Abstract

Achievement of SDG3 and Universal health coverage requires adequate attention to health workforce characteristics and behavior. Of paramount importance is the successful transition of healthcare workers from the training institutions to the labor market. Transition to practice can be identified as the change from the role of student to the role of practitioner. Transiting from being a student to being a worker is usually not smooth affair to all graduates, but is constantly faced by a myriad of challenges. To manage these situations, an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence transitions is paramount.

Study objectives: The aim of the study was to identify the factors influencing the transition from training to clinical practice of Occupational Therapy graduates from Kenya Medical Training College. Specifically, the study sought to assess the preparedness towards work roles, establish the influence of preceptors on transition to practice and to determine the influence of Occupational Therapy work practices on the transition to practice by the graduates.

Methods: The study participants were Occupational Therapy diploma trainees who graduated between 2018-2021 from the three campuses in Kenya-Nairobi, Machakos, and Mombasa. A descriptive cross-sectional mixed methods study design was used. The design permitted the use of both quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches. Purposive sampling was used to select the institutions while disproportional sampling was employed to select representative samples of participants from the three campuses. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. Simple random sampling was used to select a county facility where Key informant interviewees were selected representing each of the 8 strata representing the geographical regions in Kenya. The Occupational Therapy in charges was sampled from Nairobi, Busia, Kisii, Trans-Nzoia, Kilifi, Embu, Mandera, and Murang’a. Quantitative data was collected using an online questionnaire, while the qualitative data was collected using a key informant guide. Interview guides were transcribed into themes and then thematically analyzed and presented in narrative forms. STATA software was used to manage, code and analyze the data collected through an inductive and thematic approach

Results: show that graduates felt adequately prepared for their work roles at (x2=20.1500, p=0.017) and had a significant influence as they transitioned to practice. Notably, the results indicate that preceptorship had a significant influence on transitioning to practice (x2=16.5961, p=0.04) indicating that preceptors play an important role in the transition to practice for graduates. Results also show that Occupational Therapy work practices have a significant influence in the transitioning to practice (x2=24.800, p=0.003) with a p<0.05.

Conclusion and recommendations: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that feeling of adequacy on work roles, work practices and preceptorship can significantly influence transition from training to practice of Occupational Therapy graduates. Based on the results and the conclusion made, it is recommended that the OT program be strengthened to offer more support through exposure to the work areas; develop a preceptorship program to mentor the novice therapists during their clinical placements during training.

Keywords: Clinical practice; Preceptor; Transition; Work readiness