An Introduction to Understanding the
OT and OTA Fieldwork
Performance Evaluations (FWPEs)
Karen Atler, MS, OTR
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Roberta Wimmer, OTR/L
Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR
 2003 The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
www.AOTA.org
Task Force Members
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Carole Dennis, PhD, OTR
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Carole Hays, MA, OTR
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Pueblo Community College, Colorado
Karen Atler, MS, OTR, Co-Chairperson
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Springfield Hospital Center, Maryland
Becky Robler, MEd, OTR
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Ithaca College, New York
Colorado State University
Roberta Wimmer, OTR, Co-Chairperson
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Pacific University, Oregon
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Objectives
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Describe the
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Entry-level practice competencies for OT
and OTA students
Purpose, format, content, and scoring of
the companion evaluation forms
New concepts and terminology used in the
FWPE from the OT Practice Framework
Begin to score items on the FWPE
3
Task Force’s Charge
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Revise/develop evaluation tools to measure
assistant and professional Level II fieldwork
student performance.
Expectations
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Conduct review of literature across disciplines
Synthesize feedback on current AOTA FWE/OT
forms
Incorporate 1997 NBCOT Practice Analysis results
Address identified desired characteristics
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Desired Characteristics
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Companion documents for assistant and
professional level that
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Measure entry-level competence
Focus on occupation-based practice
Reflect current and future practice
Can be used in a variety of settings
Provide feedback to students
Can be easily used in a timely manner
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NBCOT Practice Analysis 1997
What OTs & OTAs Do
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Determining needs/priorities for
interventions
Identifying/designing interventions
Implementing interventions
Reporting/evaluating intervention
effectiveness
Providing OT services for
populations
Managing delivery of OT services
Advancing effectiveness of
the OT profession
What OTs & OTAs Need To Know
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Human development and
performance
Principles/strategies in the
identification/evaluation of
strengths and needs
Principles/strategies in
intervention/treatment planning
Principles/strategies in
intervention
Nature of occupation and
occupational performance
Service management
Responsibilities as a professional
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Standards of Practice
for Occupational Therapy
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Identifies minimum standards
Identifies key performance areas for the OT
and OTA
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Professional standing and responsibility
Referral
Screening
Evaluation
Intervention plan
Intervention
Transition services
Discontinuation
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ACOTE: Minimum
Standards and Outcomes
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OT
Be a generalist
Achieve entry-level
competence
Articulate, apply, and justify
occupation interventions
Supervise and collaborate with
the OTA
Keep current with best practice
Uphold the ethics, values, and
attitudes of the profession
Be an effective consumer of
research and knowledge
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OTA
Be a generalist
Achieve entry-level
competence
Work under the supervision
of and in cooperation with
the OT
Articulate, apply, and justify
interventions related to
occupation
Keep current with best
practice
Uphold the ethics, values,
and attitudes of the
profession
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Goal of Level II Fieldwork
Education for the OT and OTA Student
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Develop competent, entry-level
generalists
Include an in-depth experience in
delivering occupational therapy services
Be designed to promote reasoning,
enable ethical practice, and develop
professionalism
9
The Process
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Began with OTA evaluation
Reviewed by experienced panel
Submitted to COE
Made revisions
Completed pilot studies (2 OTA, 1 OT)
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Design and Analysis of Pilot Studies:
The Rasch Measurement Model
less able
Student Ability
more able
11
Results of Pilot Studies
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Good representation in pilot samples
Students and educators preferred new form
Good scale and response validity
Inaccurate use of scale
Rating Scale Usage in Pilot Studies II and III
Rating Scale Descriptors
% Usage OT
% Usage OTA
1 = Unsatisfactory
0
0
2 = Needs Improvement
10
13
3 = Meets Standards
56
53
4 = Exceeds Standards
34
29
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The FWPEs for OT and OTA Students
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Companion documents
Terminology
Content layout
Purpose
Design
Rating scale
Scoring system
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FWPEs OT and OTA
Companion Documents
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Focus
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The occupational therapy process
The clinical reasoning process
Roles and responsibilities of the OT and OTA
Structure
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Collaborative process—student and FW educator
Same layout
Same rating/scoring system
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Terminology of the FWPEs
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Reflects
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Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy
