employers being among the most favoured .
Free-text responses suggested that , overall , the traditional model of delivering occupational therapy student placements ( one supervisor to one student at any given time ) is still expected , but is also unsustainable as the sole way of placement provision .
Areas of challenges and solutions voiced by occupational therapists included having the time available to dedicate to student education , the perceived ‘ load ’ of the clinical educator role and the suggestion that disciplines other than registered occupational therapists can contribute to student learning and placement oversight .
The challenge of time to support students
Time was recognised as a strained resource , due to the occupational therapists needing to balance their time with their ongoing clinical caseload responsibilities , their educator roles , the flow of students coming into the services and student-related administration .
Several respondents reported working in part-time jobs and this work pattern significantly impacted on their perceptions for managing both their clinical responsibilities and student learning requirements .
One occupational therapist said : ‘ Being part time and the only occupational therapist within a small team could be a challenge for a student placement .’
A solution to time pressures was offered through an action in one NHS trust to enable larger groups of students in their setting : ‘ Having multiple students in one setting creates peer support for students .’
The perceived ‘ load ’
Occupational therapists reflected that the pressure of workplace demands continues to prove challenging towards the perceived additional task of student supervision . Factors such as reduced team size , lack of qualified practice educators , staff being in the early stages of their careers , employment vacancies and staff stress were mentioned .
One occupational therapist noted : ‘ Most occupational therapists would like to have students as it is very rewarding , but many are put off because of time constraints and pressures of work .’
A concern expressed by several occupational therapists was that the drive to continue expanding student placements in the traditional way could potentially
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Lack of training
Split placement
Digital solutions
No experience
Shorter placements
Supervision training
Management responsibilities
Protected time for supervision
Half day placements
Caseload pressure
Multiple students : one supervisor
Alternative student supervision
Limited time
0 5 10 15 20 25
Wider organisation hosting
Team sharing hosting
0 5 10 15 20 25
© University of Gloucestershire
November 2022 OTnews 47