Open AccessUsing Hermeneutics to Understand Burnout and Coping Strategies Utilized by Occupational Therapists
Author(s) -
Sangeeta Gupta,
Margo Paterson,
Claudia von Zweck,
Rosemary Lysaght
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.335
H-Index - 35
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2012.1691
Subject(s) - burnout , hermeneutics , coping (psychology) , autonomy , psychology , qualitative research , focus group , occupational stress , health care , occupational burnout , occupational therapy , applied psychology , psychotherapist , social psychology , nursing , clinical psychology , medicine , emotional exhaustion , sociology , epistemology , psychiatry , social science , political science , law , philosophy , anthropology , economics , economic growth
This research article explores the use of the hermeneutic approach in understanding practice challenges for occupational therapists in the contemporary health care arena. It provides insights into factors that lead to therapist burnout and the strategies they utilize to maintain competent practice. In this mixed methods study, hermeneutics was chosen as the qualitative approach to help understand the meanings occupational therapists ascribe to stressful situations at work and how they cope with those situations. Data was collected by conducting focus groups and semi-structured interviews with seven participants. Demands on time, conflict, lack of respect and autonomy emerged as the main practice issues. Maintaining healthy boundaries, importance of workplace and home community, monitoring self for signs of burnout and focusing on satisfying aspects of work emerged as the major coping strategies employed by the participants.