A Study of Metaphorical Stories Used by Occupational Therapists to Describe Their Working Lives

Abstract

Introduction: This paper describes five metaphorical stories that occupational therapists use in talking about and making sense of health service reforms, and discusses the value of reflecting on metaphorical stories to increase understanding of healthcare practice and concepts of professionalism. Methods: A narrative approach was used to examine how occupational therapists define, experience and practice their work, and describe their professional ‘selves’. The empirical research was conducted over a 12-month period across five National Health Service organizations. Fourteen participants were interviewed three times during this period and were asked to keep monthly diaries of critical incidents. Findings: Five dominant types of ‘stories’ were identified and given appropriate metaphorical titles: the battle, the love story, the magazine, the journey, and the pantomime. The research article notes the salient features and implicit relationships selected as important in each story. The stories illustrate how occupational therapists relate to and mediate change, by constructing experiences in ways that facilitate making sense of a situation and seeing a possible direction to take. Conclusions: The article suggests that exploring metaphorical stories encourages reflexivity and analytical decision making by illuminating the choices available when mediating change.