1. Maximizing your Fieldwork Experience, a Fieldwork Educator and Former Student Perspective
Christine DeFiglio, OTR
OT Student Clinical Coordinator, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Anthony Castronovo, MS, OTR
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Catherine Colucci, MA, OTR
UMDNJ- Director Proposed OTA Program

2. Objectives
Identify roles and responsibilities of the fieldwork student and educator
To understand the key elements for a successful fieldwork experience
Identify strategies for establishment of a collaborative fieldwork educator and student relationship
To understand the expectations for and characteristics of a successful fieldwork student

3. What is Fieldwork?
The purpose of fieldwork education is to propel each generation of OT practioners from the role of a student to that of a practioner. Through the fieldwork experience, future practioners achieve competence in applying the OT process and using evidence base interventions to meet the OT needs of a diverse client population. (AOTA, 2009)

4. The transition from classroom to clinic is one of the most challenging experiences you as a student will have
The routine of clinical practice is one of discovery and learning from clients, and testing out one’s own clinical judgment's
This can be accomplished along with fieldwork educators during your affiliations

5. There is no substitute for the experience gained in the practice settings of occupational therapists

6. Fieldwork Educator Role
Facilitator of the fieldwork process
Support for the student
Provide guidelines
Creates and adapts the learning environment
Encourages dialogue
Challenges students thinking

7. Student Role Effective communication
Keep treatment individualized. (Every client is unique)
Flexible
Open to feedback
Open minded
Take initiative
Utilize good time management skills
Utilize resources effectively
Safety always a priority!!

8. Facilitator of the fieldwork Process
The facilitator is a teacher
Observe, assess and gives feedback
Facilitates understanding of evaluations and interventions from an occupation based perspective
Creates assignments that incorporate the principles of occupation based practice
Facilitates ability to analyze interventions in terms of preparatory, purposeful and occupation based practice
Coach

9. Support
The fieldwork educator takes a personal interest in the student and offers leadership, guidance and advice on issues encountered during fieldwork
The FWE nurtures and supports the student, providing information, role modeling, teaching and counseling, to open doors that provide students with as many opportunities as possible

10. Provides Guidelines
Establishes the role of the student in the site setting
Provides expectations and responsibilities
Establishes goals
Establishes learning objectives
Ex: orientation, weekly responsibilities, weekly evaluation

11. Creates a learning environment
In order to create the best learning environment for a student, the FWE needs to understand the students learning style
Learning style refers to the characteristic ways in which individuals collect, organize and transform data into useful information
Understanding the learning style can shape the course of the affiliation

12. Types of Learning styles
Visual/Non verbal learner
Pictures and designs, Videos/charts
Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner
Hands on
Visual/Verbal
Written words, handouts, note taking
Auditory/Verbal Learner
Oral strategies, tape recorder, discussion

13. WHAT TYPE OF LEARNER ARE YOU?

14. Encourages Dialogue
Communication between the student and FWE is extremely important
FWE encourages participation in supervision
Asks probing or thought provoking questions
Gives constructive criticism

15. Key Components to a Successful Fieldwork Experience
Communication Professionalism Self Direction Clinical Reasoning

16. Communication Effectively communicate both verbally and non verbally
Use appropriate language/ spelling based on site requirements
Seek/accept feedback
Feedback is a crucial motivating factor in learning
Reviews level of performance, strengths, areas to grow, where to improve performance or change behaviors, review barriers to achieving goals

17. DO NOT EXPECT TO KNOW EVERYTHING!!!
Communication
Utilize logs or journals
FWE’s cannot read minds
Utilize weekly and daily supervision sessions
Communicate with other therapists and disciplines at your site
DO NOT EXPECT TO KNOW EVERYTHING!!!

18. Collaboration Between FWE and FWS
Fieldwork Feedback Tool Poor Good Fair Great Week: (#) _________ Goals Met (#) _________ Goals Not Met (#) _________ This week was: Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Positive Experiences: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Challenging Experiences: Plan for improving and/or developing: Adequate Too Much Too Little Supervision provided is: Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. Collaboration Between FWE and FWS
Goals for next week:
________________________________________________________________________
See additional comments/goals on back
Additional Forms/Pages are attached
Student Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ________________
Fieldwork Educator Signature: ___________________________ Date: ________________
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Signature: ________________ Date: ________________
Note: This form is to be completed collaboratively each week by student and supervisor. Formal, regular scheduled, weekly supervisory meetings are recommended. Please contact the Academic Coordinator in the event of unsatisfactory fieldwork performance or experience.

