IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Work Functioning Assessment of the Physically Impaired Person - Clinical Practice Guideline for Occupational Therapists

Summary

Evaluation of work-related capacities (WRC) of people suffering from a physical disability is common in occupational therapy. The results obtained are used to determine eligibility for rehabilitation services, to help in decision-making in a professional reorientation process, or even eligibility for income replacement indemnities. The results can also be used in planning rehabilitation interventions targeting a return to work or for adapting a workstation. However, clinicians’ practice regarding WRC varies greatly, which raises questions about the quality of the results that come from it.

The use of practice guides is one of the solutions proposed for reducing this variability and for increasing the quality of health care.

The authors of this practice guide developed it for occupational therapists in order to lessen the variability obtained in evaluating work-related capacities (WRC). The first section of the guide presents the concepts related to functioning at work and to WRC, and then situates WRC in the rehabilitation process. The second section presents the recommendations for clinical practice. One example of a clinical case is then used to illustrate the application of the recommendations in practice. A summary of the recommendations as well as an outline of this practice guide’s development process and the significance of the levels of scientific proof complete the document.

Additional Information

Category: Technical guide
Author(s):
  • Sophie Roy
  • Marie-José Durand
  • Hélène Corriveau
Research Project: 0099-7740
Research Field: Occupational Rehabilitation
Online since: August 23, 2011
Format: Text