Fitness for work after surgery or critical illness

2019 ◽  
pp. 229-261
Author(s):  
Tony Williams ◽  
Neil Pearce

Occupational health professionals frequently advise about return to work after surgery. Providing advice can be challenging, and considerable misunderstanding exists among patients and clinicians. One patient may return to work 1 week after a hysterectomy while another is absent for 5 months. Advice on returning to work after surgery should be based on knowledge of tissue healing processes, along with adverse effects of smoking and obesity, perioperative infection, and co-morbidity. Medical issues are often confounded by inconsistent advice, inappropriate beliefs, and unhelpful motivators. There is a recognized limitation in the evidence base. However, consensus is available from a number of guidelines drawn up by various expert bodies, which are covered in this chapter.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1247
Author(s):  
Gunilla M. Liedberg ◽  
Mathilda Björk ◽  
Elena Dragioti ◽  
Christina Turesson

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a significant burden for employees, employers, and society. However, more knowledge is needed about which interventions reduce sick leave. Interventions were defined as the act or an instance of intervening, provided by different stakeholders. This review synthesizes the experiences of patients, employers, and health professionals concerning the interventions that influence returning to work and staying at work for persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain. A literature search was performed using several combinations of key terms. Overall, 18 qualitative studies published between 2002 and 2018 were included. Qualitative analysis assessed how much confidence could be placed in each review finding. Moderate evidence was found for factors improving the return to work process such as collaboration between stakeholders, including the persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain and support from all involved actors in the process. Moderate evidence was found for self-management strategies and workplace adjustments needed to facilitate more persons to returning to work and staying at work despite pain. This review provides stakeholders, employers, and health professionals’ information that could be used to develop and implement interventions to increase the possibilities for persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain returning to work or staying at work


Kuntoutus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
Sanna Pesonen ◽  
Pirjo Juvonen-Posti ◽  
Hanna-Leena Ristimäki ◽  
Elina Weiste ◽  
Inka Koskela ◽  
...  

