1,771
Views
10
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Article

Community-based occupational therapy in Norway: Content, dilemmas, and priorities

, ORCID Icon, , ORCID Icon, &
Pages 371-381 | Received 26 Mar 2018, Accepted 12 Nov 2018, Published online: 11 Jan 2019
 

Abstract

Background: Profound changes in municipal health services, are calling for new models for community-based occupational therapy services.

Objective: The aim of the study is to explore how Norwegian occupational therapists position themselves in relation to the tasks delivered.

Method: Focus group interviews were conducted with ten community-based occupational therapists. Systematic text condensation was then used in the data analysis.

Results: Norwegian occupational therapists description of professional practices can be constructed into four ideal types; being ‘the all-rounder’, ‘the provider of assistive device’, ‘the fire extinguisher’, or ‘the innovator’. The ideal types can help us understand more of the content and dilemmas that community-based occupational therapists encountered in their daily practice, and the priorities they make during these encounters.

Conclusions and Significance: Community-based occupational therapists positioned themselves in different ways, and some of these positions were considered to be more favourable than others. The therapists struggled between ‘traditional’ occupational therapy tasks and new ways of delivering occupational therapy services. The study reveals similarities and differences between rural and urban occupational therapy practice. The ideal types can help community-based therapists to reflect on their own practice and empower them to be more in keeping with the OT’s objectives and preferences.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the occupational therapists who participated in the interviews.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors are jointly responsible for the writing and content of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

Authors also acknowledge Ergoterapeutene (the Norwegian occupational therapy association) who have contributed funding to this study.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.