Exploring What It Effectively Means to Manage Carpal Tunnel Syndrome's: Physical, Social, and Emotional Crucibles in a Return to Work Program - Softcover

Rostkowski, Dr. Stella Marie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 150496893X ISBN 13: 9781504968935

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2015

Synopsis

The intended goal of my study was to provide insight and generate theories about how the physical, social, and emotional effects of carpal tunnel syndrome, affected an employees ability to complete their employer-sponsored Return to Work program when they have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

In order to do this, I utilized a constructivist grounded theory methodology that used Strauss and Corbin's microanalysis techniques during the semi structured interviews and observations in order to focus my attention on how the participants acted and reacted during the interviews. Participants' actions and reactions were used to generate open ended interview questions.

My study took place over a three-month time frame and consisted of consisted of 12 people (five men and seven women) from three separate companies in the United States of America. During this timeframe, participants answered semistructured and open-ended interview questions about their experience with CTS in the workplace, how they dealt with having CTS in the workplace, how they were treated in and out of the RTW program by their employer and co-workers, and why they felt their disease had a direct impact on how they were treated by their employer and co-workers.

Through the participants' thoughts, feelings, emotions, and fears, individual stories emerged, which provided insight into the social existence and nonacceptance Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has in the workplace. Through the use of the employees with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome words and experiences, specifics about the physical, psychological, psychosomatic, and sociological experiences helped in the construction of preliminary theories that showed how the cause and effect reactions were the motivating factors of why employees with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome did or did not complete their employers' Return to Work programs.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Exploring What It Effectively Means to Manage Carpal Tunnel Syndrome's

Physical, Social, and Emotional Crucibles in a Return to Work Program

By Stella Marie Rostkowski

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2016 Dr. Stella Marie Rostkowski
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5049-6893-5

Contents

List of Tables, ix, 
List of Figures, x, 
Abstract, xi, 
Dedication, xiii, 
Acknowledgments, xv, 
Chapter 1: Introduction, 1, 
Introduction to the Problem, 1, 
Background of the Study, 2, 
Statement of the Problem, 4, 
Purpose of the Study, 6, 
Rationale, 7, 
Research Questions, 8, 
Significance of the Study, 9, 
Definition of Terms, 10, 
Assumptions and Limitations, 12, 
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework, 13, 
Organization of the Remainder of the Study, 15, 
Chapter 2: Literature Review, 16, 
Introduction, 16, 
Employers' Perspectives, 17, 
Employees' Perspectives, 32, 
Professional Psychological Disease Effects of CTS, 33, 
Chapter 3: Methodology, 40, 
Research Design, 41, 
Sample, 46, 
Setting, 48, 
Instrumentation/Measures, 49, 
Data Collection, 53, 
Data Analysis, 55, 
Validity and Reliability, 56, 
Ethical Considerations, 57, 
Summary, 59, 
Chapter 4: Results, 61, 
The Study and the Researcher's Involvement, 62, 
Description of the Sample, 63, 
Research Methodology Applied to Data Analysis, 65, 
Presentation of Data and Results, 66, 
Summary, 90, 
Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, Recommendations, 92, 
Introduction, 92, 
Findings of the Study, 92, 
Relevance of the Findings to the Literature, 93, 
Limitations, 101, 
Recommendations for Further Research, 102, 
Conclusion, 103, 
References, 105, 
Appendix A: Open Coding, 133, 
Appendix B: Sociological Overcompensation, 159, 
Appendix C: Left With No Way To Cope With Symptoms, 161, 
About The Author, 163, 

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Introduction to the Problem

In some organizations, Return to Work (RTW) programs are a benefit designed to slowly reintegrate the employees back into the workplace after they have been injured. Researchers have argued that these programs help build employees' confidence for being able to do their jobs after they have been injured (Schuhl & McMahon, 2006), while they also help employers reduce their Workers' Compensation costs (Centineo, 1986). However, research also showed that the "disabling impact of injuries" (Hunt, 2009, p. 2), goes far greater than the injury itself and needs to be examined on a more extensive and comprehensive level in order to understand why an employee succeeds or fails at completing their employer's RTW program when they have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Current RTW programs are geared towards fixing one aspect of this disease, the physical.

However, research has shown that employees' feelings, emotions, and fears are not addressed, or even taken into account, in current RTW programs. Opsteegh et al. (2009) stated that personal effects can be "potential determinants" (p. 253) in RTW programs when the employers are working towards their own personal goals, rather than incorporating the needs of the employees into the program. Because of the organization's mandate to maintain a budget and pressure to eliminate employees with CTS due to the costs of their care, the employers could have a predetermined negative attitude towards CTS, employees with CTS, and RTWs geared toward employees with CTS.

Background of the Study

Curr

Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 150496893X
• ISBN 13: 9781504968935
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 182