Diverse practice placements in occupational therapy Nikki Williamson

Diverse practice placements in occupational therapy Nikki Williamson – OT lecturer/Role emerging placement tutor School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex

Your thoughts. . . What do you want to know?

What are diverse practice placements? § Traditional § Non-traditional § Role emerging placements

What is a role emerging placement or diverse placement with no occupational therapist? § Role emerging placements are placements that occur at a site where there is not an established occupational therapy role and where occupational therapists are not routinely employed (Bossers et al 1997 and Wood 2005). § An opportunity to explore the potential, establish, and implement an occupational therapy role within a service § An employee (who is not an occupational therapist) at the organisation provides daily onsite supervision § An off site occupational therapist/educator provides weekly supervision § The off site educator is usually an occupational therapy lecturer from the university or a local clinician § ‘Challenging’ and ‘exciting’

Why role emerging placements? § § § § The market place is changing Insight into the “real world” and the challenges that will be faced once qualified Explore your own professional identity Consolidate your core occupational therapy skills Help graduates prepare for the diverse health and social care changes in practice (Clarke et al, 2015). Demonstrate independent professional reasoning for a new and exciting area of practice for OT Highlights the need for OT in less traditional settings

Role emerging placement areas at the University of Essex Current Cont. . . Future. . . Ø Wellies-On CIC (previously known as Ø Streets 2 Homeless Charity (Harlow) Ø Integrated Youth Support Services: Ø UP – Unlocking potential (children and young people in London) Ø EPUT Vocational Services (Colchester or Braintree clusters) Ø Broomgrove Primary School (Wivenhoe) New 2019/20 § Future plans 2020/21 Butterfly Lodge care farm) Young persons drug and alcohol (Southend Borough Council) Ø Lambourne End (Outdoor centre for learning) Ø Tendring Specialist Stroke Service (TSSS) Ø MS-UK: Josephs Court Ø Growing together (Westcliff-on-Sea) Ø Salvation Army Hadleigh Training Centre (Benfleet) § STa. RS – Drug & alcohol service (Chelmsford) § Marketfields School (Colchester)

Who is role emerging for? MSc and BSc occupational therapy students: § § § § Penultimate and final placements only Interest in promoting the role of occupational therapy Demonstrated a commitment to academic, personal and professional development Demonstrate a sound knowledge of the profession and understanding of the core skills required in occupational therapy Experience of working across a range of settings An ability to cope with this type of placement Interested in undertaking a shared experience with a peer where available

The benefits of role emerging placements Opportunity to learn and experience alternative perspectives to identifying and meeting service user needs in other sectors or communities § Demonstrate practical skills and develop professional reasoning, resourcefulness and autonomy to a high level § Potential for an occupational therapy role to emerge within a diverse practice community setting § Collaboration between agencies promoted through shared student supervision §

Role emerging placement process § § § § Information received identifying possible role emerging placement opportunity Initial contact made from university Initial meeting with university and setting to discuss potential placement opportunities Placement audit and agreement completed Educator information/training provided by university Placement offers received Long arm supervisor identified Allocation of student (confirm long arm supervisor availability, placement offers) Discussion with potential student(s) may be required Relevant pre-placement preparation Pre-placement visit to setting as expected for all placements (might occur with long arm supervisor, if appropriate) Communication between onsite and off site supervisors Half way discussion/assessment Weekly supervision from allocated long arm supervisor

Role emerging placement preparation and support If you are interested in being considered for a role emerging placement (a diverse practice placement with no occupational therapist on site): § Review the diverse placement opportunities section on the Occupational therapy placement Moodle X page https: //moodlex. essex. ac. uk/course/view. php? id=39#section-16 § Discuss the possibilities with relevant programme lead and role emerging placement tutor in conjunction with the placement coordinator. Please note: • There is no guarantee you will be allocated this type of placement following any previous discussions. ANY occupational therapy student could be allocated to a role emerging placement (no occupational therapist on site) on a penultimate or final placement. If you are allocated this type of placement, you should: § Review the diverse practice placement information on the Occupational therapy placement Moodle X page https: //moodlex. essex. ac. uk/course/view. php? id=39#section-16 § Undertake relevant placement preparation with the cohort and pre-placement visit § Discuss preparing for your placement with your personal tutor/Role emerging tutor § Consider and explore relevant policy and government drivers. These should also be relevant to the service and occupational therapy § Utilise peer support opportunities via weekly Zoom meetings facilitated by a tutor