20. Collaboration between FWE and FWS
Weekly journal review based on current patient population or treatment techniques or activities ( evidence based research)

21. Professionalism Display consistent work behaviors
Effective time management
Positive interpersonal skills
Demonstrate respect for diversity
Professional dress and behavior
Maintain rapport with clients/ families and other staff
Respect HIPPA and confidentiality

22. SOCIAL NETWORKING and FIELDWORK
Professionalism
SOCIAL NETWORKING and FIELDWORK

23. Self Direction Awareness of ones own learning process and outcomes
Responsible for learning abilities
Self direction in performing learning activities and solving problems
Learning with and through others
Need to learn to identify problems and limitations in own knowledge
Evidence based practice

24. Clinical Reasoning
Development of analyses and self reflection as well as practice skills
Move beyond technical skills
Thinking and reasoning challenges across practice setting
The process used by practioners to plan, direct, perform and reflect on client care

25. Clinical Reasoning is a skill that is ongoing throughout a lifetime of clinical practice

26. Procedural Reasoning Narrative Reasoning
Consider and use interventions identified to be effective
Science based
Influenced by work setting
Narrative Reasoning
Personal approach to a clients individual situation
Finding outs a clients story, COPM

27. Pragmatic Reasoning Ethical Reasoning
Practicalities of service delivery
Reimbursement, equipment, productivity standards
Ethical Reasoning
Ethical dilemmas

28. Interactive Reasoning Conditional Reasoning
Building positive interpersonal relationships with clients
Partner with client to identify problems and goals
Therapeutic use of self
Conditional Reasoning
Blend of all reasoning
Respond to challenging conditions
Anticipate several different client outcomes

29. Strategies for success
Volunteer in the OT field Prior to starting fieldwork -Review textbooks and material related to site - brush up on goal writing - Theories, frames of references - MMT, ROM - transfer techniques - medical terminology - clinical reasoning - diagnosis specific to site, code of ethics - Within the first week- review equipment supplies/activities to brainstorm treatment ideas based on your client’s needs and goals.

30. Strategies for Success
Don’t expect to know everything, ask questions
Use your FWE and resources available for optimal learning
Take initiative for own learning, be an active learner
Practice effective time management and stress management
Allow time during the day for documentation, be prepared to bring work home
Be flexible
Know expectations
Be open and receptive to learning new things

31. Strategies for success
Know your setting!
Acute
Sub acute
Long term care
Out patient

32. Red Flags

33. Attitude
Professionalism
Communication (verbal and non-verbal)
Safety issues (transfers, body mechanics, vital signs, following precautions)
Competence in basic skills (ADL’s, MMT, ROM, transfers)

34. QUESTIONS????

35. References
Barnes, M.A. & Thornton, A.L. Supervision. In Sladyk, K. (2002). The successful occupational therapy fieldwork student. Thorofare, NJ: Slack, Inc.
Futman, S.A., McCreedy, P., & Heisler, P. (1997). Student level II fieldwork failure: Strategies
for intervention. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52(2),
Richard, L.F. (2008). Exploring connections between theory and practice: Stories from fieldwork supervisors. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 24(2),
Whitehouse, D. (2002). Fixing fieldwork problems. In Sladyk, K. (2002). The successful occupational therapy fieldwork student. Thorofare, NJ: Slack, Inc.

36. References
AOTA. (2009), Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Value and Purpose. American Journal of Occupational Therapy 63(Nov/Dec).
AOTA (2006). The Level II Fieldwork Survival Guide.
Tryssenaar, J, Perkins, J. ( 2001). From Student to therapist: Exploring the first year of practice. American Journal of Occupational Therapy (55) 1,
Tannenbaum, H. (2009). Creating congruence between identities as a fieldwork educator and practitioner. [Special section]. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 19(2), 1-4.
Nolinske, Terrie. (1995). Multiple Mentoring Relationships Facilitate Learning during Fieldwork. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49 (1),

38. Contact Information
Christine DeFiglio:
Anthony Castronovo:
Catherine Colucci: