OTnews July 2021 | Page 35

STUDENT EDUCATION FEATURE of placement was that Nikki was able to have a full week of preparation , allowing her to become familiar with the technology , and I had also provided her with our team ’ s student induction pack and guidance on some preparatory reading .
I work in a community stroke and neuro team , therefore the reading list focused on developing an awareness of stroke , multiple sclerosis , Parkinson ’ s , motor neurone disease and functional neurological disorder .
In terms of my own preparation , I did find this challenging , as I was so tuned in to the familiar face-to-face placement model . However , one of the reasons that I volunteered to complete this placement was to challenge myself and provide an opportunity to have a different educator experience .
I was keen to move out of my own comfort zone and into a situation that enabled me to think differently about what a practice placement looks like and how I could provide Nikki with opportunities to meet her learning outcomes and help her to feel ready for practice .
The importance of good communication Nikki and I were completely reliant on technology for all our contact and the contact we had with patients . We used Near Me as the predominant platform for all our communication .
I was keen to establish a good relationship with Nikki , albeit remotely , as all the social norms we would have relied on were removed as we were unable to actually meet . I ensured that Nikki and I met at regular points throughout the day to provide guidance and to enable us to develop a good relationship early on in the placement .
Communication was essential for this placement , and it was fortunate that Nikki was an excellent communicator and was able to develop good relationships with other members of the team and also with the patients she met , just as she would have done on a face-to-face placement .
At the time of the placement , our team was able to resume community visits ; therefore , by using Near Me on my mobile phone , Nikki was present in all of the visits and was able to interact with the patients directly , thereby eventually leading interventions .
To maximise our time , I would telephone Nikki immediately after a visit to discuss how the visit went and allow Nikki to voice her thoughts on what she observed , and begin to develop treatment plans . Nikki would then use the team ’ s remote patient record to document the intervention .
Nikki and I put a lot of work into the placement report , as we wanted to demonstrate that the learning objectives laid out for the placement could be met using this remote model .
I had initially been concerned as to whether Nikki would have observed a sufficient variety of interventions throughout her placement . However , in reviewing Nikki ’ s activity diary that she had kept throughout the placement , it was clear that a significant amount of valuable learning had taken place across a variety of interventions , which ensured that Nikki met the required learning outcomes .
Nicholson et al ( 2021 ) conducted a qualitative study to explore barriers and enablers to delivering community-based occupational therapy to people with functional neurological disorder ( FND ). Community-based neurological occupational therapists ( n = 10 ) with experience in FND participated in semi-structured interviews . The interview topic guide was based on the Theoretical Domains Framework ; data analysis utilised a combined content and framework analysis approach . Barriers included limited published information to guide practice and
EVIDENCE LINK lack of role clarity . Enablers included occupational therapists ’ dual training in physical and mental health and focus on activity engagement . The authors identify service provision , quality and access varied across geographical locations , and that findings suggest additional resources are required to support occupational therapists working with people with FND in the community .
Reference Nicholson C , Francis J , Nielsen G , Lorencatto F ( 2021 ) Barriers and enablers to providing communitybased occupational therapy to people with functional neurological disorder : an interview study with occupational therapists in the United Kingdom . British Journal of Occupational Therapy , May 27 . [ Epub ahead of print ].
We also had support from Nikki ’ s placement supervisor from university at the half way point and I found this extremely helpful in navigating the assessment through a new lens of remote learning .
It was a privilege to be the practice educator for this new and innovative placement model . The circumstances of the pandemic meant that placement provision had to change and using technology to complete a placement remotely seemed an anathema to many .
Much of the placement ’ s success was down to how well Nikki embraced the placement , and her positivity and enthusiasm have meant that many other students are now benefiting from this type of placement model , thereby allowing students to continue with their occupational therapy education .
Practice education has changed , enabling the profession , practice educators and students to look towards embracing new ways of learning .
Reference
Watson J ( 2020 ) Practice placements crucial for sustaining the workforce supply pipeline . www . rcot . co . uk / news /
Susan Pride , specialist occupational therapist , North Stroke and Neuro Team , NHS Lanarkshire
OTnews July 2021 35