Fieldwork Educators’ Expectations of Level II Occupational Therapy Students’ Professional and Technical Skills

Abstract

Fieldwork educators are critical to the development of successful occupational therapy students, and the fieldwork experience is vital to the growth of each occupational therapy student in the profession. The purpose of this research was to explore perceptions held by Level II fieldwork educators of occupational therapy students’ professional and technical skills at the beginning of Level II fieldwork. This study used a convergent parallel mixed-method design and surveyed 54 fieldwork educators. The survey participants expected students to possess a variety of professional and technical skills in a multitude of areas. Fieldwork educators identified communication as the most essential professional skill and the most lacking technical skill in students for Level II fieldwork. Planning, implementing, and grading interventions was identified as both the top essential and most lacking technical skill in students for Level II fieldwork. Collaboration between academic and fieldwork educators is necessary to ensure students are best prepared for Level II fieldwork.

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