Tennessee state university Department of Occupational

therapyGuide for Clinical

Educators

Continuing Education UnitAfter reviewing this Power Point Presentation

please download the short quiz. Complete the quiz and email it to lsnyder@tnstate.edu. You will then be sent, via email, a 1 CEU certificate.

Guide for clinical educatorsThe Department of Occupational Therapy at

Tennessee State University appreciates your willingness to provide clinical education for our students during their Level I and II fieldwork experiences.

As part of our appreciation for taking students, I am happy to inform you that while you are supervising our students you will receive full and free access to the TSU Library Consortium.

All you need do is email Ms. Elisha Holt (eholt@tnstate.edu ) your name and email address. She will take care of the process to get you access.

Larry Snyder, Ph.D., OTR/L Department Head

Mission of the MOT Program at TSU The MOT program at Tennessee State University.

To fulfill the University mission of “promoting life-long learning, scholarly inquiry, and a commitment to the service of others” the mission of the Tennessee State University Occupational Therapy Graduate Program is to provide the community with competent occupation-based, client-centered practitioners in existing and emerging practice settings.

The Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Graduate Program is committed to Recruiting and developing the talents of diverse individuals to serve individual

consumers and populations in order to promote, maintain, and improve their health and well-being

Developing professionalism, creative problem solving, and critical thinking skills for graduates to serve consumers in suburban, as well as urban, and rural underserved areas

Training future practitioners to conduct evidence-based practice and scholarly inquiry

Shaping the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will enable occupational therapy practitioners to collaborate with other professionals in the workplace and promote the profession

Preparing successful leaders and change agents who will value and pursue life-long learning in order to advance practice, attain post-professional degrees, and conduct scholarship in the region and throughout the nation.

MOT program philosophy The MOT program at Tennessee State University.

The occupational therapy program at TSU recognizes occupation to be an individual's goal-directed use of time, energy, interest and attention; and assumes that occupation is best analyzed by examining the activities in which people engage. It is believed that activities are of a changing nature not only throughout the lifespan of each individual, but also through time as the needs, interests and goals of our society change and progress.

The program further recognizes that each person's capacity to compensate for lost or underdeveloped abilities is unique. Health is not absolute, but depends on an individual's sociocultural group, environment, and personal needs and choices. A unique role of occupational therapy lies in its capacity to integrate biological, psychological, sociological and technological components within its view of health and to analyze the factors which influence an individual's performance of work, educational, leisure, and play activities; social participation; instrumental activities of daily living; and personal/basic activities of daily living. Student learning experiences will be structured in the curriculum with respect to ongoing development of individuals across the lifespan. The faculty, in the Department of Occupational Therapy, believes that every person has value. We emphasize the right of each individual to make choices and to determine personal goals. We further believe that in a helping relationship, active participation from the recipient is essential. This belief in active participation applies to both clients and students. Consequently, students shall be responsible for contributing to the structure and content of their learning experiences. The faculty is committed to helping students develop problem solving skills by supporting risk taking and encouraging interactive learning, develop an appetite for life-long learning; become grounded in occupational therapy theory, history, and philosophy upon which the profession was built; demonstrate professionalism and act in compliance with the Code of Ethics (2005); and provide excellent client services, which includes the use of evidence-based practice and collaborative communication with the client, to achieve the desired outcome of engagement in occupation. Students will be expected to examine their own attitudes, values, and personal characteristics as a model for assessing the needs of others.

Curriculum Design The curriculum design of the MOT program is based on 5 main

threads. They are; foundations, self reflection, skill competencies, clinical reasoning, and clinical practice. We believe it is paramount that students need a solid core foundation for which future courses will build upon with the ultimate goal of students being ready and competent to enter clinical practice. Clinical practice, however, includes more than just the evaluation, treatment planning, and therapy interventions. It also includes a solid knowledge base in the business of OT, socio-culture-economic-demographic factors that may have an effect on OT practice, advocating for the OT profession and clients, and a willingness to assume a leadership role in the OT profession. The curriculum is also designed to follow along with the structure of Blooms Taxonomy. As students matriculate the program, courses are structured to facilitate movement along Bloom’s continuum from knowledge to evaluation.

MOT Curriculum at TSU First Year Second Year Third Year OCCT 5000 Fieldwork Seminar OCCT 5660 Research I OCCT 6914 Fieldwork Exp. IIOCCT 5010 Foundations in OT OCCT 6560 Phys. Dys. II LectureOCCT 5050 Occupational Analysis OCCT 6561 Phys. Dys. II Lab.OCCT 5110 Anatomy OCCT 6554 Phys. Dys. II PracticumOCCT 5160 Psychosocial Dysfunction OCCT 5450 School Based OTOCCT 5170 Psychosocial Dys. Applied OCCT 5860 Research IIOCCT 5180 Biomechanics OCCT 5400 General Diagnoses AppliedOCCT 5120 Neurobiology OCCT 5421 Clinical PracticeOCCT 5250 Pediatrics Lecture OCCT 6810 ModalitiesOCCT 5251 Pediatrics Lab. OCCT ElectiveOCCT 5254 Pediatrics Practicum Comprehensive Examination OCCT 5760 Admin. & Leadership OCCT 6904 Fieldwork Experience IOCCT 5900 Analysis of ResearchOCCT 5550 Physical Dysfunction I Lec.OCCT 5561 Phys. Dys. I Lab.OCCT 5554 Phys. Dys. I Practicum

*Students begin program in August and graduate December 2 years later

MOT curriculum design& Threads

Foundations

OCCT 5010

OCCT 5110

OCCT 5000

OCCT 5050

OCCT 5180

OCCT 5120

OCCT 5760

The Practice of Occupational Therapy

Self Reflection OCCT

5160 OCCT 5900 OCCT

6840

Curricular Threads - Foundations - Self Reflection - Skill Competencies - Clinical Reasoning - Clinical Practice

Skill

Competencies

OCCT 5400

OCCT 5421

OCCT 5254

OCCT 5554

OCCT 5660

OCCT 5860

OCCT 6564

Clin

ical

Reasoning

O

CCT 5170

OCCT

5250/5251

OCCT

5550/5551

OCCT

6560/6561

Clinical

Pra

ctice

Comprehensive

Exam.

OCCT

6904

OCCT

6914

Passi

ng the

Board Exam.

Value of fieldwork education • We all can remember how it was when we

first entered our fieldwork experiences. • I believe we can also remember how it was

when we finished our second Level II experience.

• Hopefully we had confidence and were well prepared to enter clinical practice.

• Fieldwork is such a valuable experience for students as they leave the classroom and enter the clinic.

Why take fieldwork studentsBenefits:

Satisfaction of providing a vital portion of OT education.

CEU credit for supervising studentsOther CEU credit offered by each educational

programRecruitment of new staff (student on Friday

and employee on Monday)Helping students to identify career options

Why take fieldwork studentsBased on a study by Thomas, Dickson,

Broadbridge, Hopper, Hawkins, Edwards, and McBryde (2007)

Benefits cont.Assessment of future employmentDevelop supervision skillsImprove clinical reasoning skillsPromote time management skills

Why take fieldwork studentsBenefits cont.

Marketing of site to educational programImprove and maintain clinical skills of staffPromote diversity at the facilityMay be a goal of the facilityPromote teamingMay provide information to influence education

program curriculum Thomas, et.al. (2007)

Skills of the clinical educatorCharacteristics and skills include:

Knowing selfTime and task managementEstablishing objectivesEvaluating student performanceStructuring the clinical experience

Hunt & Kennedy-Jones, (2010)

Need for supervisor supportSupervisors need

Peer supportMentoring by more experienced therapistsSupport from the facility and educational

program Training to be a clinical educator

Hunt & Kennedy-Jones, (2010)

