Contributes to the knowledge base of OT practice by mentoring students, performing research, publishing, presenting and/or teaching
This competency is important for a student to experience because there may come a time when he or she decides to take on a fieldwork educator role or become a professor at a local university or speak at the AOTA conference or perform their own research in their area of expertise post-graduation. By being introduced to this experience as a student, he or she may be interested in future opportunities in any of the aforementioned options for personal goals as well as a means of giving back to the OT community. Additionally, any of these paths are a great way to keep OT moving forward by contributing to the knowledge base of OT practice.
Throughout my level 2 fieldwork, I had multiple opportunities to contribute to the knowledge base of OT practice. For example, during my first level 2 fieldwork, I had the opportunity to assist my fieldwork educator present different types of feeding utensils to dietitian students at Baptist Medical Group. These utensils include weighted spoons, swivel spoons, foam tubing, and plate guards. We explained how each item coordinates with certain diagnoses to ensure adequate nutritional intake while also allowing the individual to regain a sense of independence.
Throughout my level 2 fieldwork, I had multiple opportunities to contribute to the knowledge base of OT practice. For example, during my first level 2 fieldwork, I had the opportunity to assist my fieldwork educator present different types of feeding utensils to dietitian students at Baptist Medical Group. These utensils include weighted spoons, swivel spoons, foam tubing, and plate guards. We explained how each item coordinates with certain diagnoses to ensure adequate nutritional intake while also allowing the individual to regain a sense of independence.
I also participated in a research study conducted by my professor over 24 weeks. The research involved the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA), responses on the Epistemological Beliefs Inventory (EBI), the Four-Quadrant Scale of Ontological and Epistemological Beliefs (Schraw & Olafson, 2008), and written responses to questions related to epistemological beliefs. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the UTHSC OT curriculum in developing critical reasoning skills and beliefs about the nature and acquisition of knowledge. It looked at a student's perspective towards his or her fieldwork experience and asked the student to provide a rating utilizing a four-quadrant graph (as seen below) with the following categories found at each end of the lines: Ontological Relativist, Ontological Realist, Epistemological Relativist, Epistemological Realist. Although my views moved very little in the quadrant, it was interesting to watch my answers change over time.
Schraw & Olafson. (2008). Four-Quadrant Scale of Ontological and Epistemological Beliefs.
While at my third fieldwork site, I had the opportunity to mentor another level 2 fieldwork student. I provided explanations when writing SOAP notes, logging information in the computer, reviewing the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2017), and helping her understand the scope of practice of OT, especially in the mental health setting. I also had the opportunity to teach four level 1 fieldwork students how to write a SOAP note based on observation of a group session. I also provided mentorship on a weekly basis by reviewing what they observed and how they would analyze that information based on their observations and whether they were broadening their understanding of how to apply OT based on their analyses.
Resources:
American Journal of Occupational Therapy. (2017). Occupational therapy practice framework (3rd edition). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, p. S1-S48. Retrieved from https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=1860439 .
American Journal of Occupational Therapy. (2017). Occupational therapy practice framework (3rd edition). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, p. S1-S48. Retrieved from https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=1860439 .