Introduction

One of the factors contributing to the current shortage of occupational therapists is the rate of persons leaving the profession. Strengthening the professional identity of occupational therapists using professional storytelling may lead to better job satisfaction and job retention.

Method

we conducted two literature searches in the databases CINAHL and MedLine to examine 1.) the relationship between storytelling and professional identity and 2.) the relationships between professional identity, job satisfaction and job retention. We identified 13 relevant studies.

Results

Storytelling can have a positive impact on the professional identity of students and trainees. There is no direct evidence for this sort of impact on professionals. There is, however, solid evidence for a relationship between professional identity, job satisfaction and job retention.

Conclusion

Based on the evidence it can be assumed a) that professional storytelling may strengthen the professional identity of occupational therapists and b) that this could have a positive impact on job satisfaction and job retention. However, more research is needed to further verify these assumptions.