The Challenge of Maintaining Authentic Occupational Therapy during Role Emerging Placements

Summary of the Workshop: This workshop allows participants to experience the complexities of the student journey in establishing occupational therapy (OT) in role emerging placements. With a growing need for occupational... [ view full abstract ]

Summary of the Workshop:

This workshop allows participants to experience the complexities of the student journey in establishing occupational therapy (OT) in role emerging placements.

With a growing need for occupational therapists to be employed in the third-sector and other non traditional areas, the necessity for providing students with the experience of role emerging placements is ever more evident. When utilising the freedom to use professional discretion, OT can be highly effective in these settings. Although, given the historic lack of shared understanding surrounding OT, students often struggle to define their role to their placement providers, which makes procuring an opportunity for authentic OT a difficult task. This reduces students’ self-efficacy in advocating for OT within the setting and prevents them from developing a strong sense of professional identity. This can, however be improved, through comprehensive placement preparation facilitating a more successful role emerging placement.

Through experiential learning, the workshop participants will consider how best to prepare for role emerging placements by identifying student challenges to creating a role for OT and highlighting opportunities to maintain professional integrity within such environments. An interactive simulation will highlight a real life case study of a student’s role emerging placement experience. Participants will be required to work in small groups to make a set of decisions to help progress the student through the process of setting up OT within a role emerging setting.

Maximum number of participants: 25

This workshop would be suitable for students, lecturers and anyone interested in role emerging OT.