Part Three - Innovative Clinical Placements in Mental Health

What Are Innovative Placements?

Innovative clinical placements are those that extend beyond the 'traditional' or 'apprenticeship' model of student supervision. The traditional or apprenticeship model involves one student per clinical educator (see Clinical Placement Models section in Part 1 - Pre placement Considerations of this Kit for further information). The traditional clinical placement model has been extensively used in mental health.

However, to create opportunities to increase the number of student placements available in mental health, and to increase flexibility for Occupational Therapists in the mental health field, there are some other models of clinical placements that you might like to consider. These models have been trialled and evaluated within mental health settings.

These models include:

  • The Collaborative Clinical Placement Model
  • The Role Emerging Clinical Placement Model

There are also 3 other types of clinical placement that will be discussed in this section, that are of relevance to the mental health area:

  • The Inter-agency Clinical Placement Model
  • Shared Clinical Placement Model
  • Students within Mental Health Private Practice
These models have not been formally evaluated during the course of this project, but may present considerable further potential for increasing the number and variety of mental health clinical placements available for clinical educators and students. Preliminary ideas on how to make them work within your organisation will be discussed.

There is no current research to suggest that one particular model of clinical placement is superior to another (Lekkas et al, 2007). In fact all models of clinical placements have their own unique qualities, with advantages and disadvantages, so consider which option may be the most suitable to your particular workplace.

For further information on any of the models discussed, you may also like to contact you local University Clinical Education staff.

Next ---> The Collaborative Clinical Placement Model