Collaboration in Clinical Education: A Student, Practice Educator and Practice Tutor reflect on a ten-week practice education experience in a forensic mental health setting

This presentation will focus on the roles of a fourth year student, practice educator and practice tutor during a placement in a forensic mental health setting with the common goal of clinical education in occupational... [ view full abstract ]

This presentation will focus on the roles of a fourth year student, practice educator and practice tutor during a placement in a forensic mental health setting with the common goal of clinical education in occupational therapy.
From the background work between the tutor and educator until first contact is made with the student, many factors must be considered for any placement site, but particularly in a forensic mental health setting. With safety and risk being primary concerns in such a setting, collaboration between tutor and educator is essential to develop and promote the student experience. Grading this experience and creating opportunities for the student while also promoting autonomy are just some of the many considerations that the tutor and educator face to ensure the student has the best learning climate, in tandem with providing a quality occupational therapy service to the service-user. The final year student also collaborates to create their own learning opportunities and take responsibility for directing the practice.
These three individuals use the Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation for Occupational Therapists (2002), as a scaffold for focusing their reflections, as this tool, used to guide Practice Education by the Discipline of Occupational Therapy at University College Cork plays an important part in steering the practice experience for all involved.