By Carli Friedman, Direct of Research
Occupational therapists entering the clinical workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced levels of uncertainty and stress. This study’s aim was to explore the clinical experiences and concerns of early-career occupational therapists entering the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 27). We administered an open-ended online survey and analyzed the data using inductive thematic analysis. Resulting themes included: safety, exposure, and transmission; implementation and enforcement of safety protocols; quality of care; and impact of the pandemic on overall health highlighting the issues that need to be addressed to be more prepared for future practice in an evolving environment.
This article is a summary of the following journal manuscript: VanPuymbrouck, L., & Friedman, C. (2023). Early career occupational therapists’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2023.2175291
Early Career Occupational Therapists’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic