It promotes autonomy and engagement of professional voice , through self-audit and review against the four Pillars of Practice . It also offers integrated interprofessional collaboration , peer learning and mentor support and agile delivery that fits around the returnees ’ own needs .
Finally , having an open-ended enrolment ensured returnees could access the course as and when they were ready .
Each returnee met with an occupational therapist and completed a skills scan , based on the four Pillars of Practice . This in turn created a purposeful and meaningful study plan for them . Their motivation and excitement harnessed and focused for the study time they needed to achieve .
From this , they accessed one or two modules , each designed around the four Pillars of Practice , having the AHP strategy , professional standards and other national policy imbedded within these .
The content was designed to be engaging ; a mixture of media , with 40 % of each module entwined with a virtual simulated placement . Here , over 20 virtual case studies and true to life environments could be explored and interacted with , and clinical reasoning developed and strengthened ready for returning to the workplace .
Lessons learned and implications for practice
For returnees the main outcomes included :
• Imposter syndrome was replaced by confidence in their professional identity and voice .
• Digital literacy increased through design and implementation of curricula .
• Virtual simulation enables extensive errorless learning opportunities to regain their professional confidence and identity .
• Profession specific mentoring strengthens and develops clinical and professional reasoning .
• Online platforms facilitate peer and expert communication in a range of modes to support digital fluency and skill .
For mentors , the outcomes included :
• Mentors proactively supported returners to reintegrate into their profession and emerging workplaces .
• Mentors valued the co-creation opportunities to enhance the course content and it enabled their own professional growth as an educator .
In terms of collaboration across higher education and employers :
• There is a large appetite for agile flexible courses to return to practice .
• There are incredible opportunities and a commitment for education , health and social care to continue cocreating the ongoing provision to support return to practice .
From induction , many types of media are used to support the returnee , such as bite size recordings demonstrating how to integrate the modules and simulated placement . These have been essential as the returnees present with very different levels of digital experience and ability . This means they are also developing digital proficiency ready to return to the workplace .
Accessibility and inclusive design quality have been key and the course team is continually evolving the simulated experiences , including profession specific case studies , interviews with practicing clinicians and structured knowledge and skill checks .
Figure one : Outline of the Coventry University Return to Practice Course
54 OTnews October 2023