Potential Fieldwork Educators

UND Curriculum Design: Application to the Clinical Setting

We have based our curriculum on the occupation adaptation model because of its simplicity in explaining the way that humans engage in occupations, and the major elements involved in preparing therapists for practice. As you think about the four main concepts in this model, you may note that some of your interventions address the readiness or preparatory skills of clients to engage in occupations, others address their actual participation in occupations, and others address the context in which the client engages in occupations.

Similarly, as fieldwork educators, you are sometimes assisting students to attain readiness skills (teaching new content, having them practice manual skills, boosting their self confidence) and other times you provide experiences where they actually participate in the occupations of a therapist (for example, assessing clients, leading groups, fabricating equipment, writing up treatment notes). Occupations always take place in a physical social and cultural context, and students began to appreciate the impact of context on occupational performance and make adaptations to context as necessary. For example, they learn that teaching a client to cook is a very different experience if conducted in a client’s home versus the OT Clinic, and adaptations might be necessary for both the physical and social elements of the task.

Finally, this model also speaks to the internal process of evaluation and adaptation. In your work with clients, you encourage them to engage in this process when they evaluate their participation in each occupation, and plan for adaptations through attaining readiness skills, or altering the occupation or context to attain success. Similarly, students need to evaluate their performance of occupations inherent to the therapist role, and to plan jointly with the supervising therapist to address problem areas through development of readiness skills, altering context, and or grading/adapting the occupation itself. It is through this internal process of self-evaluation and adaptation that the student transitions from the role of student to novice therapist.

As you develop and refine your objectives and assignments to address the competencies desired of the entry-level therapist at your facility, you should also consider the process of adaptation as experienced by the student. You can monitor this process through stated assignments and responsibilities, as well as through daily, weekly and monthly meetings with your student. Remember, the outcome of fieldwork is not simply that the student meets the clinical competencies of your particular setting, but that he/she emerges with the ability to engage in their own learning process and to assume the role of life long learner.

Steps to Starting a Fieldwork Program

I. Analyze Your Facility

Conduct an analysis of your facility. Does your facility’s mission and philosophy support the training of future practitioners? Discuss the formation of a student program with the OT practitioners to determine how receptive they are to participation in a fieldwork program. Review your OT program – can it provide a student with the number of appropriate clients and learning opportunities needed to develop entry-level skills?

Gaining support of your facility’s management staff is vital for a successful fieldwork program. Arrange a time to meet with your administrator with the sole purpose of discussing the student program. Come prepared with a plan for the fieldwork program and a list of the benefits that a student program can bring to your facility. Take the time to understand the issues that management faces and work together on addressing any areas of concern.

II. Collaborate with the UND OT Department

The academic fieldwork coordinator can provide you with guidance and resource material needed to start a student program, fieldwork objectives, course syllabi, program curricula, and other related information.

Active collaboration between the fieldwork educator and the academic fieldwork coordinator should be ongoing since it is an essential component of a positive fieldwork experience.

III. The Fieldwork Contract or Letter Agreement

The contract should state the rights, fieldwork requirements, obligations of the academic program, fieldwork site, and students. A written agreement is required for all Fieldwork Level I and II placements. The UND OT program will have a standard contract which you can use. Be sure to have your facility’s legal counsel review the document before it is signed by your CEO.

Begin this step early, as it may involve several exchanges between both legal counsels of the revised contract.

IV. Develop Student Resources

You can establish the foundation of your fieldwork program by completing the following student resources:

• Fieldwork Data Form - This form describes your fieldwork program to the academic fieldwork coordinator and the student. The completed form should be sent to each academic program with which you have a contract.
• Fieldwork Objectives - These are the objectives that a student must achieve to successfully complete that fieldwork placement.

  Level I Fieldwork – Objectives are usually provided by the academic program.

  Level II Fieldwork – Each fieldwork site must develop its site specific behavioral reflecting the entry-level competencies that the student is required to achieve by the end of the affiliation. These objectives serve to guide the student through sequential learning activities that lead to entry-level competency.

  You may correlate your objectives with AOTA’s fieldwork evaluation or write weekly objectives that cumulate in entry-level skills. Writing the learning objectives will prove to be invaluable to both students and fieldwork educators. You may obtain samples of objectives and a format for writing objectives from the UND fieldwork coordinator.

• Schedule of Weekly Activities – Develop a list of learning activities and/or assignments that will guide a student developmentally toward the acquisition of entry-level skills. Some fieldwork programs have a week by week outline with increasing responsibilities, learning activities, and assignments that students must successfully complete. You may obtain more information on developing learning activities from the UND fieldwork coordinator.
• Prepare an Orientation – A thorough orientation provides students with the knowledge and understanding needed for a successful fieldwork experience. Topics can include: an overview of the fieldwork site and its fieldwork program, safety procedures, and specific evaluation or treatment.

(Adapted from AOTA web-site)