Police Officers’ Return to Work Experiences Following a Musculoskeletal Injury in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Phenomenological Study 4348

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the return to work experiences of police officers after a musculoskeletal injury in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Design

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used, which draws on phenomenology, hermeneutics, and idiography with a focus on understanding meaning of a given phenomenon from the individuals perspective. Semistructured interviews were undertaken and data analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis process.

Setting

Policing within Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Participants

Eligibility criteria were deployable staff who become temporarily undeployable due to a musculoskeletal injury within selected districts and has completed a return to work program within the last 6 months to 5-year period (as of September 2021). Purposive sampling was used, recruiting officers with a recent return to work experience after a musculoskeletal injury. Six police officers were recruited (men, 4; women, 2). One participant identified as Māori; the rest identified as NZ European. The sample included perspectives from 2 large urban police stations, 2 small urban police stations, and 2 small rural police stations.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis process was used to analyze data and processes were in place to ensure validity and rigor throughout the analysis process.

Results

Results identified 4 main themes from participants accounts: Return to Work is a Mystery, Making Sense of the Ghetto, Good Rehabilitation Looks Like Valuing the Person, and Questioning Belonging to the Police “Family.”

Conclusions

Analysis of interviews revealed that being on a return to work program has a profound impact on injured officers’ identity, in part due to challenges arising from the police culture and rehabilitation processes. Expert vocational rehabilitation practitioners are an important resource in the rehabilitation context. Existing inequalities within the police organization, such as differential treatment of women and minimal attention to cultural needs, are exacerbated by the internal return to work process of the police service.

Disclosures

Liané de Klerk has previously provided rehabilitation services to the selected districts, and 3 of the 6 participants were known to Liané. Potential conflict of interest was disclosed in the Participant Information Sheet, noting that participation would have no impact on future treatment. Liané was not providing active treatment to any of the participants and was exiting clinical practice. Robin Griffiths has previously worked at the Police College, which was made explicit in the study invitation. Robin was not directly involved in any of the interviews with participants. Fiona Graham has no conflicts of interest to disclose.