Changing practice speciality in occupational therapy: Exploring the experience. Part two

Abstract

Despite an ongoing shortage of occupational therapists in the UK, the career behaviours of senior occupational therapists are under-researched. This article explores Senior occupational therapists' experience of changing practice specialities as a potential retention strategy. The background to this area was considered in part one of this article. In the second part of this article, the authors detail an interview-based qualitative study conducted with 10 Senior I/II occupational therapists who had changed practice specialities within the previous decade. Thematic analysis of the study data led to the emergence of five inter-related study categories. These reflected participants' reasons for changing practice speciality, the practical steps taken, the elements that made changing easier or more difficult and the resulting effects. A model of the process of changing practice speciality was derived from these data. This saw participants as influenced by a range of personal, professional and organizational elements. These, in turn, influenced the practical steps taken to effect change. Reported outcomes included increased job satisfaction and retention within the profession. These findings suggest that changing practice speciality can improve recruitment and retention among Senior occupational therapists, to the benefit of all concerned.