Work Potential and Work Performance during the First Try-Out of the Person-Centred Return to Work Rehabilitation Programme ReWork-Stroke: A Case Study

Abstract

Background: This case study explores changes in work potential and work performance for ten people who worked before their stroke while participating in the ReWork-Stroke programme. It describes measures performed by the occupational therapists to enhance work potential and work performance and the participants’ level of work re-entry nine months after the start of their work trial. Methods: Ten people who had experienced a mild or moderate stroke participated. Changes were assessed using the Worker Role Interview and the Assessment of Work Performance. Logbooks relating to work potential and work performance were analysed using content analysis. Results: The participants’ work potential was in general supportive to returning to work at baseline and remained so at the three-month follow-up. Most changes occurred in the environmental factors regarding the participants’ belief that adaptations at the workplace would make re-entry possible. Changes concerning work performance were predominately in a positive direction. Seven of the participants returned to paid work. Conclusion: The ReWork-Stroke programme seems promising for promoting changes in work potential, work performance, and return to paid work. However, further studies are needed to evaluate changes in work potential and work performance and the programme’s effectiveness for increasing work re-entry for people who have had stroke.

Return to work for adults following stroke: a scoping review of interventions, factors, barriers, and facilitators

“…Across the 7 primary studies, there were 7 different outcome domains used to evaluate returnto-work interventions, using 12 different outcome measures. The domains included whether the participant returned to work (measured by a binary "yes" or "no") [66][67][68][69] ; the rate of return to work (measured by either the number 16 or percentage 17 of participants); the level of return to work (measured by the number of working hours returned to 16,67,68 or the percentage of pre-stroke working hours returned to 64 ); and post-stroke role (measured by whether this was the same as the pre-stroke role or a different role 67 ). A further domain reported was the rate of return to work with adaptations of assistive devices, measured by the number of participants requiring these supports.…”

“…16 The outcome domain of work performance was also used, measured in 1 study by analysis and interview 69 and in another study by standardized assessment. [63][64][65] This latter study was the only one to use the outcome of work capacity, again measured by standardized assessement. [63][64][65] These findings are recorded in Table 2.…”

“…(eg,21,61) An additional paper reported solely on barriers to returning to work as experienced by 1 stroke survivor. 62 One systematic review, 30 1 scoping review, 32 and 9 reports from 7 primary studies 16,17,[63][64][65][66][67][68][69] explored return-to-work interventions. Three reports from the same study were included, 1 of which described the development of a return-to-work program, 63 1 reported on the "first try-out" (p.1) of the program, 64 and the third reported on the reflections of the professionals who carried out the intervention.…”

“…[63][64][65] This latter study was the only one to use the outcome of work capacity, again measured by standardized assessement. [63][64][65] These findings are recorded in Table 2.…”

Exploring the contribution of case study research to the evidence base for occupational therapy practice: a scoping review

“…g. Nilsson et al(47) Stickley & Hall (48). Consequently, 10 studies speci cally justi ed case study research as appropriate for early e cacy and feasibility studies e.g.…”