TY - JOUR
T1 - Combatting occupational deprivation and advancing occupational justice in institutional settings
T2 - Using a practice-based enquiry approach for service transformation
AU - Whiteford, Gail
AU - Jones, Katherine
AU - Weekes, Gemma
AU - Ndlovu, Nomagugu
AU - Long, Cassandra
AU - Perkes, Danielle
AU - Brindle, Sophie
PY - 2020/1/1
Y1 - 2020/1/1
N2 - IntroductionOccupational
deprivation is a risk for residents of institutions. This is
problematic at several levels: it can cause diminution of individual
capacities; such environments pose philosophical and practical
challenges for occupational therapists and the erosion of human rights
can be an issue. Occupational therapists in an Australian forensic
mental health setting ‘reclaimed’ occupation-centred practice, committed
to occupational justice and tackled the experience of occupational
deprivation of patients through utilising a practice-based enquiry
approach.MethodA
community of practice scholars used a practice-based enquiry approach –
a type of action methods research – involving iterative cycles of data
collection, analysis, critique and implementation of practice
innovations.FindingsThrough
the practice-based enquiry process, participants’ practice became more
occupation-centred, based and focused, resulting in: the creation of
more opportunities for patients, which combatted occupational
deprivation and increased potential for community reintegration;
enhanced professional satisfaction and identity; and increased
institutional ‘valuing’ of the occupational therapy service.ConclusionAmeliorating
occupational deprivation can be achieved through becoming
occupation-centred and embracing a stated commitment to occupational
justice in the challenging practice setting of a forensic hospital. The
use of the deeply reflective process of practice-based enquiry was
pivotal to this shift in focus for the group of occupational therapists
who participated in this study and also contributed to enhanced
practitioner satisfaction, identity, autonomy and confidence.
AB - IntroductionOccupational
deprivation is a risk for residents of institutions. This is
problematic at several levels: it can cause diminution of individual
capacities; such environments pose philosophical and practical
challenges for occupational therapists and the erosion of human rights
can be an issue. Occupational therapists in an Australian forensic
mental health setting ‘reclaimed’ occupation-centred practice, committed
to occupational justice and tackled the experience of occupational
deprivation of patients through utilising a practice-based enquiry
approach.MethodA
community of practice scholars used a practice-based enquiry approach –
a type of action methods research – involving iterative cycles of data
collection, analysis, critique and implementation of practice
innovations.FindingsThrough
the practice-based enquiry process, participants’ practice became more
occupation-centred, based and focused, resulting in: the creation of
more opportunities for patients, which combatted occupational
deprivation and increased potential for community reintegration;
enhanced professional satisfaction and identity; and increased
institutional ‘valuing’ of the occupational therapy service.ConclusionAmeliorating
occupational deprivation can be achieved through becoming
occupation-centred and embracing a stated commitment to occupational
justice in the challenging practice setting of a forensic hospital. The
use of the deeply reflective process of practice-based enquiry was
pivotal to this shift in focus for the group of occupational therapists
who participated in this study and also contributed to enhanced
practitioner satisfaction, identity, autonomy and confidence.
KW - community of practice scholars
KW - forensic setting
KW - occupation-centred practice
KW - Occupational deprivation
KW - occupational therapy
KW - practice-based enquiry
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U2 - 10.1177/0308022619865223
DO - 10.1177/0308022619865223
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85073778473
VL - 83
SP - 52
EP - 61
JO - British Journal of Occupational Therapy
JF - British Journal of Occupational Therapy
SN - 0308-0226
IS - 1
ER -