Evaluating work readiness following acquired brain injury: Building a shared understanding

Background. Despite occupational therapists' role in work-related evaluations, there are no guidelines for evaluating clients' work readiness. Purpose. This study explored how occupational therapists evaluate work readiness following acquired brain injury in order to develop an integrated model of the factors, processes, stakeholders, and contextual elements relevant to this evaluation. Methods. Ten occupational therapists with expertise in vocational and brain injury rehabilitation were interviewed. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methods to develop the work readiness evaluation model. Findings. This model describes five processes formative to therapists' evaluation: (1) drawing upon diverse sources of information and perspectives; (2) assessing occupational capacity; (3) contextualizing occupational potential; (4) building a shared understanding of work readiness among stakeholders, including, clients, employers, insurers, and rehabilitation teams; and (5) transforming the work readiness question. Implications. The model highlights the importance of building a shared understanding amongst stakeholders and provides a provisional framework to guide practice.