervision. 

The researchers have recommended industry standards are improved to support mentoring and professional development in work rehabilitation.

Authors

Boland N. Strong J. & Gibson L. .

Institution

Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Title

Professional supervision in the work rehabilitation arena in one Australian state.

Source

Work. 37(2):155-65, 2010 Jan 1.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the methods and frequency of professional supervision in Queensland's work rehabilitation sector. Professional supervision is regarded as an important aspect of professional development and hence, critical to the improvement of services delivered by practitioners. However, there is little documented on the extent of supervision of practitioners in this setting and even less on the impact and effectiveness of supervision.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-two (82) work rehabilitation professionals participated in the study.

METHODS: The majority of participants (76) responded to a web-based survey that had been sent to them by a web-link, and 6 completed a paper based survey version of the survey, which evaluated the extent, practice methods, and barriers to the delivery and receipt of supervision. A follow-up focus group was held with key opinion holders to examine possible barriers to supervision in the industry.

RESULTS: 59% of the participants had not received any form of supervision in the past two years. Those who received or delivered supervision reported it to be a valuable practice. The follow-up focus group identified barriers to supervision as being pressures of commercial targets, lack of exposure to work rehabilitation in university curricula, high staff turn-over, relative inexperience of case managers and purchasers dictating product outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: The development of industry standards for supervision practice is recommended to overcome the barriers to supervision.

Publication Type

Journal Article.

PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20938076