Retaining Occupational Therapists in Rehabilitation Settings: Influential Factors

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the factors considered by occupational therapists in their decision to leave or to remain at a present job. Fifty-five occupational therapists practicing in freestanding rehabilitation hospitals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area were surveyed regarding general satisfaction, rewarding and stressful aspects of their current job, and personal or professional reasons to consider leaving a job. The responses were grouped by the therapists’ years of experience as a framework for drawing conclusions. The results show that years of experience affects what is important to therapists at their jobs; for example, therapists who have been working for 1 year value different aspects of their jobs than therapists who have been working for over 7 years. In general, the most rewarding aspect of an occupational therapist’s job was seen to be patient care; the most stressful, paperwork. In deciding to leave a job, the occupational therapists surveyed most frequently rated the following items as highly important: salary, productivity expectations, professional growth opportunities, peer relationships with other occupational therapists, and vacation time.