Understanding current goal-setting practices in an inpatient rehabilitation service: A qualitative case study.

Abstract

Goal-setting is common practice in rehabilitation services, both locally in Australia and internationally (Plant & Tyson, 2017). It is recommended that goal-setting is client-centred and that clients should be involved in the negotiation of rehabilitation goals (National Institute for Health and Clincial Excellence, 2009; National Stroke Foundation, 2010; Smith et al., 2016). Goals set in rehabilitation should be specific and be used to direct rehabilitation activities (Levack, Dean, Siegert, & McPherson, 2006). Barriers to the implementation of client-centred goal-setting practice have been identified in the literature internationally (Plant, Tyson, Kirk, & Parsons, 2016) however, only one study has reviewed this in Queensland Australia (Leach, Cornwell, Fleming, & Haines, 2010; Plant, Tyson, Kirk, & Parsons, 2016). Implementing client-centred goal-setting practices is a current focus within the Queensland Rehabilitation Clinical Network, however in order to move towards this aspiration it is necessary to understand current practice. This thesis therefore aimed to review the current goal-setting practice in one varied case mix inpatient rehabilitation unit in Queensland.