Sense of Belonging and Professional Identity in Acute Care Occupational Therapists: A Phenomenological Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) play a crucial and demanding role in acute care, addressing complex diagnoses and facilitating safe discharge; however, the fast-paced biomedical environment often pressures them to compromise their occupation-based philosophy, potentially leading to professional burnout and low retention rates. Although professional identity (the self-perception of one's role) and a sense of belonging (feeling valued and connected) are recognized as correlated concepts vital for professional resilience, this relationship remains critically underexplored within the acute care OT population. Guided by the Occupational Adaptation Model (Schkade & Schultz, 1992), this qualitative study explores how experienced occupational therapists working in an acute care setting cultivate their sense of belonging and professional identity. Through purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and observation, this research used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the factors, such as organizational culture, leadership, and interpersonal relationships, that potentially enable OTPs to successfully master the challenges of this demanding environment. Three themes emerged: (1) internal identity of the OTP, (2) asserting occupational therapy lens, (3) cultural integration into acute care. Developing professional identity is an ongoing process, and it is when the OTP feels competent and confident in their role that they feel a sense of belonging within their acute care environment.
Author: Novilla, Shania Marion D.
Institution: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language: English
Subfield: Occupational Therapy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204612880