Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Page 26

FEATURE STUDENT EDUCATION
in the school is highly motivating for the students
and replicates the experience of a newly-qualified
occupational therapist.
The students often say that they initially
experience feelings of fear and self-doubt. However,
the consistent feedback has been that the nature
of the placement naturally facilitates their growth as
clinicians, and accelerates their learning.
They also often report that they discover hidden
strengths and capabilities and gain greater insight
into what areas of occupational therapy would suit
them.
As the students are working independently they
are forced to actively engage with the occupational
therapy process from beginning to end
and problem solve.
Giving the students
the space to be
‘‘
service is that the quality of the service is dependent
on the strength and experience of the students and
my skills and ability as an educator.
The service is also affected by the regular
turnover of students, as the placements last eight
to 13 weeks, which means that there can be a gap
in input as the new students settle into the role, or
a change in goals as students may identify different
areas of need.
Take up of placement offers are not guaranteed
– this year the effect of the removal of the NHS
bursary was felt as there were smaller cohorts at
many of the universities.
In these cases, the practice educator takes on
a larger clinical caseload to compensate.
However, regardless of these
limitations, the children still
receive an increased
What sets the
creative and try
amount of positive social
school’s programme apart
out interventions and
experiences from the input
reflect on these
they receive.
from current and more traditional
in supervision
We know from
services is that direct input is
seems to have a
research that positive
primarily provided by university
positive impact
social interactions
on the students’
support healthy frontal
students on their final placement,
self-efficacy and
lobe development, which
under the supervision of an
understanding of
is vital for good mental
experienced qualified
how to integrate theory
health (Nelson and Guyer
into practice.
2011).
therapist.
Through direct therapy
Based on the experiences I
and knowledge sharing with
have had with students and within
teaching staff, occupational therapy
the schools that use our service, I believe
and its benefits become tangible to both
there is huge potential for this model to be used
the students and the teaching staff as they are
to support services across the occupational therapy
able to observe the changes and progress of the
profession and country.
children.
It is an exciting opportunity to utilise the potential
The progress is captured using SMART goals, as
that students have to the enormous benefit of all
students are expected to set goals with the children
involved. There is a need for further research to
and teachers, as Unlocking Potential recognises the
be done in this area to provide the evidence and
need to monitor the effectiveness of the service.
credibility required for further growth and I look
On average there is a 30 per cent (three point)
forward to seeing the developments.
improvement in the goals. As the students are
present in the school for four days a week, they
References
are able to integrate into the school team and build
Hutton E (2009) Occupational therapy in mainstream
relationships with the school staff and children.
primary schools: an evaluation of a pilot project, British
Teachers have the opportunity to brainstorm
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(7): 308-313
with students and the opportunity to test and adjust
Nelson E and Guyer A (2011) The development of the
strategies promptly. This allows for smoother and
ventral prefrontal cortex and social flexibility,
faster integration of therapeutic strategies into the
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 1(3): 233-245
school culture/routines.
Elle Souden, occupational therapy lead, Unlocking
Challenges
Potential, email: [e-mail] or visit:
The challenges in using this model to provide a
www.up.org.uk
26 OTnews March 2020