and ACOTE Education Standards
Occupational Therapy Practice Framework
The glossary
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Content Layout of FWPEs
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Summary Sheet
Overview/instructions
Organization of items
Space for comments—midterm and final
Performance Rating Summary Sheet
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Content of OT and OTA Evaluations
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OTA
Fundamentals of practice (3)
Basic tenets (3)
Evaluation/screening (5)
Intervention (6)
Communication (2)
Professional behavior (6)
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OT
Fundamentals of practice (3)
Basic tenets (4)
Evaluation/screening (10)
Intervention (9)
Management of OT services (5)
Communication (4)
Professional behavior (7)
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Primary Purpose of the FWPEs
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Measures entry-level competence
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Designed to differentiate the competent
student from the incompetent student
Not designed to differentiate levels above
entry-level competence
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Purpose (continued)
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Provides student with accurate
assessment of his or her competence
for entry-level practice over time
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Growth occurs over time
Midterm and final scores reflect this
change
Midterm scores: Satisfactory–unsatisfactory
Final scores: Pass–no pass
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Purpose (continued)
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Provides feedback to student
Provides opportunity for student selfassessment
20
Design of the FWPEs
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The “doing” of the occupational therapy
process is evaluated, not the individual
tasks in isolation
NOT all items are equal in level of
difficulty (i.e., simple to complex)
Evaluation is supplemented with
development of site-specific objectives
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HARD
210-1-2Assigns resp OTA; 27
Selects rel asses methd; 9
Selects rel occu; 21
Produces work; 31
Clear documentation; 33
Org goals 30; verbl 32
Documents intrv; 26
Collaborates clnt; 7
Language reflects 35
Documents eval rslts 17
OTbeliefs 4 Obtain inf 12
Role of OT; 6
Rationale Tx 18,
Administer asses 13
Artic ratinal eval; 8
Artic value occ 5
Modifies approach 24
Underst finances; 29
Collaborates OTA 28
Occ prof 10, Adjst ass 14
Est Plan 16, Assess ftr 11
Updates; 25, Evidence 19
Interprets eval reslts; 15
Occupn based inter 23
Client centered interv 22
Timemng40; Legible 34
Collab c super;36
Workbeh 39, safety 2
Steps 3,Resp; 37
Interpersonal; 41
Respnds 2 fdbk 38
Diversity; 42
Ethics; 1
RASCH Ordering of Items OT
22
Easier
210-1-2Harder
Modifies Intrven Plan;17
Interprets Assessment;9
Selects Intervention;13
Activity Analysis; 15
Evidence BasedPractic 6
Plans Intervention; 12
Reports; 10
OT Philosophy; 4
Administer Assessmnts;8
Establishes Goals; 11
OT/OTA Roles 5DataGather
Verbal Communication; 18
Self-responsibility; 20
I Implements intervntn; 14
Written Communication;19
Therapeutic Use Self;16
Work Behaviors; 22
Interpersonal skills;24
Responds to Feedback;21
Safety; 2 and 3
Cultural competence; 25
Ethics; 1
Rasch Ordering of Items OTA
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Rating Scale of FWPEs
4 = Exceeds
Standards
Performance is highly skilled and self-initiated. This
rating is rarely given and would represent the top 5% of
all the students you have supervised.
3 = Meets
Standards
Performance is consistent with entry-level practice.
This rating is infrequently given at midterm and is a
strong rating at final.
2 = Needs
Improvement
Performance is progressing but still needs improvement
for entry-level practice. This is a realistic rating of
performance at midterm and some ratings of 2 may be
reasonable at the final.
1 = Unsatisfactory
Performance is below standards and requires
development for entry-level practice. This rating is given
when there is concern about performance.
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Scoring System of FWPEs
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Each item must be scored
Ethics and safety items must be passed
Each item rating recorded on
Performance Rating Summary Sheet
All items summed up at midterm and
final
Score compared to scales provided
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Midterm and Final Scores
of the FWPEs
OTA
Overall Midterm Score
Satisfactory: 54 & above
Unsatisfactory: 53 & below
Overall Final Score
Pass: 70 & above
No Pass: 69 & below
OT
Overall Midterm Score
Satisfactory: 90 & above
Unsatisfactory: 89 & below
Overall Final Score
Pass: 122 & above
No Pass: 121 & below
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Rating Performance
Using the FWPEs
Case Scenarios
John—OT Evaluation
Mary—OT Intervention
Sandra—OTA Evaluation/Screening
David—OTA Intervention
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Individualizing the FWPEs
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Designed for additional objectives to be
written to add clarification
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Site-specific objectives
NOT supervisor-specific
If an item is very clear and meets the
RUMBA test, then there is no need to
write another objective
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Objectives: An Example
From FWPE for the OT Student
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16. Establishes accurate and
appropriate plan
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School—Provides behavioral-based,
measurable OT goals during IEP process
Acute Care—Overall intervention plan is
achievable within client’s length of stay
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Summary
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Evaluations designed to measure entrylevel competence, NOT level of
performance above competency
OT practice examined as a generalist
Evaluations reflect the occupational
therapy process
Performance develops over time
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