Group Co-Leadership by Occupational Therapy Students in Community Centers: Learning Transitional Roles

SUMMARY

The experience of contact with community populations and settings at the beginning of fieldwork is essential in expanding the dimensions of non-traditional skills and roles for occupational therapy students. This article describes an initial fieldwork experience which builds on an occupational therapy group process course to enable students to supplement a community-based program with activities designed to meet a need of their group at the appropriate level of group interaction. Pairs of students select a receptive community site prior to the beginning of fieldwork to open dialog with the center's coordinator regarding performance areas, components, or contexts needed by the group. Working to assess the current programmatic offerings and desires of the participants for new activities and planning activities in collaboration with local staff, the students propose to conduct a series of five sessions addressing a theme desired or needed by the group. Upon immersion in the site's program, students are able to provide an in-depth assessment of the community group's psychosocial skill needs using the Group Level of Function Profile (Donohue, 2000).     

Occupational Therapy Master-Level Students' Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge and Skills Before and After Fieldwork

ABSTRACT

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has become a universal standard for practice among healthcare professions, but due to barriers to EBP, the most effective ways of teaching EBP are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to report students’ EBP knowledge and skill gained from an entry-level Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy course in EBP. The Adapted Fresno Test of EBP was administered at the beginning and end of the course and after fieldwork experience. Results indicated that EBP knowledge and skills increased between the precourse and postcourse measurements (t = ?7.98; p < 0.001), but declined between postcourse and postfieldwork measurements (t = 6.65; p < 0.001) indicating that the course improved basic EBP skills and knowledge, but was ineffective in giving the students the strategies to retain and use those skills beyond the classroom. Suggestions are made to strengthen the student retention and use of EBP skills and knowledge after graduation.     

Active Participation in Fieldwork Level I: Fieldwork Educator and Student Perceptions

ABSTRACT

Fieldwork experiences bridge the gap between a student's education and entry-level practice. Academic programs, faculty members, and fieldwork educators are challenged to prepare occupational therapy students for entry-level practice. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards advocate for both active participation and guided observation in Level I fieldwork experience (. Students report their most meaningful learning experiences, which include performance of clinical skills and participation in clinical reasoning. However, many students enrolled in the author's entry-level master's program and the other schools within a regional consortium report their Level I fieldwork experience is primarily observation. This article describes the results of a survey administered to fieldwork educators and occupational therapy students eliciting their perceptions of active participation in Level I fieldwork. Results indicate that perceptions of the groups are dissimilar. Recommendations and implications for increased active participation in Level I fieldwork are discussed.     

Evidence-Based Practice in Occupational Therapy Curricula

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to describe currently used educational strategies for teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in entry-level master's degree occupational therapy programs in the United States. Fifty-eight entry-level occupational therapy program directors completed a survey. Results showed that occupational therapy programs consistently use a wide variety of EBP resources for teaching EBP including database searches, literature reviews, and the development of a research proposal. Less commonly used strategies include the use of case stories and journal clubs. The current study provides a baseline of existing strategies taught in entry level programs that may be built upon to gather more information about the content of EBP coursework, and determine ways to foster implementation of EBP in practice.     

Brief or New: The Benefits of On-Line Learning in Occupational Therapy

SUMMARY

This paper discusses the benefits of incorporating an on-line program, such as Blackboard, into occupational therapy education to enhance the learning experience. An occupational therapy department at a midwestern university piloted the use of Blackboard in two classes in the spring semester of the junior year. Students (n = 16) ranging in age from 20–28 years participated in the pilot study, which lasted a period of 12 weeks. The students were given various assignments on Blackboard involving discussions, answering questions related to the lecture topic, and sharing evidence-based practice. Overall, the student perceptions of incorporating Blackboard into a traditional classroom were positive. Eighty-one percent of the students felt that Blackboard was easy to access, 75% felt that they could share thoughts and stories that they would not necessarily have shared in a classroom setting, and 81% felt that Blackboard expanded on lecture topics and relevant practice information. Data suggest that on-line learning can enhance the educational experience by building upon student fieldwork experiences, evidence-based practice, discussion of key concepts in the profession, and clinical reasoning.     

A self-directed fieldwork program to provide alternative occupational health placements for undergraduate occupational therapy students

Second-year students of undergraduate occupational therapy at the University of Newcastle, NSW, undertake a fieldwork placement in occupational health. However, sufficient placements are not always available. A new fieldwork program attempts to meet this need. Three groups of students conducted risk assessments throughout the academic year, with generally positive results. Students enjoyed the self-directed nature of the placement and the opportunity to learn generic and occupational health related skills. Although there were some limitations to the program, we believe that fieldwork placements met the learning needs of second-year students and offered them an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience related to occupational health practice in prevention.     

Supervisor and Student Expectations of Level II Fieldwork

SUMMARY

Objective: The purpose was to learn if fieldwork supervisors have greater expectations of students beginning Level II fieldwork compared to five years ago and how these compared to student expectations. Supervision was examined.

Methods: Data were obtained through questionnaires from 81 fieldwork supervisors and 29 students doing second fieldwork rotations.

Results: Supervisors have higher expectations of students. Supervisor and student expectations agreed. Demands of health care environments and new educational requirements influenced these changes. Supervisors still use traditional supervisory techniques.

Conclusion: Findings give insight into expectations of current students and help universities develop programs that better prepare students for fieldwork.     

Exploring the Complexity of the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Role

ABSTRACT

A nation-wide survey was conducted of occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant academic fieldwork coordinators (AFWCs) to describe demographic characteristics and tasks of the role. From the data, 10 clusters of role tasks of the AFWC are described. AFWCs view the position as a final career goal although the majority of respondents reported 5 years or less experience. Administrative assistant support and hours dedicated to fieldwork tasks are higher at the professional level than for occupational therapy assistant AFWCs. AFWCs reported difficulty accomplishing tasks in a 40-h work week and limited time for research and scholarship. Recommendations are provided for recruitment and retention through development of a systematic training program and establishment of a national fieldwork education research agenda.     

Competencia en Práctica Basada en la Evidencia y factores asociados en las enfermeras de Atención Primaria en España

ObjectiveTo describe the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) competency level in Primary Care (PC) nurses in Spain and to determine the associated factors.DesignCross-sectional, national survey design, carried out between January and March 2020.SettingPC in Spain.ParticipantsSeven hundred eighty PC active nurses in the National Health Service with at least one year of professional experience.Main measurements(1) Sociodemographic, professional and access to scientific information variables; (2) outcome variable: EBP competency (attitude, knowledge, skills and utilization) assessed through the EBP-COQ Prof© questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple lineal regression analyses were carried out.ResultsThe mean score for the EBP competency of the PC nurses was 131.5 (standard deviation [SD] 17.0), according to dimensions: attitude 36.8 (SD 3.6); knowledge 38.2 (SD 8.9); skills 23.0 (SD 3.5); and utilization 33.3 (SD 6.1). The number of articles read in the last month has showed the most influence on all the EBP-COQ Prof© dimensions, followed by EBP training (more than 150 h) and nursing students mentoring. The education level (master, specialist and doctorate) is associated with knowledge and skills dimensions, meanwhile belonging to a BPSO® center is associated with the EBP utilization.ConclusionsThese findings can guide PC service managers to plan strategies that improve the EBP competency level of the nurses, aimed mainly at achieving real application in clinical practice. However, it is necessary to consider the possible impact of selection bias on the results.     

Emotional Intelligence,Self-Efficacy,and Occupational Therapy Students’ Fieldwork Performance

ABSTRACT

This study explored the relationship of emotional intelligence level and self-efficacy to fieldwork performance for occupational therapy students. Occupational therapy students (n = 199) from 36 occupational therapy programs in the United States completed the two surveys, the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test and the Student Confidence Questionnaire, during their professional Level 2 fieldwork placements. The surveys were compared to the Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapy Student completed by the fieldwork educators. Results showed that degree of emotional intelligence, having a choice in the fieldwork setting, and having professional experience in a related setting were positively correlated to Fieldwork Performance scores. Students’ self-efficacy was not related to Fieldwork Performance scores. This suggests fostering students’ emotional intelligence and capacity for accurate skill appraisal supports fieldwork success.     

