SECTION 2: THE FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE

Purpose

The purpose of the fieldwork experience is to provide occupational therapy students with the opportunity to integrate academic knowledge with application skills at progressively higher levels of performance and responsibility. The unique contributions of fieldwork experience include the opportunity to test first-hand the theories and facts learned in academic study and to refine skills through client interaction under the supervision of qualified personnel. Fieldwork also provides the student with situations in which to practice interpersonal skills with patients/clients and staff and to develop characteristics essential to productive working relationships.

The goal of the educational process is to produce competent occupational therapy practitioners. Upon completion of Level II Fieldwork education, the student is expected to function at or above the minimum entry-level competence. Therefore, fieldwork experiences should be developed to offer opportunities for development of the necessary skills and abilities identified in the role delineation report.

Levels of Fieldwork

Level I

Level I fieldwork includes experiences designed to complement the related didactic course for the purpose of directed observations and participation in field settings. The Level I experience is not expected to emphasize independent performance. Level I provides exposure in psychosocial health, physical health, and pediatric populations to provide the student with some background to begin a Level II experience. The goal of Level I fieldwork is to introduce students to the fieldwork experience, to apply knowledge to practice, and to develop understanding of the needs of clients. Level I fieldwork courses are OTA 10192 - Fieldwork 1A, OTA 20392 - Fieldwork 1B, and OTA 20492 – Fieldwork 1C. Students MUST pass the Level I fieldwork experiences to be eligible for a passing grade in the course and progress in the program. No part of the Level I fieldwork may be substituted for any part of Level II fieldwork.

Per ACOTE Standards, Level I fieldwork may be met through one or more of the following instructional methods:

• Simulated environments
• Standardized patients
• Faculty practice
• Faculty-led site visits
• Supervision by a fieldwork educator in a practice environment

Level II

The goal of Level II fieldwork is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapy assistants. Level II fieldwork is intended to emphasize the application of an academically acquired body of knowledge by providing the student with an in-depth “hands on” experience in delivery of occupational therapy service to patients/clients. Level II fieldwork must be integral to the program’s curriculum design and must include an in-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients, focusing on the application of purposeful and meaningful occupation. The Level II fieldwork experiences are each eight (8) consecutive weeks/forty hours per week and comply with the work schedule of the assigned facility. These fieldwork rotations, OTA 21092—Clinical Applications I and OTA 21192—Clinical Applications II, are scheduled after all coursework has been successfully completed. The experience may be completed on a part-time basis, as long as it is at least 50% of an FTE at that site. The student can complete Level II fieldwork in a minimum of one setting if it is reflective of more than one practice area, or in a maximum of three different settings.

Note: Clinical education must be successfully completed within 18 months of the didactic coursework.

The following placements must be completed to fulfill the requirements of the program:

Fieldwork Contracts/Affiliation Agreements [MOU]

Prior to the student beginning fieldwork, an affiliation agreement with the facility is obtained. On the last page of the contract (before addendums) is a section for the facility representative, Kent State University Provost, and Kent State University General Counsel representatives to sign. The facility will be given a copy of the contract, and each campus will have an electronic or paper copy. Facility specific contracts must be reviewed by the University legal department and upon approval must be signed by facility and University representatives. Kent State University recommends that contracts are renewed every 5 years. This process is designed to be cyclical and is the responsibility of the AFWC. All contracts are automatically renewed annually unless 60 days’ notice of cancellation is given or received.

The OTA Program’s fieldwork sites are organized in a database. This database allows for an efficient contract status review and maintains site data and dates of all contracts. Communication with fieldwork sites is also maintained through periodic visits to each facility, telephone conversations and written correspondence. The AFWC regularly assesses the quantity and quality of available fieldwork education opportunities to determine if new fieldwork sites need to be recruited in accordance with student, faculty, and advisory board input. Fieldwork sites will also be asked to submit any changes to their fieldwork data every 2 years (telephone or email updates are acceptable) to maintain current information on all fieldwork sites. All active fieldwork sites are to be provided with updated fieldwork manuals or addendums of changes every 2 years.

If a fieldwork site is discovered to be inappropriate for fieldwork education, it will be eliminated from the active file list.

Student Placement Process

After a contract is completed, the next step is the actual student placement. The AFWC will contact you approximately 6 months to one year in advance for specific affiliations. This process is two-fold:

1. An email through our fieldwork management system will be sent with placements and specific dates of the fieldwork experience.
2. A reservation form indicating how many students you wish to accept and any special comments you may have. The reservation form is submitted  through the fieldwork management system.

In the next phase of the placement process, a list of available sites for the affiliation is given to the students based on the information received from the reservation forms. Students will have the opportunity to submit their choice of practice settings. The assignment of specific facilities is the responsibility of the AFWC and is the final phase of placement. Once the site placement is determined, confirmation with the student’s name and contact information is sent to the facility. If your site was not chosen for student placement, we also send notification so that you may offer this slot to another program.

The placement process does take some time. Students cannot be placed until all student choices forms have been returned and tallied. It may be months between the times you submit your reservation form until you get a letter confirming placement. We assume that if you have given us a reservation form indicating your ability to take a student, we can depend on that spot being reserved for a Kent State OTA student. (An example of the reservation form is shown on the next page).

Student Assignment of Fieldwork Sites

Fieldwork site placements are decided on by the academic fieldwork coordinator [AFWC] and/or program director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Students will have the opportunity to submit their choice of settings, but the final decision is the responsibility of the academic fieldwork coordinator.

