Basic Steps:
-
Analyze Your Facility
-
Collaboration With the Academic
Program
-
The Fieldwork Contract or Letter of
Agreement
-
Develop Student Resources
The steps to starting a
fieldwork program are outlined below. Do not feel
that you need to have an elaborate program in place
before you accept your first student. Start with the
basics and add as you learn from both the students
and staff who participate in the fieldwork program.
-
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 participating 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.
-
Collaboration With the Academic
Program
In the preliminary stages of developing a
fieldwork program, it is helpful to
contact at least one
academic program. The academic fieldwork
coordinator can provide you with guidance and
resource material needed to start a student
program.
The academic programs with which you contract
will provide information on their specific
OT/OTA program. This information may include the
program's 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.
-
The Fieldwork Contract or Letter of
Agreement
The contract or letter of agreement serves as a
legal document between the fieldwork site and
the academic program. The contract should state
the rights, fieldwork requirements, and
obligations of the academic program, fieldwork
site, and students. A written agreement is
required for all Fieldwork Level I and II
placements. The academic 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.
Begin this step early, as it may involve several
exchanges between both legal counsels of the
revised contract.
-
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 the 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 objectives 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.
Some fieldwork programs correlate their
objectives with AOTA's fieldwork
evaluations. Other fieldwork programs write
weekly objectives that culminate in
entry-level skills. Writing the learning
objectives will prove to be invaluable to
both students and fieldwork educators.
Obtain examples of objectives from an
academic fieldwork coordinator or your
regional fieldwork consultant.
-
Fieldwork Student Manual - The
manual will serve as a valuable resource for
students and fieldwork educators. See paper
titled
"Recommended Content for A Student
Fieldwork Manual."
-
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.
-
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, specific evaluation or treatment
interventions utilized by the facility,
documentation, equipment use, etc. Try to
make the sessions as participatory as
possible with presentations made by
different staff members or experienced
students.
Don't spend excess time "reinventing the wheel."
Contact your academic fieldwork coordinator for examples and
assistance.
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