Clinical EducatorsBe a role model for the student

Continues the student on the path to becoming a competent clinician

Promotes positive professional behaviorsProvide opportunities to apply classroom

education Helps ready the student for Level II

Johnson, Koenig, Piersol, Santalucia, & Wachter-Schutz, (2006)

Helpful hints Helpful hints

Be sure you are ready, willing, and able to supervise fieldwork students For traditional settings you must have at least 1 year of clinical

experience For non-traditional fieldwork experiences the fieldwork educator

must have at least 3 years clinical experience If no OTR is on-site one must be available at lease 8 hours per

week and available all other work hours via some other method. OTRs can supervise both OT and COTA students but a COTA,

under the supervision of an OTR, can supervise a COTA fieldwork student

Amini, Gupta, (2012)

Helpful hints cont.• Remember the student will be nervous entering

their first practice arenas. • Please make the environment welcoming.

Have you made everyone aware of the student coming to your facility?

• Is there space available for the student? • Is there a structure to the student’s

fieldwork experience that is set in advance?

Bruns, Dimeo, & Malta, (2003)

Things to consider cont.Set the environment to demonstrate mutual

respect for each other.Foster open communication with your

student.Foster open communication with the AFWC

from the student’s educational program and do not hesitate to contact the AFWC for issues and questions you may have.

Provide clear oral and written documentation.

Things to consider cont.Offer expert advice to your student that

encourages their professional growth.Schedule formal reviews and evaluations with

your student in advance.Focus on the students behaviors and abilities

and avoid personal attacks.Encourage student self assessment. Bruns, Dimeo, &

Malta, (2003)

Communication Crucial to success

Make sure there is open and clear communication with the student’s educational program AFWC.

If issues arise the clinical educator is welcome to call the AFWC to discuss these issues.

Our Academic Fieldwork Coordinator is Mr. Stephen Penick 615.963.5653 or spenick@tnstate.edu and the Assistant Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Ms. Elisha Holt 615.963.5929 or eholt@tnstate.edu

TSU’s RoleOngoing communication with the placement site is

crucial.

Communicate clear expectations for our students and collaborate with the site on objectives.

Increase the fieldwork coordinator’s role for site visits to meet with the clinical educator and the student.

Mulholland, Derall,

2005

TSU’s Role cont.Minimize the paperwork and use other means

to provide this material other than regular mail.

Be available to the clinical educator for phone conferencing or face-to-face meetings as needed.

Ensure students are academically prepared to enter fieldwork, especially Level II.

Resources available from AOTAAOTA.org

http://www.aota.org/Practitioners/ProfDev/CE.aspx

http://www.aota.org/Educate/EdRes/Fieldwork/Workshop.aspx

SummaryThe value clinical educators bring to the

student’s training process is as equal in partnership with the academic organization.

Working together we can ensure that tomorrow’s clinicians are properly trained and ready to enter clinical practice.

Comments or concerns can be directed to Larry Snyder, Ph.D., OTR/L at 615.963.5950 or lsnyder@tnstate.edu

ResourcesAmini, D, Gupta, J, (2012) Fieldwork Level II and

Occupational therapy students: a position paper, OT Practice, July, 23, 6&9.

Bruns, C, Dimeo, S, Malta, S (2003) Journey into fieldwork supervision, OT Practice, March, 2003, 19-22.

Resources cont.Hunt, K, Kennedy-Jones, M, (2010). Novice

occupational therapists’ perceptions of readiness to undertake fieldwork supervision, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal,60(3), 394-400.

Johnson, C, Koeing, K, Piersol, C, Santulucia, S, Wachter-Schultz, w.,(2006). Level I Fieldwork: A study of Contexts and Perceptions, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(6), 275-287.

Resources cont.

Mulholland, S., Derdall, M. (2005), A strategy for supervising occupational therapy students at

a community setting, Occupational Therapy International, 12(1)

Thomas, Y, Dickson, D, Broadbridge, J, Hopper, L, Hawkins, R, Edwards, A, McBryde, C, 2007). Benefits and challenges of supervising

occupational therapy fieldwork students, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 54(Sup. 1), S2-S12.