Assessment information

Hours

72 hours over 2 weeks including 4 hours of self-directed learning each week.

Fieldwork objectives

The purpose of this fieldwork placement is for students to gain an understanding of the role of occupational therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand, within a supervised practice environment.

The focus of this placement is on introducing students to the notion of people as occupational beings and to the occupational therapy process (CPPF).

This is an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes for this paper and the criteria outlined in the assessment booklet.

Important information

• Practicum 1 Guidelines for Demonstrating Competence
• Fieldwork objectives
• OCTY607 P1 Assessment Booklet

Hours

320 hours over 8 weeks (includes 4 hours of self-directed time each week)

Fieldwork objectives

Practicum 2 (P2) students are expected to demonstrate a sound theoretical understanding of generic occupational therapy processes. The purpose of this fieldwork is to learn to apply theoretical learning in a practice setting.

Students must complete the Compulsory Integrated Learning Activities (guided reflections) and submit these to the fieldwork educator.

Important information

• Intro to Practicum 2 (Video)
• Intro to Practicum 2 (Slides)
• Assessment booklet
• Fieldwork objectives
• Compulsory Integrated Learning Activities
• Guidelines for demonstrating competence

Hours

320 hours over 8 weeks (includes 4 hours of self-directed time each week)

Fieldwork objectives

Practicum 3 (P3) is the final placement block. By the end of the placement students are expected to reach the level of competency of an emerging new graduate occupational therapist ready to enter the occupational therapy workforce.

Students must complete the Compulsory Integrated Learning Activity (case presentation).

Important information

• Introduction to Fieldwork Assessment (video) - Introduction to Fieldwork Assessment (slides)
• P3 Assessment booklet
• Compulsory integrated learning activities
• Guidelines for demonstrating competence

Hours

60 hours over 10 weeks in Semester 1 and in Semester 2 (120 hours in total)

Fieldwork objectives

The LFE offers a more practical experience in Year 2 of study that helps students integrate theory with practice. The placement runs one day a week for 10 weeks in Semesters 1 and 2.

The LFE is linked to the Creating Enabling Environments course (CEE) and the Enabling Occupation for Groups course (EOG). Whilst there is no graded assessment attached to the LFE, students are expected to complete worksheets and reflections that align with the course content. Students must attend group supervision with a clinical educator at AUT.

Students do not need to be supervised by a registered occupational therapist on the LFE. The majority of our LFE providers are non-government organisations and/or community-based services.

Benefits for students

• Provides opportunities for students to identify occupation, occupational performance and participation in real world context, as well as exploring the actual/potential occupational therapy role
• Provides different opportunities to develop confidence in core skills, such as problem-solving and the therapeutic use of activity within, or outside, traditional settings
• Provides experiences in roles that are different from traditional settings
• Provides increased learning about personal communication and reflection skills

Benefits for the fieldwork provider

• Students become valued team members and as such, provide short term, consistent input as well as demonstrating the benefits of occupational therapy; students may also advance/ leave project work that continues to benefit the organization
• Increased partnership with universities and increased opportunities to enhance evidence-based practice
• Staff have an increased understanding of the occupational therapy role in the setting and there is a potential to create future employment opportunities

Benefits for the profession

• Advancement of the profession into new practice areas
• Increased awareness of the occupational therapy role in other service settings

Important information

• Guidelines for longitudinal fieldwork experience (LFE)