Panola College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
OTHA 2266 and 2267
Practicum I and II
Level II Fieldwork
Summer and Fall 2014
Fieldwork Educator
Manual - 2014
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Table of Contents
1.
AOTA’s recommended content for a facility’s student manual - page 3
Please visit www.aota.org for much more helpful information.
2.
Fieldwork Academic Appeals Process- page 4
Hopefully we never reach this point…but if there is a problem, please begin this process
ASAP.
3. Grading Procedures -page 5
AOTA’s grading form will be used to assess the student’s performance. The student will
provide the AOTA Performance Evaluation at the end of the rotation.
4. Student Attendance – page 6
5. Collaboration between the AFWC and Fieldwork Educator – page 6
6. Student Supervision – page 6
7. Weekly Performance Update forms (optional)- pages 7 and 8
Weekly update forms designed for you and the student are included. Please use these
forms or a similar method to document weekly meetings with your student to address
areas that need improvement. This form can be used proactively to facilitate student
development throughout the rotation. The students also have this form to use in assisting
them to ask for your input on certain topics or areas of improvement.
8. Student Evaluation of Fieldwork Instruction- pages 9 and 10
The student will use this form to provide feedback to the FWE about the
fieldwork experience.
9. Midterm Overall Performance Report Form – page 11
The student will ask you to complete this form at midterm to clarity their current
progress, strengths, areas of growth and upcoming expectations.
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Recommended Content for a Student Fieldwork Manual
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Orientation Outline
Assignments
Safety Procedures/Codes
Site Specific Fieldwork Objectives (objectives beyond those established in the AOTA
grading form)
Week-by-Week Schedule of Responsibilities
Patient Confidentiality Information (Patient Rights)
Guidelines for Documentation:
o Completed samples of all forms
o Acceptable medical abbreviations
o Discharge plan
o Billing
o Dictation Directions, if applicable
The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process
Additional information that can gradually be added to the student manual
1. Organizational Chart of the Fieldwork Setting
2. History of the Fieldwork Setting
3. Department Information
o Policy and procedures
o Mission statement
o Organizational chart
o Essential job functions
o Dress code
4. Regularly Scheduled Meetings:
o Dates\times
o Purpose of meeting
5. Special Client Related Groups\Programs
o Purpose
o Referral system
o Operation
o Transport
6. Patient Confidentiality Information (Patient Rights)
7. Responsibilities of:
o Fieldwork educator
o Student
o Fieldwork coordinator (if position exists)
8. Performance Evaluation
Procedure and guidelines used in the evaluation of
o Student
o Fieldwork Educator
o Overall Fieldwork Experience
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Fieldwork performance concerns may be identified at any point by the FWE, course instructor,
student, and/or the AFWC. Students may contact the AFWC at any time if he or she has a
concern. To foster clinical reasoning, the student will be encouraged to resolve issues as
independently and professionally as possible. If unresolved concerns remain, the FWE, AFWC,
student and course instructor will discuss problem areas and strategies for success. In such
cases, the AFWC will remain in weekly contact with the FWE, the course instructor and/or the
student until the issues are resolved. The OTA Program Director may be asked to participate in
meetings or discussions at any time during the process. All conference minutes and information
related to student performance are maintained in a secured file in the OTA department. A
student may file an appeal through the academic appeals process described below.
Fieldwork Academic Appeal Process
The following steps should be followed by as student wishing to file an appeal regarding
fieldwork education:
Step 1: Resolution with Fieldwork Educator (FWE)
The student who believes he/she has a legitimate appeal should first discuss the concern with the
Fieldwork Educator. The Fieldwork Educator is responsible for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Seeking the underlying causes of the problem or concern.
Rendering a fair and impartial decision based on the facts relevant to the issues involved.
Consulting, with the course instructor and/or the AFWC for a solution to the problem.
Documenting all efforts to settle the issue.
Notifying the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator promptly if a complaint has not been
resolved.
If the student stills feels the problem has not been resolved, he or she, can proceed to step 2 and
file a formal academic appeal. A formal appeal must be submitted in writing to the OTA
Program Director and must include a description of the problem, the history of efforts to resolve
the problem and the requested remedy.
