Barriers and facilitators experienced by primary school teachers returning to work after mild traumatic brain injury in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Aim This qualitative study explored barriers and facilitators experienced by primary school teachers returning to work after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Methods Seven participants were recruited from a target population of primary school teachers who had sustained an mTBI that affected their ability to work. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data, and reflexive thematic analysis methods were used to understand participants’ perspectives within their context. Results Three themes were identified: (1) ‘My classroom never stops’, (2) ‘Invisible injury: understanding affects expectations’, and (3) ‘Trying to link everyone together’. Findings indicated participants felt pressure to return to work (RTW) quickly after their injury to minimise disruption to others. Pressure to RTW was explicit from employers, whom some participants perceived as lacking an understanding of mTBI. Furthermore, teachers face challenges in implementing accommodations due to a lack of flexibility in work hours and tasks. Participants felt isolated while trying to coordinate competing stakeholder priorities. Conclusion Overall, the barriers and facilitators experienced by teachers as they RTW after mTBI are not merely at the level of the individual and their work tasks but are embedded within the complex interactions between the individual, personal, workplace, healthcare, and insurance/legislative systems.