Eri toimijoiden välisen yhteistoimijuuden on todettu edesauttavan työuravaikutusten syntymistä. Työterveysneuvottelu on tärkeä työntekijän, työpaikan, työterveyshuollon yhteistyön ja kuntoutuksen yhteistyöfoorumi. Sen tavoitteena on tukea työntekijän työssä jatkamista ja työurien pidentymistä. Tässä artikkelissa tarkastellaan yhteistoimijuuden ilmenemisen tapoja sekä sen toteutumisen esteitä työterveysneuvottelussa. Tutkimus oli moniaineistoinen monitapaustutkimus. Neljäntoista tapauksen aineiston muodostivat työterveysneuvotteluun osallistuvien ennakkokysely ja neuvottelun jälkeinen haastattelu, neuvottelun videotaltiointi, neuvottelun muistio sekä kyseisen työpaikan työkyvyn tuen kirjalliset mallit. Moninäkökulmainen aineisto kerättiin neuvotteluun osallistuneelta työntekijältä, esihenkilöltä ja työterveyslääkäriltä sekä videotaltioinnin osalta kaikilta neuvotteluun osallistuneilta. Aineisto analysoitiin sisällön- ja keskustelunanalyysillä. Yhteistoimijuus ilmeni institutionaalisena, emotionaalisena, kommunikatiivisena ja supportiivisena ulottuvuutena. Institutionaalinen ulottuvuus ilmeni esimerkiksi toimijoiden roolien selkeytenä, emotionaalinen ulottuvuus kuulluksi tulemisena, kommunikatiivinen ulottuvuus yhteisenä päätöksentekona ja supportiivinen työntekijän tukemisena. Yhteistoimijuuden toteutumista estivät epäselvyys eri toimijoiden rooleista ja yhteisen näkemyksen tai yhteisen päätöksenteon puuttuminen. Kestävän työhönpaluun onnistumiseksi työntekijän toimijuutta tulisi tukea yhteistoimijuuden keinoin. Yhteistoimijuuden rakentumisen kannalta keskeistä oli tunnistaa työterveysneuvottelutilanne julkiseksi neuvotteluksi. Abstract Multi-actor shared agency at joint negotiations on the employee’s return-to-work Collaboration between workplace, health care and rehabilitation actors has been shown to contribute to the working career impact. Joint negotiations on the employee’s return-to-work solutions is one key forum for co-operation between an employee, workplace’s actors, and actors of occupational health care and rehabilitation services. The aim of this collaboration is to support job retention and to prolong working careers. This article discusses which forms of multi-actor shared agency took place and what kind of obstacles to collaboration were found in the joint negotiations on the employee’s return-to-work. The study was a multiperspective, multi-data study on multiple, altogether 14 joint negotiation, cases. Data on each case consisted of the questionnaire collected before the negotiation, the video-recorded data of the joint negotiation, three interviews after the negotiation, the negotiation memo and the workplace’s model of work ability support. The questionnaires and interviews were collected from employees, supervisors and occupational health physicians and video-recorded data was collected from all participants in the joint negotiation. The data was analyzed by a multidisciplinary research team with content and discussion analysis. Multi-actor shared agency was definable to institutional, emotional, communicative and supportive dimensions. New institutional dimension included elements of clarity of the roles of the actors. The emotional dimension included experiences of being heard and of confidentiality. The communicative dimension included elements of collaborative decision-making, and last, the supportive dimension included elements of employee’s support. The lack of clarity regarding the roles of the various actors, secondly, the lack of a shared target and collaborative decision-making prevented the realization of the multi-actor shared agency. In order to succeed in returning to work, the employee's agency should be supported by the multi-actor shared agency means. It was essential for the multi-actor shared agency to recognize that negotiations with workplace actors on return to work are held, instead of internal health care platforms, in a public platform. Keywords: agency, multi-actor shared agency, collaboration, work-related rehabilitation, joint negotiation, returning to work, vocational rehabilitation, occupational health care, multiple case study, qualitative research


Work ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Maiwald ◽  
Agnes Meershoek ◽  
Angelique de Rijk ◽  
Frans J.N. Nijhuis

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Dianne Hilliard

The purpose of this review was to examine workplace lactation accommodations, and their association with breastfeeding duration, and identify strategies occupational health professionals can use to promote lactation improvements. This study included literature published from 1985 through 2015 and listed in PubMed and CINAHL. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), 11 articles were identified for review. Presence of a corporate lactation program, on-site child care, and return to work/telephone lactation consultation were consistently associated with breastfeeding at 6 months. Other breastfeeding accommodations (i.e., lactation spaces, lactation breaks, worksite lactation policies, and supervisor/coworker support) were not consistently associated with breastfeeding duration. Occupational health professionals can play key roles in improving the effectiveness of lactation accommodations. Assuring adequate implementation of accommodations, increasing communication and marketing of accommodations, and promoting supervisor and coworker support are areas that occupational health professionals should explore for improving lactation duration.


Author(s):  
Liam Noll ◽  
Adrian Mallows ◽  
Jason Moran

Abstract Objective The aim was to provide a consensus tasks needed to be included in a return to work assessment for operational firefighters. Methods A two round online Delphi study was conducted with twenty-four participants including firefighters, service fitness advisers and occupational health managers. A consensus was set at 70% agreement. In round one, participants completed an online survey relating to tasks to be included during a return to work assessment for firefighters following an injury. Round two was an online consensus meeting to discuss the tasks where consensus was not achieved. Results A consensus was reached for ten of the thirteen tasks, including the number of repetitions required when lifting a light portable pump and climbing a ladder. A consensus was reached for the total distance equipment which should be carried. This included carrying a ladder, a hose and a light portable pump. Conclusions This study has provided a consensus for tasks to be included when assessing a firefighter for return to work. Further research is needed to understand how to use this assessment optimally


