Inter-sectoral work practice in Zimbabwe: Professional competencies required by occupational therapists to facilitate work participation of persons with disabilities

Abstract

Background

Persons with disabilities experience higher unemployment rates and limited participation in work. Occupational therapy can promote participation and engagement in work by persons with disabilities. However, there is no clarity on the required set of competencies for entry-level occupational therapists with a bachelor’s degree to start up and participate in inter-sectoral work practice initiatives in Zimbabwe.

Aims

To explore what work practice competencies entry-level occupational therapists require to meet the work-related needs of persons with disabilities.

Material and Methods

This exploratory qualitative research sought to explore what professional competencies entry-level occupational therapists required for them to offer collaborative inter-sectoral work practice initiatives for persons with disabilities within the Zimbabwean context. Six participants selected using criterion sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews. Inductive content analysis was conducted. The Stellenbosch Health Research Ethics Committee and Medical Rehabilitation Practitioner’s Council of Zimbabwe gave ethical clearance and permissions to conduct the study.

Results

Three themes; core knowledge for work practice, skills for work practice and occupational therapy professional attributes; emerged. These were used in formulation of ten professional competency statements for occupational therapists offering work practice services.

Conclusions

Although Zimbabwean occupational therapists require similar competencies for work practice as those required in other countries, additional competencies that fall outside traditional health care contexts are essential in order to promote contextually relevant practice.

Keywords:

• Knowledge
• skills
• attributes
• professional competencies
• collaboration
• context-relevant practice

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the participants in this study for their invaluable contributions. This study was part of a research assignment for the first author’s partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Occupational Therapy at Stellenbosch University.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest and that no funding or financial gain motivated this study.