Occupational rehabilitation is the practice of returning injured workers to a level of daily work activities that is appropriate to their demonstrated functional and cognitive capacity relating to their job position and the worker’s severity of injuries.
At Gladstone Hands On Physiotherapy, a rehabilitation consultant can work with you throughout your recovery. The rehabilitation consultant will:
Occupational rehabilitation is the practice of returning injured workers to a level of daily work activities that is appropriate to their demonstrated functional and cognitive capacity relating to their job position and the worker’s severity of injuries.
Occupational rehabilitation services can aid in acquiring a greater understanding of an injured workers’ condition and how it can be managed utilising a biopsychosocial approach.
The integrative approach applies to the rehabilitation consultant using a graded environment, intentionally eliminating barriers to increase individuals’ performance and self-esteem.
What assessments and reports are used in occupational rehabilitation:
A workplace assessment, is a specialised service aimed at observing, evaluating and reporting on the physical, environmental and ergonomic requirement of an individual’s duties. During the assessment, recommendations are provided to the individual and their employer for a safe and efficient ways to complete tasks independently and without injury aggravation.
A return-to-work plan is a structured plan that is developed with the injured worker and employer that outlines personalised steps / recommendations to successfully return the worker back to work.
An ergonomic review is an assessment of an individual at their workstation to ensure correct working postures and workstation set-up is ascertained to assist with acquiring appropriate body mechanics. An effective ergonomic assessment will reduce a workers’ exposure to physical hazards including overuse injuries.
An activities of daily living review is the review of fundamental skills which are typically needed to managed basic physical needs which comprise of the following areas:
At the completion of the assessment, equipment recommendations can be recommended for hire and/or purchase dependent on the individuals’ needs and anticipated recovery timeframes.
Pre-employment medical assessments are a workforce risk management tool used to screen individuals for risk factors that may limit their ability to perform a job role safely and effectively. During a pre-employment, a set of standardised physical assessments are used to meet site requirements which can vary depending on your industry requirements.
A pre-employment is a set of standardised tests that are completed to meet site standards for specific job roles. Whereas, a functional capacity evaluation/assessment is a series of standardised tests used to assess a person’s functional capacity for work tasks and/or activities of daily living tasks. The aim of this assessment is to determine a person’s abilities over a range of physical demands in order to facilitate his or her functional recovery.
Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE)/Assessment (FCA) is an assessment tool used by trained Allied Health Professionals to assess a person’s abilities and limitations while also assessing behavioural obstacles that may be interfering with a return to normal activity.
A FCE or FCA comprises of a series of standardised tests used to assess a person’s functional capacity for work tasks and/or activities of daily living tasks. The aim of this assessment is to determine a person’s abilities over a range of physical demands in order to facilitate his or her functional recovery.
An FCE/FCA can be applied to many individuals, who are requiring an understanding of their current functional capacity. Those who most commonly are engaged in this assessment are injured workers and individuals with a permanent disability requiring assistance to get funding (i.e., disability pension, NDIS, etc.).
By conducting a functional capacity evaluation/assessment on an injured worker, various parties (worker, employer and insurer) will be provided with a clear understanding of the injured workers’ function at the time of the assessment. This understanding allows for defined strategies to be developed when re-integrating the injured worker back into the workforce.
Depending on whether the assessment is completed in a clinic or workplace setting, the assessment includes:
Following the completion of the assessment, a comprehensive report summarising the findings of the functional capacity assessment and the recommendations. In this report you can expect to receive detailed information on:
The assessment itself can take anywhere between two and three hours
It is best to wear comfortable clothing and closed in shoes, as you will be required to perform physical tasks.
A pre-employment is a set of standardised tests that are completed to meet site standards for specific job roles. Whereas, a functional capacity evaluation/assessment is a series of standardised tests used to assess a person’s functional capacity for work tasks and/or activities of daily living tasks. The aim of this assessment is to determine a person’s abilities over a range of physical demands in order to facilitate his or her functional recovery.
