title: Causes and factors influencing nurses entering vocational rehabilitation in Germany – results of the pilot study Reha-Biograf
abstract: Background: Professional caregivers are exposed to high work related burdens. In Germany the rates of early retirement are higher than in other professions, with vocational rehabilitation as a scheme to counteract that. But so far there is no evidence on how professional caregivers get into vocational rehabilitation and what factors influence this process. Aims: To determine sick nurses’ perceptions of their ways into vocational rehabilitation, to construct new hypotheses on trajectories, and to investigate possibilities of intervention and prevention. Method: Data collection: Problem centred/episodic interviews with 21 nurses on long-term sick leave. Data analysis: Qualitative content analysis. Results: In all interviews staff cuts, increasing workloads, and high physical demands have been crucial issues. Consequences are a lack of recovery phases and work under increasing time pressure. These problems are intensified by habitual aspects (perception of care as selfless service). A three-phase trajectory model has been developed, consisting of the phases of exposition, crisis, and conversion. Furthermore three types of trajectories could be described. Conclusions: Further research can build on a first code system to describe the ways of nurses into vocational rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: 1 Pflegewissenschaftliche Fakultät, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.affiliation: 1 Pflegewissenschaftliche Fakultät, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brünett
authors.affiliation: 1 Pflegewissenschaftliche Fakultät, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar.
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: 1 Pflegewissenschaftliche Fakultät, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cissarz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020415:Personnel Downsizing; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012307:Risk Factors; D016526:Workload
keywords: Personalabbau; Pflegehabitus; Pflegepersonal im Krankenhaus; berufliche Rehabilitation; hospital nursing staff; staff attitudes; staff downsizing; vocational rehabilitation