The Development of an Authentic Professional Identity on Role-Emerging Placements

Abstract

Introduction: Role-emerging placements are increasingly used to help occupational therapy students develop the skills, knowledge, and attributes needed to become the therapists of tomorrow. Whilst literature on role-emerging placements is growing, studies have tended to be general placement evaluations, with only a limited number exploring students' experiences in detail. Method: This study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to gain a deeper understanding of how five MSc pre-registration occupational therapy students experienced and ascribed meaning to their role-emerging placements. Findings: The role-emerging placements acted as a strong catalyst for the students' ontological development (that is, their understanding of self and development of ways of being and enacting occupational therapy practice). Through engaging in challenging and autonomous learning experiences, students developed deeper insights into who they were becoming as professionals, leading to a professional identity of their own making. Conclusion: Having to continually reflect on and verbalize the core essence and contribution of occupational therapy, students developed clarity of understanding about the uniqueness of the profession. This is important in light of the historical difficulty occupational therapists have had in articulating their unique role and professional identity.

Health professional students' rural placement satisfaction and rural practice intentions: A national cross‐sectional survey

“…Other placement sites, such as residential aged care, Aboriginal community controlled organisations and school-based placements seem under-used. 21,22 Opportunities to diversify placement settings should be capitalised upon through community engagement and service learning initiatives, 23,24 bringing benefits both to the students and the communities in which they complete their placements.…”

‘Facing Uncharted Waters’: Challenges experienced by Occupational Therapy Students undertaking Role-emerging Placements

“…Both international and UK literature highlights various benefits of role-emerging placements, including professional and personal growth and development, increased confidence in team working, resource and time management, use of supervision, communication skills and evidence based practice (Bossers et al 1997, Huddleston 1999, Prigg and Mackenzie 2002, James and Prigg 2004, Gilbert Hunt 2006, Thew, Hargreaves, and Cronin-Davis 2008, Clarke et al 2014a. Other literature suggests that role-emerging placements may be the most significant learning experience that students have in preparing them for practice (Alsop and Donald 1996, Fieldhouse and Fedden 2009, Clarke et al 2014a.…”

“…Other literature suggests that role-emerging placements may be the most significant learning experience that students have in preparing them for practice (Alsop and Donald 1996, Fieldhouse and Fedden 2009, Clarke et al 2014a. Conversely, authors have highlighted placement limitations such as difficulties establishing professional identity, compromising clinical experiences, disadvantaging weaker students and different expectations of students' on-site and off-site supervisors (Fisher and Savin-Baden 2002, Wood 2005, Hook and Kenney 2007, Cooper and Raine 2009, Thomas and Roger 2011, Kirke, Layton, and Sim 2007, Thew, Hargreaves, and Cronin-Davis 2008.…”

“…Role-emerging placements, 'which occur at a site where there is not an established occupational therapist role' (College of Occupational Therapists 2006:1), are increasingly being advocated to help prepare students for more autonomous and diverse practices , Clarke et al 2014a, Clarke et al 2015. However, whilst the literature on role-emerging placements is increasing, it tends to focus on how they have been implemented in British universities (Wood 2005, Hook and Kenny 2007, Thew, Hargreaves, and Cronin-Davis 2008, to present a rationale for their development (Fortune, Farnworth, and McKinstry 2006, Cooper and Raine 2009, Rodger et al 2007, or reflect the opinions of educators and placement tutors about their effectiveness (Wood 2005, Wilcock, Sledding, andKershaw 2009).…”

Preparing the Dietetic Workforce of the Future – Developing Innovative Placements in Social Care Settings

“…Beyond this, having a dietetic student embedded in a working social-care setting enabled the student(s) to develop confidence, leadership skills and stronger professional identity. The autonomy offered by the model of arm's length supervision facilitated the students in their own ontological development, rather than, as is the case in more traditional placements, modelling themselves on supervisors (Clarke et al 2014).…”