Step II: Formal Appeal
When the program director receives the written notification of grievance by the student the
following will occur:
1. The fieldwork course instructor and the academic fieldwork coordinator will collaboratively
form an action plan.
2.
Action plans may include but are not limited to:





Contacting the student for gathering of data, counseling and/or advisement.
Contacting the FWE for clarifying information. Resolution may be possible at this
point with resources, advising, etc.
Review of current OTA program and fieldwork site policies.
Arranging for a site visit to meet with the student and FWE to clarify areas where
misunderstanding may exist due to a failure by either party to property clarify their
intentions. The program director may attend this meeting.
Providing the FWE and/or student with resources for solving the grievance and for
optimizing the learning experience.
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3. Assigned OTA faculty/staff will document the details of the situation and place into the
appropriate student file and send copy to program director.
Step III: Final Resolution
The Program Director will be responsible for:
1.
2.
Reviewing documentation and recommendations from the AFWC, course instructor and
FWE.
Collaborating with the AFWC, course instructor and FWE to determine a course of action.
Fair and impartial decisions/actions will be made based on the facts relevant to the issues
involved.
If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of the matter then he or she may continue with
the academic appeals process as described in the Student Pathfinder. If a decision was made to
withdraw a student from the fieldwork site, the student will not be assigned to a different site
until the appeal is fully resolved.
Grading Procedures
Students will be graded according to the “Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the
Occupational Therapy Assistant Student” (FWPE*). There are 100 possible points divided up
over 6 main areas: Fundamentals of Practice, Basic Tenets of OT, Evaluation/Screening,
Intervention, Communication, and Professional Behaviors. Each section has 3 to 6 questions
pertinent to its content. In order to pass this course, a student must earn a minimum point score
of 70. However, the assignment of final grades is the responsibility of the course instructor with
input from the fieldwork educator(s). The student’s grade on the FWPE will be a number from
0-100. However, the OTA Program records the final grade for this practicum as PASS OR
FAIL, i.e. the numerical grade will not affect the student’s overall GPA.
*For items that are not relevant or do not fit the specific fieldwork site, an individualized
objective should be written to replace the standard version. For example, under communication,
if your documentation system is electronic, you may add specific objectives that the student must
master. One such objective might be that the student will complete electronic documentation of
daily and weekly OT interventions. Examples of many specific objectives can be found on the
OTA Program website.
A midterm evaluation of the student’s performance is required by the end of the 5th week of the
rotation.
Student Attendance
The student must complete 320 hours of fieldwork education in order to pass this rotation. If a
student is tardy (arrives late or departs early) or is absent on the assigned days of fieldwork,
he/she MUST notify the course instructor AND the FWE by telephone prior to the assigned
reporting time. Each failure to follow this policy will result in point reduction from the student’s
grade and will result in disciplinary actions as described in the Student Policy Manual. If the
student fails to follow this procedure a third time, he/she will be withdrawn from the OTA
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Program. All absences from clinical experience must be made up at a time convenient to the
FWE and agreed upon by the course instructor.
Collaboration between the AFWC and Fieldwork Educator
The AFWC collaborates with the site FWE to establish an education plan prior to the beginning
of each rotation. Correspondence may be via e-mail, USPS, fax, phone or face to face. At
midterm, the AFWC contacts the FWE again to check on the student’s progress. The FWE may
contact the AFWC at any time for support, educational resources or to discuss student progress.
Student Supervision
Initially, when the student is participating with clients, the FWE or other assigned professional
should maintain direct supervision. Direct supervision is considered to be within visual
distance. As the student progresses in skill level, supervision may decrease to less direct as is
appropriate for the setting and client condition. The level of student supervision is to be
determined by the FWE on a case by case basis.
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Panola College OTA Program
OTHA 2266 & 2267 Practicum I &II
Suggested Weekly Discussion Questions - for FW Educator
1.
What strengths have you identified in the student this week? In which areas have you
noticed improvement?
2.
Weaknesses? Areas to improve?
3.
