W8: Occupational Transitions Flashcards

1
Q

What is an occupational transition?

A

major change in the occupational repertoire of a person in which one or several occupations change, disappear, and/or are replaced with others (Christiansen & Townsend, 2010)

  • can be associated with life course transitions
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2
Q

What are predictable transitions?

A

transitions you can anticipate and plan for

examples:

  • school transitions – ie. elementary to secondary to post-secondary
  • weekday to weekend
  • moving – ie. from place to palace, from city to city, etc.
  • travel (?) – does the transition have to be long-term?
  • retirement
  • parenthood
  • aging
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3
Q

What are unpredictable transitions?

A

transitions that you have no control over

examples:

  • injury
  • illness
  • divorce
  • death of someone known
  • job loss
  • bankruptcy/homelessness
  • parenthood
  • forced migration (having to flee) – civil conflict and war, sudden and quick escalation of violence, natural disaster
  • climate-induced transitions – ie. plan differently for summers (getting hotter)
  • wedding proposal
  • winning prize/lottery
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4
Q

Is predictability a false dichotomy?

A
  • things that you can plan for can still involve lots of stress (ie. planning retirement – how long are you going to live, how much money will you need)
  • experience of the transition isn’t necessarily predictable
  • there are unpredictable transitions that you can plan for (ie. not planning to be in a car accident but having car insurance and keeping a first aid kit in the car, having health and life insurance)
  • having multiple plans in case something does not originally go the way you want it to – plan A, plan B, plan C
  • many life transitions have monetary considerations
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5
Q

What are some examples of transitions that aren’t black and white in terms of predictability?

A
  • parenthood – planned/unplanned pregnancies
  • bankruptcy/homelessness – sense that there may be some trouble, but may not be aware of how quickly things might occur
  • future plans not going according to plan – ie. not getting to desired grad school program
    or future plans going according to plan
  • death of someone known – sometimes prognosis is known, sometimes sudden and unexpected
  • wedding proposals – can be expected or unexpected
  • job promotion – can be predictable or unpredictable
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6
Q

What are occupational implications?

A

impact of transition on occupations

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7
Q

Occupational Implications

How might retirement impact occupations?

A
  • stopping work – main intent/stereotype
  • social circle may change – some friends may still be working, etc.
  • change to routine – everyday is the weekend, more time for leisure
  • less structure and daily occupations – time may slow down
  • shifting experience of time – plan more time for physical activity
  • pain – shift in the use of body
  • change to identity
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8
Q

Occupational Implications

How might global migration impact occupations?

A
  • change in mental health – distance from support system, lots of change (for better or for worse)
  • changing status (and navigating that) – legal and symbolic; things like professions may be viewed differently than in home country
  • acculturation and discrimination
  • change in identity
  • lifestyle – learning new things, different societal norms; some family members may stay behind while students move to a new country for school and develop independence
  • re-building social circle
  • de-skilling – lack of recognition of education and experience
  • learning how to navigate new systems (bureaucracy)
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9
Q

Community/Social Transitions

Presence (Who is in a Space)

A

the presence of a population in a place can gradually cause a shift

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10
Q

Community/Social Transitions

What is gentrification?

A

development of an area

  • process tends to push out existing locals
  • increasing price points of rental units, groceries, etc.
  • raises the socioeconomic status of the neighbourhood
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11
Q

Community/Social Transitions

People Leaving Communities

A
  • demographic shifts based on life course
  • may have more challenges for the aging population
  • loss of seniors to some communities (sometimes seniors volunteer) – move to retirement community, or different city that is more relaxing
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12
Q

Community/Social Transitions

Change of Government/Policy

A
  • does not always cause a change to communities
  • policies that are enacted can cause change to communities – ie. BC government making changes to short-term rentals as businesses (AirBnBs)
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13
Q

Community/Social Transitions

Others (2)

A
  • shift in social issues (ie. LGBTQ+ rights, legalizing cannabis)
  • COVID-19 (and other public health restrictions)
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14
Q

(Raanaas et al., 2019) Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life

What are the main concepts of this article?

A
  • examined occupational engagement during times of transition
  • understanding identity as not only individual, but also socially and culturally constructed
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15
Q

(Raanaas et al., 2019) Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life

What are the 4 cases of this study?

A
  • case 1: transitioning between schools for children with disabilities
  • case 2: transitioning to a new everyday life after traumatic brain injury
  • case 3: transitioning to a new everyday life after stroke
  • case 4: transitioning to a new life with serious somatic illness
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16
Q

(Raanaas et al., 2019) Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life

What are the thematic findings? (3)

A
  • disruption of a former self
  • pursuing normality
  • re-constructing daily occupations and routines
17
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

What is a life transition unrelated to illness (occupational perspective)?

A

the process that results when an individual chooses a path of change that affects their occupational repertoire

18
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

Background For This Study

A

demand for OTs in BC is not being met

  • registration of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs) is one way to address this shortage
19
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

What is the substantial equivalency assessment system (SEAS)?

A

assessment set forth by the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) that all IEOTs must complete before registering as an OT in BC

  • academic credential assessment review
  • SEAS language assessment
  • curriculum and fieldwork review
  • jurisprudence knowledge assessment test
  • competency assessment interview (around 6 hours)
20
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

What was the project rationale?

A

to address the current knowledge gap in understanding the transition experiences of IEOTs as they become registered OTs in BC from an occupational perspective

21
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

What are the 2 main research questions?

A
  • What are the processes, barriers, and facilitators for IEOTs becoming registered OTs in BC?
  • What is the experience of transition like for IEOTs who are registered OTs in BC?
22
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

What were the 3 methods used?

A
  • recruitment: through College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC)
  • online survey: processes, barriers, and facilitators for IEOTs obtaining full registration with COTBC
  • semi-structured interviews: to explore the transition experience of IEOTs
23
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

RQ1: What are the processes, barriers, and facilitators for IEOTs becoming registered OTs in BC?

A

commonly identified barriers:

  • expenses associated with registration
  • lack of guidance/overview of the process
  • length of time to complete the credentialing process
  • lack of information to prepare for the NOTCE

commonly identified facilitators:

  • personal motivation
  • planning and preparation
  • assistance from the college or governing body
24
Q

Experiences of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists Transitioning into Canadian Practice

RQ2: What is the experience of transition like for IEOTs who are registered OTs in BC?

A

theme 1: effects of the environment on occupations

  • sub-theme 1: difficulty entering the public health system
  • sub-theme 2: impact of the natural environment in enabling occupations

theme 2: a shift in professional identities

  • feelings of professional identity being at risk if transition was not successful
  • feeling underutilized while working in odd jobs during the transition

theme 3: navigating transitions

  • all 10 IEOTs experienced multiple transitions, such as the physical move from one country to another, transitioning to a new culture and transitioning from one practice area to another
25
Q

Take-Home Messages

A
  • life transitions can be positive or negative – depends on how it is experienced by people
  • occupational transitions are closely related to people’s identity – changing occupations impact how you see yourself and also potentially how others see you
  • Canadian OT standards are ‘high’ (strict)
  • life transitions span concepts of space and time
  • barriers for people going through transition