Learning and Supervisory Styles in the Training of Social Workers

This research investigated the learning and supervisory styles among a population of supervisors (N = 133) and social work trainees (N = 333). Using Kolb's Learning Style Index, the study looked at the ways learning styles change over the course of a three-year BSW program, distribution of supervisory styles among the fieldwork supervisors, and similarities and differences in styles between the two respective groups. The approaches used by supervisors to adjust their style to accommodate the learning needs of individual supervisees were also investigated. The findings allow us to infer that the learning styles of the students are more varied among themselves upon the commencement of studies than upon completion of the social work degree. The supervisees tend to move toward the styles that are prevalent among social workers. Almost all of the supervisors exhibit styles congruent with the styles typically found among social workers. In addition, supervisors tend to stick to their “natural” supervision style irregardless of the learning style of the specific supervisee. However, in the instances in which adjustments were made, the supervisors favored a certain degree of contrast between their supervisory style and the learning style of the supervisee in the supervisory dyad. The limitations of the study as well as the implications of its results for future research are discussed.     

Service Learning Can Make Occupation-Based Practice a Reality: A Single Case Study

ABSTRACT

Service learning is philosophically congruent with the objectives of progressive occupational therapy curricula. This article presents a case-based research study that examined the attributes and outcomes of a service-learning course that included Level I fieldwork. Analysis of the case study identified three themes: (a) the translation of theory to practice, (b) the value of contextual learning, and (c) the gestalt of occupational awareness. Service learning can be considered a pedagogical [2] model that promotes the synthesis of conceptual models to clinical practice. Furthermore, it enables students to develop a professional and personal philosophy of occupation earlier in their careers.     

A Descriptive Study on Level II Fieldwork Supervision in Hospital Settings

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine the factors influencing fieldwork educators’ ability and willingness to supervise Level II occupational therapy students in hospital-based settings. Qualitative focus groups were used to explore the perceptions of occupational therapists in four urban hospitals in Nebraska. The study presents the issues facing fieldwork supervisors and their suggestions on how to improve the fieldwork process. Both personal and professional factors influenced occupational therapists’ willingness to accept students, while facility constraints were the primary reason occupational therapists would not accept Level II students. Fieldwork educators believe that their facilities need structured fieldwork programs and that students need more formalized fieldwork preparation at their academic institutions. Themes highlight the need for continued collaborative endeavors between academic fieldwork coordinators and fieldwork educators.     

The Collaborative Model of Fieldwork Education: A Blueprint for Group Supervision of Students

ABSTRACT. Historically, occupational therapists have used a traditional one-to-one approach to supervision on fieldwork. Due to the impact of managed care on health-care delivery systems, a dramatic increase in the number of students needing fieldwork placement, and the advantages of group learning, the collaborative supervision model has evolved as a strong alternative to an apprenticeship supervision approach. This article builds on the available research to address barriers to model use, applying theoretical foundations of collaborative supervision to practical considerations for academic fieldwork coordinators and fieldwork educators as they prepare for participation in group supervision of occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students on level II fieldwork.     

The Betty Project: Jump-Starting Clinical Observation Skills in an OTA Curriculum

SUMMARY

In the practice environment of many therapy practitioners today, fieldwork educators may have limited time for instructing students in applying basic theoretical concepts. Educators are therefore challenged to develop students who have the tools necessary to be successful in the clinical world.

Based on input from fieldwork educators, the “Betty Project” was developed to provide opportunities for occupational therapy assisting students to hone clinical observation and documentation skills while still in a classroom setting. This modified role-play project gives students an opportunity to treat, make clinical observations, and learn to process and prioritize data for effective documentation.

