Increasing Self-Efficacy through Role Emerging Placements: Implications for Occupational Therapy Experiential Learning

Abstract

Fieldwork education is an essential component of occupational therapy curriculum design and student development. Today's students are faced with a variety of challenges in the changing, diverse healthcare system, and educators need to ensure there are placements that best prepare them for these demands. Role emerging fieldwork offers an opportunity to not only meet the curricular requirements of fieldwork education, but also afford students the chance to develop confidence and skills unique to this kind of placement. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore graduate occupational therapy students' self-efficacy before and after a Level I role emerging fieldwork experience, and in addition, the potential personal or professional transformation that occurred as a result. Data was collected from 36 students using a pre-post survey with the Student Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ). The findings revealed a statistically significant growth in each of the seven areas of the SCQ (Risk Taking, Supervision, Communication, Adaptability, Innovation, Clinical Practice, and Professional Competence), which led to an increase in self-efficacy, personal and professional development, and a further understanding of the role of occupational therapy. Results indicated the influential impression role emerging fieldwork leaves on the growth and autonomy of the student and provides a potential solution for programs to meet the accreditation standards for all level of experiential learning.

Collaborative Learning in a Faculty-led Occupational Therapy Level I Fieldwork: A Case Study

“…This case study explored the experience of students in a faculty-led Level I fieldwork that was developed using a CLM. The primary themes discovered in the data were supported by literature on CLM in both Level I and Level II fieldwork (Binyamin, 2018;Boniface et al, 2012;Daniels, 2010;Hanson & DeIuliis, 2015;Mattila et al, 2018). Students were self-directed and benefitted from opportunities to reflect regularly on their experience.…”

“…They became goal-driven as they developed goals and reflected on the achievement of their goals. As they reflected on their successes, they became more confident in their skills, which has been reported by others (Mattila et al, 2018). While the students expressed a normal desire for additional supervision from the fieldwork educator (Secomb, 2008), they overcame this discomfort through self-reflection and use of peers.…”

“…Uncertainties within the experience seemed to propel the occupational therapy students to be more independent, an occurrence that might not occur in a more traditional setting. As students worked in relative autonomy, they displayed more confidence in their clinical skills, thus increasing their self-efficacy (Mattila, DeIuliis, & Cook, 2018). "[One student] stated that this experience was a 'confidence booster' since [they] were working without the help of an OT supervisor on site" (Faculty-supervisor field notes, day five).…”

“…Students also discussed confidence as they reflected on the development of their clinical skills (Secomb, 2008 After the experience, students were even more positive about skills that had improved as a result of the experience: "Effectively communicating is another huge one that I think I definitely got more confidence with as the week went on" (Participant E., focus group comment). Again, perceived challenges led to improvements in self-efficacy (Mattila et al, 2018).…”

A journey towards integrated person-centred care: a case study of a mental health perspective in the voluntary sector

“…One initiative to address this gap has been the introduction of occupational therapy to other voluntary sector social care organisations and enabling occupational therapy students to participate in the development of role-emerging placements. A role-emerging placement is where there is not an occupational therapist already working in the setting (Mattila et al , 2018). This has embedded holistic practitioners into the charity sector which has helped to create a more varied skill mix of staff and promoted multidisciplinary working across organisations.…”