Student Thoughts: “What was Helpful for My Learning” in Basic

Students were asked to share their thoughts about what was helpful for their learning while on Basic placement, with the goal of sharing some of their quotes with OT Fieldwork Educators through this blog.  

Whether you are a “seasoned” or “first time fieldwork educator,” perhaps one of these quotes will validate what you are doing or sparks new ideas for you to consider. Here is a glimpse of what some of our students had to say:   

  “…Talking through goals/expectations at the beginning of placement.  Also, receiving feedback as soon as possible after an interaction helped me grow.”

 "My educators were extremely supportive! They would encourage me to practice my new skills as much as possible and provided great feedback. Their constructive feedback gave me confidence in interacting with clients and made me eager for the opportunity to improve. The welcoming and supportive environment they created made me excited to go to fieldwork and made the entire experience very positive.”

 “They got the clients to engage with me directly, from the start, which helped me feel like an active participant.”

 “….the general welcoming environment of OTs and PTs…. especially with my educator, was really helpful in making me feel comfortable to ask questions and seek clarifications when needed.”

 “They also asked me for input when deliberating about clients and work, and I felt like I had something to bring to the table.”
 
“… I found it reassuring (especially in my first placement) that my fieldwork educators would first ask if I felt comfortable to engage with the clients alone or complete tasks individually.” 

 "My educator was gracious enough to let me know when she thought I had a good idea - even if it wasn't something she had thought of.  I found it helpful that the relationship we had built allowed me to ask questions of her that might challenge her a bit, too.” 

 “My fieldwork educator would check-in with me to see if I felt comfortable with the amount of independence I was given and if I had further questions.  I appreciated having an input on pace.”

 “…they gave me the opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions after we had seen a client. In addition, they would ask me questions to stimulate critical thinking and understanding.”

 “…I found that debriefing after every client encounter (sharing observations, noticeable improvements, recent chart note from another healthcare provider regarding client status, etc.) even just for a minute, was really helpful in my learning as it allowed me to get a glimpse of what my educator observed/was looking for and how my educator used her clinical reasoning and/or experience.” 

“My educator and I would "debrief"  (whenever possible) after we'd seen a client.  She would ask me leading questions as to what I thought was going on, what I saw as far as OPIs and what might be a suitable intervention, etc.  It encouraged me to think aloud and allowed her to get inside my brain as well.  She could high five the correct insights, tweak the ones that were off, and redirect the ones that were misguided."

You may be surprised to know these quotes are from the class of 2018! But we could all probably agree that, although some things change over time, the feelings and thoughts expressed above have at least a few parallels to our own placement experiences. 

Thanks to the Class of 2018 for providing this feedback to share!  We hope you are each enjoying your OT careers wherever they have taken you!

Teresa

Revised by Julie, 2024

 

Oh no...my student just asked about theory!

Does the thought of talking about theory seem a little daunting to you?  

Do you dread the moment when your student asks “what theory are you using?”

In their first term of the MOT program, students have had almost as much exposure to occupational therapy theory as they have had to practice skills. Much like when you build a new house, a strong foundation is an important stage in OT student development.

To help students consider theory and practice together, they are assigned the Theory Advancement Process (TAP) workbook to complete while on their fieldwork placement. The workbook includes questions that ask students to consider the use of theory in practice using examples from their fieldwork placement. Students have been encouraged to talk to their fieldwork educators about how they use theory in practice or what theory or theories inform their work with clients.

To help make those conversations with your student about theory a little easier, we offer a few suggestions:

It’s OK to not know how to name the theories/model of practice you use in your practice. 

It might be because they are so embedded in your practice that it is hard to put into words.  It might even be that the names and terminology have changed since you last learned theories.  Just because you can’t name them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Describing your approach with the client and your reasoning for taking that approach can help the student figure out what theory or theories may be influencing your practice. It’s okay to let them try to figure it out!  

It’s OK to share with students that some theories/models don’t fit with your practice. Sometimes our context dictates a lot about how well our theories and models can fit with our practice. Sometimes we work in roles that aren’t specific to OT.  Sometimes we work in environments that only focus on a small part of a larger continuum.  It is not realistic that every placement fits with every model.

It’s OK to learn with and from your student. 

o   Encourage your student to share his/her thoughts on what they believe is guiding your practice or what theory they think you might be using. You shouldn’t have to provide them with all the answers. They spent a whole term learning about all kinds of theory. They should be able to recognize theory in practice (although they might not always be able to do it on the spot).

o   Ask your student what his/her favourite model/theory was that they learned in class.  Does he/she feel it fits with your practice?  Why or why not?

o   Is there a model/theory that you’ve heard about/are wondering about?  Ask the student if they can share that information with you (and how it fits with your practice as an added bonus).

Fieldwork education isn’t just about the student learning from you.  You do not need to know it all. Nor can you! Take this as an opportunity to stop and think about what guides your practice.  Take this as an opportunity to learn from your student.  In the words of one of our Manitoba OT educators, “you likely will learn more from your student than you think … take the experience as the gift that it is.”

Lisa Mendez and Leanne Leclair

Encourage Inter-professional activities

As OTs, we typically work on teams with other professionals.  I could tell you more about the importance of it, but I think it’s best if I leave it to the educators in our community:

“I try to get students involved in other roles while they’re on placement… I think it just gives them a better understanding of what an OT actually can bring to the table.”

"I encouraged my student to take the opportunity to observe some of the other disciplines we work with and the OTs we often refer our patients to upon discharge. I think this promotes understanding and appreciation of the various team members’ roles (including areas of overlap) and gives greater scope of the spectrum or continuum of care for a particular patient. I think it makes students feel more comfortable liaising with the other disciplines on our team as well as determining the right referral option for a particular patient upon discharge."

"I really try to get students to observe or shadow other clinicians in the centre. That was one of the things I learned over the years.  It was a good idea to let them link up with other clinicians for a spell.  We work with so many others, and the best way to really understand their roles is to know where they are coming from.  I’ve been lucky that the other clinicians at my setting are so willing to let the students observe, and then my discussions with the student about who does what and our roles as OT’s are better.  They are also more comfy with the team working with our clients and are able to ask more meaningful questions."

Lisa

Updated by Julie, 2024