About the QOTFC and OT Clinical Education
The QOTFC and Occupational Therapy Clinical Education
This module contains information on the QOTFC, "myth busting" fact sheets about clinical education, and resources to assist occupational therapists contemplating and supporting the clinical education of students.
The benefits and responsibilities of clinical education are discussed as well as information to support occupational therapists engaging in student education. Fact sheets on gaining supervision skills; supporting students in private practice; facilitating student learning on placement; models and approaches to clinical education; and others, are available in this module as a resource to occupational therapists.
Want to know more about clinical education? This module provides information on additional support, training and resources available to the occupational therapist clinical educator.
Why does the QOTFC exist?
The primary impetus for the establishment of this group was the growing concern about the increasing difficulty in providing occupational therapy students with the requisite 1000 hours of clinical practice prior to graduation and as specified in the WFOT guidelines. Additionally, the major growth in provision of occupational therapy services in many new and non-traditional areas creates the additional challenge of ensuring that student fieldwork experiences reflect current practice.
What are the aims of the QOTFC?
- To uphold and promote a shared vision for the future of occupational therapy fieldwork
- To identify and promote issues facing the occupational therapy profession in relation to fieldwork
- To identify and promote options for supporting fieldwork educators
- To lead the discussion and critical evaluation of new an existing models
- To lead discussion about identification/promotion of strategies to increase placement opportunities
- To promote state-wide discussion and discourse about fieldwork education
- To promote productive discussion with major stakeholders.
What has been achieved?
- Launch of the Supervisor Tool Kit, developed as a mechanism of support for clinical supervisors available at www.otqld.org.au
- Private Practice Project jointly funded by the Universities, OT Australia - Queensland, and the Occupational Therapists Board of Queensland, to determine the validity of clinical education within private occupational therapy practice. A discussion paper titled "Creating "Win, Win, Win" for Students, Universities and Private Practitioners" detailing the outcomes of this project is available from Sylvia Rodger (s.rodger@uq.edu.au) or Yvonne Thomas (Yvonne.thomas@jcu.edu.au)
- Position paper on fieldwork education - available at www.otqld.org.au
- Plenary session and education workshop at the Qld State Occupational Therapy Conference in September 2004
- Completion of the Queensland Health funded project - Engaging the Clinicians: Occupational Therapists Promoting Fieldwork. This project was conducted between July 2006 - June 2007 with the aim of promoting engagement between clinicians (state-wide) and those organisations represented in the Collaborative. This project enabled us to engage 15 hubs across the state, representing regional areas and some special interest groups. After a Symposium in November 2006, hub champions from each region/group worked with their local OT groups to brainstorm ways of increasing student placements in the area.
- Conducted a survey on barriers and facilitators of clinical education among Queensland clinical educators.
- Provided representation to the Queensland Health Ministerial Taskforce on Clinical Education in Allied and Oral Health (2006).
- Presented poster: Rodger, S., Thomas, Y., Cathy McBryde, Ann Edwards, Jacqueline Broadbridge, Rachel Hawkins (2007)Innovative Partnerships and Resources for Supporting Clinical Education. June 2007. Asia Pacific Occupational Therapy Congress APOTC, Hong Kong.
- Authored paper: Rodger, S., Thomas, Y., Dickson, D., McBryde, C., Broadbridge, J., Hawkins, R., & Edwards, A. (in press March 2007). Putting students to work: Valuing fieldwork placements as a mechanism for recruitment and shaping the future occupational therapy workforce. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.
- Authored paper: Thomas, Y., Dickson, D., Broadbridge, J., Hopper, L., Hawkins, R., Edwards A., McBryde, C. (in press April 2007) Benefits and challenges of supervising occupational therapy fieldwork students: Supervisors' perspectives. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.
- Developed Placement Grant Scheme Guidelines to assist regions to approach industry/businesses to financially support and sponsor an occupational therapy student placement. These are available from the Fieldwork Staff at each University and can be sent electronically or in hard copy.
- Developed the Clinical Educator's Resource Kit will be launched at the Beef it Up! Conference in September and will subsequently be available at www.qotfc.edu.au
What is currently happening?
- Continued monthly meetings and ongoing communication about the Collaborative to the occupational therapy profession.
- Mental Health Project. This second Queensland Health funded QOTFC project 2007-2008 has just commenced with Sue Holley as Project Officer. This project Invigorating Mental Health Fieldwork aims to investigate the challenges to placements in this area and to implement some innovative solutions to placement provision. The funding will also assist us to provide additional supervision to new and emerging mental health placement models to be trialed during the project
- Presentations at Beef It Up September 2007 - survey paper and QOTFC workshop presentations.
- Forthcoming presentation: Thomas, Y., Rodger, S., Broadbridge, J., Hawkins, R., Edwards, A., McBryde, C. (2007) The QOTFC" Developing partnerships for practice education. Practice makes Perfect Conference. Vancouver, November 4-7, 2007.
How can you be involved?
If you have an interest in any of the projects listed above and would like to receive further information please link with the websites provided or contact the QOTFC project officer or members of the Collaborative. See OT contacts.
Detailed Contents List
For a more detailed list of contents of this module, see the Sitemap.
Note of thanks
Thank you to The University of Queensland, James Cook University, Princess Alexandra Hospital, QE11 Hospital and West Moreton Districts within Queensland Health who have happily contributed examples of tools and documents and made them available for use. These facilities request that you acknowledge the source when using these valuable resources.