What interventions are planned to help the student improve in these areas?
4.
What goals were not met this week?
5.
What is the plan to accomplish these goals?
Comments:
Fieldwork Educator
Student
Date
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OTHA 2266 & 2267
Practicum I & II
Suggested Weekly Discussion Questions – for OTA student
1. I am still having problems with
2. I see myself getting better with
3. So far, the area I feel most competent in is
4. Right now, I am still afraid to
5. What I appreciate most about my FWE is
6. I think I might learn better if my FWE would
7. I would like to have more practice with
_________________________
Fieldwork Educator
_________________________
Student
____________
Date
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Panola College OTA Program
Student Evaluation of Fieldwork Instruction
Student Name: ______________________________Course: __________________
Facility Name: __________________________________________
This evaluation tool should be completed (typed) by the student and discussed with the
fieldwork educator (FWE) at both midterm and by the last week of the fieldwork rotation. A copy
should be left with the FWE and the final original returned to the course instructor by the
published due date.
Complete the questions below thoughtfully and accurately.
Provide constructive feedback with examples for your score in each area.
1. Clinical Site
The clinical site provides a student-friendly environment that supports the learning process.
1
Strongly Disagree
Comments:
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Strongly Agree
2. Professionalism
The fieldwork educator (FWE) demonstrates professional behaviors consistent with those
instilled by the Panola College OTA program. (ie. initiation, dependability, respectfulness,
organization, communication skills, cooperation, and adherence to safety requirements)
1
Strongly Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Strongly Agree
Comments:
3. Therapeutic Use of Self
The fieldwork educator cultivates a therapeutic relationship (planned use of personality as a part
of the intervention process) and demonstrates the ability to connect interpersonally with their
clients.
1
2
3
4
Strongly Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Disagree
Comments:
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4. Clinical Reasoning
The fieldwork educator demonstrates and discusses clinical reasoning for selection of evidence
based treatment intervention types. (FWE explains why the intervention is the best choice)
1
Strongly Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Strongly Agree
Comments:
5. Practice Skills
The fieldwork educator demonstrates the ability to implement effective occupation based, client
centered interventions (meaningful to client and goal directed).
1
Strongly Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Strongly Agree
Comments:
6. Suggestions
A. The best part about being at this facility was….
B. Something you might think about adding to this experience is…..
We have mutually shared and clarified the information above.
Date: ____________________
Fieldwork Educator:
__________________________ ________________________
(printed name)
(signature)
Student:
__________________________ _________________________
(printed name)
(signature)
(Signature)
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OTHA 2266/2267
Midterm Performance Rating
Student: ________________________
Date: ___________
AOTA Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) midterm total score: ____________
Please circle one of the following ratings that best reflect the student’s overall midterm
performance standing:
Rating
Criteria
Actions for FWE
The student’s performance is far below
 Call the course
expectations. Failure is imminent unless the
instructor
The student’s
student’s performance significantly
 Send a copy of the
FWPE to the
performance is
improves. A plan of action has been created
significantly below
and discussed with the student. The student
instructor
 Establish a clear
standards.
is aware that in order to pass this rotation,
action plan for
progress must be seen weekly per the
established action plan.
improvement
The student is progressing but lacks skills in  Call the course
specific areas that must be improved in order
instructor
The student could be to pass this rotation. A plan of action has
 Send a copy of the
at risk of failing the
been discussed with the student and
FWPE to the
rotation.
documented. The student is aware that in
instructor
order to pass this rotation, progress must be
 Establish a clear
seen weekly per the established action plan.
action plan for
improvement
The student is performing at a “just right”
 Continue to monitor
level at this time and should pass the rotation
progress and ensure
The student is
if performance continues at the present pace.
that the student has
meeting most of the
opportunity to
performance
improve low scores
standards.
The student is
exceeding in most of
the standards
The student is performing at a skilled level
and is expected to pass this rotation if
performance continues at the present pace.
_____________________________
FW Educator Signature
_____________________________
OTAS Signature
** The student must fax this form and action plan (if applicable) to the Panola College OTA
office by the fifth week of each rotation. Fax #: 903-694-4010
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