A Retrospective Study Examining Supervision of Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Level II Students: Impact on and Predictors of Clinician Productivity

Background: Fieldwork has long been a key component in OT curricula. The exposure to clinical experience allows students to apply academic and theoretical knowledge to practice to develop the competence needed to enter the... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Fieldwork has long been a key component in OT curricula. The exposure to clinical experience allows students to apply academic and theoretical knowledge to practice to develop the competence needed to enter the field. Despite its necessity, there continues to be a shortage of fieldwork availability (Roberts & Simon, 2012). Prior research has identified productivity as a barrier to taking students (Hanson, 2011). This study aimed to determine if a difference exists in clinician productivity with and without a student and if factors (clinician years of experience, practice setting, and clinician productivity without a student) can predict clinician productivity with a student.
Method:
A retrospective cohort design of 109 OTs was utilized. Productivity was collected over 3 months with and without a student.
Results:
There was no significant difference in clinician productivity with and without a student, t (107) = -.926, p=.357. Regression analyses identified clinician years of experience, practice area, and productivity without a student as significant predictors of clinician productivity while supervising a student (R2=.62, F(4,103)=41.713, p<001).
Conclusion:
Clinicians do not experience lowered productivity when supervising a student. The identified factors should be considered to foster the most productive fieldwork experiences.
Application to Practice:
Understanding these results may be a first step toward addressing the shortage of fieldwork.

References
Hanson, D. J. (2011). The perspectives of fieldwork educators regarding level II fieldwork students. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 25(2-3), 164-177.
Roberts, M. E., & Simon, R. L. (2012, Fieldwork challenges 2012. OT Practice, 17. Issue 6, 20.