Evaluative judgement in practice education: How does the ability to judge the quality of work impact placement performance?

INTRODUCTION: Occupational therapy students need to be ready to work autonomously in a range of environments as soon as they complete their degree. Practice education experiences are considered key to students developing the competencies that autonomous work requires. To function autonomously in practice environments, it is argued that practitioners need to be able to judge the quality of their own work and the work of others. This is referred to as evaluative judgement. However, there is limited empirical literature relating to evaluative judgement and even less exploring the concept within occupational therapy. METHODS: This study used qualitative methods, seeking to understand the evaluative judgements of clinical practice made by third- and fourth-year occupational therapy students during practice education. RESULTS: Twenty-one interviews were conducted with third- (n = 10) and fourth-year occupational therapy students (n = 1), university support staff supporting practice education (n = 4), and practice education supervisors (n = 5) at one Australian university. Practice education grades and documentation were also used as data. Data were analysed thematically, and two themes, each with three sub-themes, were identified: students coming to understand expected standards, with the following sub-themes: students attuning to cues, cues that inform supervisors about students' meeting the standards, and barriers and frustrations to understanding standards; and practising and developing evaluative judgement, with the following sub-themes: making comparisons, acting on feedback, and reflective practice. CONCLUSIONS: Practice education experiences provide many context-specific opportunities for students to develop their evaluative judgement. Students may be supported to come to know what quality work looks like by offering scaffolded opportunities to develop evaluative judgement in university and practice education settings.

Evaluating a wayfinding video.

BACKGROUND: Many occupational therapy students experience anxiety and distraction when entering a new setting at the beginning of a clinical placement. Orientation processes may provide students with the information they need to feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar clinical setting. The aim of this project was to evaluate a revised wayfinding video for first- and second-year occupational therapy students, with a particular focus on reducing anxiety. METHODS: A revised version of a wayfinding video (with a duration of 3 minutes and 40 seconds) was created by final-year occupational therapy students and then evaluated using a paper-based descriptive survey. All data were analysed using a content analysis approach. RESULTS: A total of 71 responses were received, demonstrating a response rate of 47%. The students indicated that the video addressed the main sources of pre-placement anxiety and supported their pre-existing anxiety management strategies. Anxiety-reducing features of the video included an overview and visual introduction to the facility, hearing the positive experiences of other students, the provision of placement expectations and an introduction to the student coordinators. All but two of the students indicated that they would watch the video if it were attached to their welcome pack. Many occupational therapy students experience anxiety and distraction when entering a new setting CONCLUSIONS: The revised wayfinding video addressed many of the students' anxieties about commencing placement and now forms part of a broader suite of student orientation materials. There are several limitations to the development of wayfinding videos, but they are surmountable via collaboration and investment in careful planning.

Perceptions of fieldwork in occupational therapy.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies in occupational therapy that compare the perceptions of supervisors and students regarding quality clinical placement programmes, and those that exist indicate substantial differences in the perceptions held by each group. METHODS: This pilot study was conducted using a cross-sectional descriptive design, with a single questionnaire distributed to occupational therapy students and clinical supervisors. A total of 40 questionnaires were returned: 17 from students and 23 from clinical supervisors. RESULTS: Differences were found between the perceptions of occupational therapy students and clinical supervisors in response to four topics: preparation from the university for their placements; consistency across placement sites; instances of supervisors seeking feedback from students; and the burden associated with the placement-related workload for clinicians. Differences were found between the perceptions of occupational therapy students and clinical supervisors in response to four topics DISCUSSION: Different perceptions around preparation from universities and consistency across placement sites relate to the existing roles of each group: students are more aware of university preparation and clinical supervisors are more aware of organisational inconsistencies in their respective usual work environments. The discrepancy in the perceived seeking of feedback from students has also been reported in student debriefing sessions. The burdens perceived by clinical supervisors appear to be influenced by a belief that clinical education is an additional duty rather than a core role.