Self reflection of personal attributes § Self directed learner § Interacts well with clients and staff § Knowledge seeker § § Applies theory to practice Recognises own and educators needs § Seeks out feedback § Enjoys challenge § Demonstrates initiative § § Flexible with learning Acknowledges limitations and mistakes § Adapts to the agency environment § Constructs meaning out of opportunity § Displays insights into strengths and weaknesses § Presents professionally § Well organised § Enthusiastic Role emerging occupational therapy: Maximisingoccupation -focused practice (2011) p. 44

To find out more…. § § Read more about the role emerging placements available via: Ø The Diverse placement opportunities section on the Occupational therapy placement Moodle X page https: //moodle. essex. ac. uk/course/view. php? id=957 Ø Guidelines for role emerging placements in the University of Essex Occupational Therapy placement handbook available on the website: https: //www 1. essex. ac. uk/hhs/placements/ot/default. aspx [accessed 13/09/17] Ø OT@Essex May 2017 (student experiences at Wellies On), Ø Attached resource list including: OT News (Student experience of the quest for professional identity in February 2016 edition, Jami in December 2016 edition and IDTS – Chelmsford Prison in March 2017 edition) Speak to those who have undertaken a role emerging placement Ø Contact Nikki Williamson (nwill@essex. ac. uk) to get connected! “It confirmed beyond expectation why I chose the profession” “Confident to go and approach other services who don’t currently have OT’s and market myself and the profession, identifying the needs of OT skills” “Made me feel confident in my own ability to be an OT” A role emerging placement encourages independent thought and action

Any unanswered questions? § Review your thoughts or questions considered at the beginning of this session § If you have any general unanswered questions in relation to role emerging placements, please contact Ellen Adomako ea 16632@essex. ac. uk and Nikki Williamson mwill@essex. ac. uk

References and useful resources § Bossers A, Cook J, Polatajiko H and Laine, C (1997) Understanding the role emerging placement Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64: 70 -81 § Clarke C, Martin M, De. Visser R and Sadlo G (2015) Sustaining professional identity in practice following role emerging placements: Opportunities and challenges for occupational therapists British Journal of Occupational Therapy January 78 (1): 42 -50 § College of Occupational therapists (2006) Developing the occupational therapy profession: providing new work-based learning opportunities for students via the following link http: //www. cot. org. uk/members/education/policy/guidance. php § Davies T (2016) The quest for professional identity OT News 2: 32 - 33 § Overton A, Clarke M and Thomas Y (2009) A review of nontraditional occupational therapy practice placement education: A focus on role emerging and project placements British Journal of Occupational Therapy July 72 (7): 294 -301

Useful resources § Palmer L and Williamson N (2016) Making connections to further the profession OT News December 24(12): 46 -48 § Polglase T and Treseder R(2012) The occupational therapy handbook: Practice education Cumbria: M&K § Threw M, Edwards M, Baptiste S and Molineux (2011) Role emerging occupational therapy: Maximising occupation-focused practice, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell § University of Essex Occupational therapy placement handbook – Role emerging placement guidelines http: //www. essex. ac. uk/hhs/placements/ot/default. aspx § Wilcock, J Sleding, F, Kershaw, A (2009): Role Emerging Placements – the educators experience. OT News September § Wood, A (2005) Student Practice Contexts: Changing face, changing place. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 68 (8): 375 – 78 § Worth J, Sowerby T, Williamson N, Cleverley M (2017) An opportunity for occupational therapy OT News March 25 (3): 40 -42