After implementation of this project, student performance in these areas on Level II fieldwork was markedly improved, as evidenced by scores on the FWE as well as fieldwork educator comments.     

Short-Term Effects of an Obesity Prevention Program Among Low-Income Hispanic Families With Preschoolers

ObjectiveTo assess the short-term effects of an obesity prevention program promoting eating self-regulation and healthy food preferences in low-income Hispanic children.DesignRandomized controlled trial with pretest, posttest, and 6- and 12-month assessments.Setting and ParticipantsHead Start and similar early learning institutions in Houston, TX, and Pasco, WA. A total of 255 families with preschoolers randomized into prevention (n = 136) and control (n = 119) groups.InterventionMulticomponent family-based prevention program. Fourteen waves lasted 7 weeks each with 8–10 mother–child dyads in each group.Main Outcome MeasuresParent assessments included feeding practices, styles, and knowledge. Child assessments included child eating self-regulation, willingness to try new foods, and parent report of child fruit and vegetable preferences. Parent and child heights and weights were measured.AnalysisMultilevel analyses were employed to consider the nested nature of the data: time points within families within waves.ResultsThe program had predicted effects on parental feeding practices, styles, and knowledge in the pre- to post-comparisons. Effects on child eating behavior were minimal; only the number of different vegetables tried showed significant pre-post differences.Conclusions and ImplicationsShort-term effects of this prevention program highlight the importance of family-focused feeding approaches to combating child overweight and obesity.     

Improving management of vaccine supply chains: A multi-methods evaluation of vSTEP in Zambia

BackgroundEquipping supply chain professionals at all levels of the health care systems with essential leadership and management skills is essential to achieving global immunization targets. Numerous and diverse professional development initiatives have been established to support vaccine supply chain managers in Gavi-eligible countries. However, COVID-19 catalyzed rapid innovation in approaches to support leadership development in times of rapid change, and systematic evaluation of these approaches can inform future workforce development strategies to ensure resilient health systems. Therefore, we sought to evaluate outcomes and short-term impact of the fully virtual Strategic Training Executive Program 2.0 (vSTEP 2.0) program in Zambia on participant engagement, skill development, and application of new skills to improve supply chain performance.MethodsWe used a multi-method design to describe the outcomes and short-term impact of vSTEP 2.0 at three levels: (1) delegate response to the training experience (including participation, completion, and satisfaction); (2) delegate change in leadership skill (including achievement of learning objectives and change in competencies); and (3) application of new skills to impact supply chain performance.ResultsThe program achieved high levels of engagement and an 83% graduation rate despite the length and rigor of the program. High satisfaction was evidenced by positive feedback from delegates on the quality and relevance of the program, especially in the context of COVID response (100% would "definitely" recommend). Delegates demonstrated significant growth in all domains of leadership competencies and applied their learnings to address a complex challenge in supply chain performance in their home organization.DiscussionThese findings demonstrate a strong appetite for leadership development support among vaccine supply chain professionals, especially in times of rapid change such as during the COVID response. These results also demonstrate the feasibility and impact of a fully virtual model for leadership development, with implications well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Teaching Evidence-Based Practice in a Distance Education Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program: Strategies for Professional Growth and Advancing the Profession

ABSTRACT

The Centennial Vision of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) projects that by 2017 all occupational therapy (OT) practice areas will be supported by evidence. Achieving this goal requires preparing clinicians with the skills to assimilate, analyze, and apply research to their areas of practice and communicate the value of OT services to consumers and payers. These skills are at the heart of evidence-based practice (EBP). Educators must be prepared to teach EBP skills in both entry-level and postprofessional programs. This article outlines how EBP can be taught to postprofessional occupational therapy clinical doctoral students using a distance education format. Key features of a successful EBP course include having access to full-text electronic articles, opportunities for students to explore the literature in their own areas of interest, consistent and timely feedback on written work and discussion topics, and opportunities to collaborate with peers.