2021 ◽  
pp. 105566562110254
Author(s):  
Kenny Ardouin ◽  
Nicky Davis ◽  
Nicola Marie Stock

Background: The largest group of people living with repaired cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) are adults. Previous research has identified unmet treatment and psychosocial needs, yet few interventions exist. This article outlines 3 interventions developed by the Cleft Lip and Palate Association as part of its 3-year community-based Adult Services Programme; an Adults Conference, a series of panel discussions (“Cleft Talk”) streamed in podcast/video format, and a Leaver’s Pack of resources for adults wishing to return to cleft care. Methods: Feedback from attendees of the Adults Conferences (2018-2019) was collected using specifically developed evaluation forms. Streaming metrics and social media interactions were extracted for Cleft Talk panel discussions (2019-2020). The Leaver’s Pack was piloted in 2020, using an online evaluation form. Specialist health professionals were invited to provide feedback or participate in a one-to-one interview regarding their perceived impact of the program. Results: All 3 interventions across the different modalities received support from participating adults, demonstrating potential to meet adults’ needs across the life span. Health professionals also offered support for the program, viewing the interventions as a valuable adjunct to formal medical CL/P services. Conclusions: This exploratory evaluation indicates that peer- and community-led interventions, in combination with ongoing access to specialist medical care, can have a range of positive impacts for adults with CL/P. There is scope for similar initiatives to be developed internationally and for individuals with other craniofacial conditions. Not-for-profit organizations are encouraged to routinely evaluate their interventions to create a stronger evidence base for their valuable work.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radu-Ioan Popa

Abstract The present article follows an in-depth analysis of several relevant articles and major findings concerning the return to work of cancer patients, in various situations, from a manager and patient point of view, putting into discussion the effects and consequences of different factors that may influence the well-being of the patient at work and impact the organizational life. The concepts of returning to work and integration are scarcely analysed throughout the scholarly literature in the case of employees diagnosed with cancer, due to several reasons presented in the paper: from the complex topic of investigation that many studies fail to approach in terms of confidentiality, technical, ethical and moral grounds to the specific and difficult apparatus for research in the case of an even more complex, multiple instances and personalized manifestation long-term illness. In conclusion, the general framework solicits for a more integrated model of research and future multi-facet schemes for interventions, considering that there is a general consensus focusing on the need for connecting the health services with the employee and employer level, alongside stakeholders’ active participation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marloes Vooijs ◽  
Daniël Bossen ◽  
Jan L. Hoving ◽  
Haije Wind ◽  
Monique H. W. Frings-Dresen

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanjuan Lin ◽  
Yiping Chen ◽  
Haoruo Zhang ◽  
Yanchun Peng ◽  
Sailan Li ◽  
...  

Abstract OBJECTIVES To investigate the rate of returning to work within 12 months after open triple-branched stent graft placement in acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) patients and the reasons why patients did not return to work. METHODS We conducted this cohort study of AAAD patients who were discharged alive from the hospital at Fujian Cardiac Center during the period 2013–2018. The collected data included the patients’ baseline characteristics, employment status at 12 months after AAAD and variables classifying the potential reasons for those who did not return to work at 12 months. We applied logistic regression to estimate the factors associated with returning to work at 12 months. RESULTS One year after AAAD hospitalization, of the 326 AAAD patients, 81 (24.8%) returned to work, 231 (70.9%) did not and 14 (4.3%) died. Among the 231 patients who did not return to work, 105 (45.5%) were unable to work because of AAAD and 36 (15.6%) lost job owing to AAAD. After adjustment for other risk factors, age, female sex, type of work, operating time, aortic cross-clamp time and length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay were still significantly associated with a lower chance of returning to work. CONCLUSIONS Less than 25% of the previously employed patients returned to work at 12 months after AAAD. Older age, female sex, manual or semi-skilled professional work, a longer operating time, a longer aortic cross-clamp time and a longer length of ICU stay were associated with a lower likelihood of returning to work.


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