Neuromedical considerations affecting return to work in the brain injured adult

Abstract

Improvements in the medical and surgical management of individuals following trauma have resulted in an increased number of long-term survivors, especially among the most severely injured. Additionally, refinements in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs have allowed these survivors to return to the community more often, at higher functional levels, and in some cases, with a greater likelihood of getting back to work. Unfortunately, owing to the increased severity of injury, many of these individuals have multiple medical conditions even in the post-acute phase of recovery. An even greater number of survivors have numerous motoric, cognitive, and behavioral deficits, long after their initial injury. In order to meet the increasing demands of more severely impaired clients, health care professionals assisting brain injured individuals return to employment need to become more familiar with the specific medical issues commonly seen. This review provides a framework and practical guide to the neuromedical considerations affecting return to work in the brain injured adult.