When assigning a student to a placement, the student’s place of residence and preference will be taken into consideration, but it may not always be possible to accommodate all requests. The student will likely be required to complete fieldwork assignments out of the local county area. Most fieldwork sites are within a 60-mile radius of the student’s home. Occasionally students request out of state placements for the experience. These requests should be discussed with the academic fieldwork coordinator at least 6 months in advance to allow time to establish a contract with a new facility. The distance to some Level II fieldwork sites may make temporary relocation advisable. Students wishing to secure temporary housing closer to a facility will be responsible for their own room and board in most cases.

Students may not be placed in a facility due to the following circumstances:

1. facility where a relative is employed in the same department or unit,
2. facility where a Level I fieldwork experience was completed,
3. facility where student has worked or is working, and
4. facility where an immediate family member is a resident, an enrolled student, or is receiving services.

Students are responsible for their own transportation and related expenses (meals, parking, etc.). The student who expects to complete the Program must be able to meet this financial obligation.

Students may NOT contact facilities as a potential fieldwork site. If they have a facility in mind, they are to notify the academic fieldwork coordinator. This is to ensure that proper development of the placement site occurs and to prevent miscommunication.

If the student is unable to complete the entire fieldwork component of his/her education, the student will be unable to meet the academic requirement of the OTA Program. Any student unable to meet all academic requirements of the Program will be dismissed.

To ensure both patient and student safety and because of contractual agreements, students must follow certain professional practices. Prior to the  assignment of the first Level I fieldwork experience, all students must demonstrate proof of liability insurance, physical examination, CPR certification, current immunizations, and criminal background checks. Required information will be discussed at new student orientation and proof of requirements will be uploaded by student to a fieldwork management system for clearance. One or two step Mantoux, flu vaccine, and criminal background checks must be repeated annually with results submitted to the fieldwork management system. Any changes in health status due to injury, medical condition, or pregnancy should be reported to the program director as soon as possible.

Selection of Fieldwork Sites

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is committed to providing quality fieldwork education to Level I & II students. A fieldwork site criteria  assessment is completed, and sites are selected based on the following information:

1. Practice setting, caseload (adults, pediatrics or geriatrics), types of fieldwork (psychosocial, physical disabilities, developmental), location (inpatient, outpatient, home health) and level of fieldwork (Level I or II).
2. Adequate space and equipment to complete OT intervention, cleanliness, and staff interactions.
3. Administrative support is evaluated for schedule flexibility, adequate time for supervision and guidance, in-services and continuing education opportunities.
4. Diverse learning opportunities are considered such as: scope of service, service population, opportunities to observe, complete screenings, intervention plans, types of interventions, instruction, and documentation, attend team meetings, fieldtrips, and networking to determine if it reflects sequence, depth, focus and scope of content in the curriculum design.
5. Student supervision is important in relation to student/staff ratio, percentage of time spent communicating with students about different experiences.
6. Number of years of experience as a fieldwork educator.

The above information is collected, and the fieldwork coordinator determines appropriateness. The academic fieldwork coordinator may complete a site visit, when possible, to ensure the fieldwork site reflects the academic program’s curriculum design and to meet the fieldwork educator before a student may be placed in a particular site.

Exclusion criteria for potential fieldwork sites includes:

• Fieldwork educator lacking in experience or preparation to serve in this capacity.
• Inadequate caseload to support student learning.
• The facility’s policies and/or treatment practices are not congruent with OTA program.

The academic fieldwork coordinator shares the following information:

1. Curriculum design
2. Mission Statement & Philosophy
3. Fieldwork objectives
4. Fieldwork educator’s responsibilities
5. Student supervision

A verification form is signed by both parties indicating the above information was shared.

Student Accessibility and Fieldwork

Students, academic fieldwork coordinator, and fieldwork educator should collaborate to determine if appropriate and effective accommodations for a disability are needed for the fieldwork setting. Under Section 504 and the ADA, institutions are obligated to provide accommodations only to known limitations of an otherwise qualified student. This obligation does not start until the student notifies the site about the existence of a disability and makes a direct or specific request for accommodation. If accommodation is not needed or desired at the fieldwork site, the student does not have to disclose his or her disability. It is the sole decision of the student whether to disclose his or her disability to the fieldwork educator. Any academic problems, grades, or situations that occurred before the disclosure or request will remain unchanged.

Fieldwork sites are to follow ADA guidelines but may not be able to make accommodation for some situations. Accommodations are tools to address the functional limitations, not the disability, of the person to perform the essential functions and tasks of a student. Accommodations are adjustments or modifications that enable students with disabilities to participate equally in the educational experience. Please contact the Coordinator of Student Accessibility Services at your campus with questions or concerns.

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Responsibilities [AFWC]

1. Establish and maintain contractual agreements between KSU and the fieldwork education facilities.
2. Notify the fieldwork educator in writing of fieldwork experience dates at least 4-6 months prior to their occurrence.
3. Assign students to a facility for each fieldwork experience. The primary criterion for the placement will always be the educational experience.
4. Send specific student and fieldwork assignment, location and phone number and contact person at least 4 weeks prior to the start date of an experience to the facility.
5. Provide the student with fieldwork assignment, location, phone number and contact person at least 4 weeks prior to the beginning date of an experience.
6. Contact the fieldwork educator by phone and/or complete a site visit at least once during each Level I & II fieldwork experience to discuss student progress.
7. Consult and mediate with the student and fieldwork educator regarding any clinic related problems.
8. Assist fieldwork experience facilities in developing quality educational programs for students.