Description
UND Level II Fieldwork Objectives and Sample Assignments
UND Guide for Writing Site-specific Level II Fieldwork Objectives
Template for Writing Level II Objectives
Fieldwork Site Responsibilities

DESCRIPTION
The goal of Level II fieldwork is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapists. Level II fieldwork is integral to the program’s curriculum design and includes in-depth experiences in delivering occupational therapy services to clients, focusing on the application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and/or research, administration and management of occupational therapy services. At minimum, the equivalent of 24 weeks of full time Level II fieldwork is required. This may be completed on a full time or part time basis, but may not be less than half time as defined by the fieldwork site. At UND, the equivalent of 12 weeks in physical dysfunction and 12 weeks in psychosocial dysfunction is required. Elective fieldwork is also available in areas of the student’s special interests.

Generally, required fieldworks are scheduled for a twelve (12) week rotation. Students who miss a day of work for any number of reasons (sickness, job interviews, funeral, wedding, etc) are required to make up absences during the 13th week, or make arrangements with their supervisor to makeup the time equivalent in the 12-week time frame. Any special arrangements to make up time must be approved by the site fieldwork educator, and reported to the academic fieldwork coordinator.

Students must complete all required fieldwork within 18 months of completion of academic course work. If a student is unable to complete the fieldwork within this time frame, the student must re-take pertinent academic course work prior to fieldwork assignment.

back to top

UND LEVEL II FIELDWORK OBJECTIVES AND SAMPLE ASSIGNMENTS

Students enter the clinical environment with readiness skills for participation in occupations associated with the therapist role, and develop competency through practice in a variety of contexts and through participation in a mentoring and evaluation process.

Level II Objectives

Upon the completion of fieldwork, students should have developed entry level competencies as evidenced by achieving the minimal passing score or above on the AOTA Level II fieldwork evaluation. Fieldwork objectives consistent with the UND OT Department curriculum design and program outcomes include:

1. Student will provide OT services in an ethical and safe manner.
2. Student will demonstrate ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing the values, and beliefs of the profession, and the role of the OT to clients, families, significant others, colleagues, service providers, and the public.
3. Student will understand and demonstrate application of screening and evaluation tools used in OT practice, including assessments of occupational functioning, client factors, context, and determination of an occupational profile.
4. Student will develop occupationally-based intervention plans and strategies, and demonstrate the ability to apply them to client situations.
5. Student will have the ability to describe and analyze theories, models of practice, and frames of reference used to guide occupational therapy evaluation and intervention.
6. Student will understand and apply principles of management and systems in the provision of OT services including timeliness, correct and complete documentation, adherence to policy and procedure, collaboration, delegation, program evaluation, and supervision.
7. Student will understand and utilize professional literature and other research-based resources in order to make informed evidence-based practice decisions.
8. Student will participate responsibly in the supervisory process; utilizing available resources, communicating assertively and respectfully, and responding appropriately to constructive feedback.
9. Student will consider and integrate into therapy psychosocial factors influencing engagement in occupation to ensure client-centered outcomes.

Suggestions for Level II Assignments

The following suggestions were posted on the AOTA Clinic and Academic Fieldwork Educators Listserv during 2003: (This information was published in The Essential Guide to Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Resources for Today’s Educators and Practitioners.)

• Present an in-service to OT staff on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework.
• Present a case study completing each section of the Framework with information obtained/observed about the specific patient.
• Have students develop patient education materials on specific diseases, symptoms, and/or treatments.
• Perform literature searches on assessment and intervention techniques to support evidence-based practice.
• Develop documentation formats for staff supervision, treatment consultation, and/or monitoring
• Design a needs assessment for a given population.
• Perform background research for a potential new program (i.e. driving program, teen parenting program, etc).
• Compile resources for staff that are reflective of occupation-based practice.
• Fabricate a treatment medium to leave at the facility.
• Present a research/educational project that would benefit staff and/or patients.
• Present articles of interest to staff, or conference proceedings.
• Construct adaptive equipment to benefit client participation in a desired occupation.
• Create a notebook/brochure of available community resources, such as self-help groups, crisis/hot lines, social service agencies, and other community service providers.
• Organize an OT month display/celebration/event for the entire facility.
• Develop a new group, program, or protocol. Organize materials and documents to support program implementation.
• Make a presentation to a support group on a topic of interest to that groups’ participants such as crisis/hot lines for members of a depression support group, or energy conservation techniques for an arthritis or fibromyalgia support group.
• Conduct a practice analysis examining the population, assessments, or interventions commonly seen in the fieldwork setting. Through study of the typical diagnoses or conditions seen, the gender distribution, age distribution, typical occupational roles, average duration of services, average frequency of services typical disposition destination and common reimbursement sources of the fieldwork site, strategic plans might be developed to provide occupation-based services to the populations served.
• Students could develop and implement a group for the population served at the facility. The student must provide a protocol for the group, occupations addressed by the group, objectives and goals for the group. Step-by-step instructions along with a list of necessary equipment and supplies and time frames for each step would assist in a successful implementation of the group in the future. The headings included in the Activity Demands category of the Framework can serve as an excellent guide for completing this assignment.
• Students could develop “intervention kits” which could facilitate efficient implementation of meaningful occupation-based interventions. Activities such as hand sewing, cutting coupons, caring for nails, shaving, applying make-up, wrapping packages, doing carpentry, plumbing, mechanical skills, paying bills, crossword or word search puzzles, would all lend themselves to being included in intervention kits.

RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SITE-SPECIFIC FIELDWORK OBJECTIVES

The purpose of writing site-specific objectives is to identify entry-level competencies unique to your practice setting. ACOTE defines “entry-level competency” as being prepared to begin generalist practice as an occupational therapy practitioner with less than 1 year experience. The site-specific objectives answer the question, “What are the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a new hire in your practice setting to facilitate the OT process?” If an item on the Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) is clear, relevant, understandable, measurable, behavioral, and achievable, you do NOT need to write another objective. Achievement of the site-specific objectives will demonstrate the student’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to practice in a safe and ethical manner and effectively carry out the occupational therapy process in your practice setting.

The following two documents provide unique resources for your use in developing site-specific fieldwork objectives. The first document, “The UND guide for writing site-specific fieldwork objectives provides an overview of issues to consider when tailoring fieldwork objectives for different fieldwork experiences within the same facility or healthcare system. Attention to the information in this guide will assist you with designing objectives that consider the major categories of the FWPE and that are unique to the requirements of your practice site.

The second resource, “Template for level II objectives,” provides a template with several options for your use in developing objectives unique to your site, thanks to the generosity of my colleague (Cindy Anderson from the University of Mary). You may use these sample objectives, revising them as needed for your site, and delete the sample objectives that do not apply to your site. This resource will enable you to develop learning objectives specific to your site while minimizing the time requirement.

back to top

UND GUIDE FOR WRITING SITE-SPECIFIC FIELDWORK OBJECTIVES

When writing objectives, you are communicating to your students the expectations of entry-level practice at your facility. Objectives should include a behavioral statement or targeted behavior, a criterion statement that identifies the level of performance expected of the student, and a condition statement that identifies the expected context of the identified behavior. The FWPE was designed to measure entry level competency which is reflected in categories relating to:

1. Fundamentals of Practice,
2. Basic Tenets of Occupational Therapy,
3. Evaluation and Screening,
4. Intervention,
5. Communication, and
6. Professional Behavior.

Below you will find basic questions to assist you in developing objectives in each category, followed by sample objectives written for a particular practice area, or objectives applicable to all practice areas.

Fundamentals of Practice: What will be your measure of whether the student is practicing in a safe and ethical manner?

All: Consistently follows facility guidelines for patient confidentiality in written and personal interactions with clients, staff members, and family.
Children: Consistently follows facility policies regarding entering and leaving school settings and transportation of students.
Mental Health: Consistently monitors sharp objects at all times and follows facility precautions for elopement.
Physical Health: Consistently uses safety belt as indicated during patient transport and transfers.

Basic Tenets of OT: What will show you that the student understands and can explain the basic values and beliefs of OT? To whom and how will they be communicated?

Children: Can clearly explain during IEP process how purposeful activities used will allow students to engage successfully in their educational process.
Mental Health: Can clearly explain to treatment team members how OT services will assist clients to participate more effectively in social, work and leisure occupations.
Physical Health: Can clearly explain to family members and significant others how participation in occupational therapy will assist clients to regain participation in ADL and IADL occupations.

Evaluation and Screening: What background information should be gathered regarding the occupational functioning (occupational profile) of clients at your facility? What sources should be utilized to obtain information? What specific assessments/screening tools are used: how will you measure competency in assessment selection and administration? How should evaluation results be reported? How should evaluation results influence the treatment plan?

All: Documents evaluation results according to standard format and accurately and thoroughly reports assessment information in team planning conference.
All: Utilizes assessment information to establish a treatment plan in collaboration with the occupational therapist that considers client lifestyle, strengths, needs and discharge status.
Children: Accurately completes record reviews, interviews, general observations, and checklists to gather information regarding client, parent and teacher perspectives of occupational function.
Children: Accurately completes standardized assessments of sensory-motor skill handwriting ability, fine/gross motor skills and collaborates with occupational therapist in interpretation of data collected to establish treatment intervention.
Mental Health: Accurately administers standardized assessments chosen by the occupational therapist and interviews client to assist the occupational therapist in determining client level of occupational function and factors which support and hinder function within 7 days of client admission.
Mental Health: Through chart review and client interview gathers historical data on client functioning in ADL’s, IADL’s, leisure and work, clearly articulating differences between client report and actual client performance.
Physical Health: Will gather medical information from chart as well as client interview to identify client pattern of participation in relevant areas of occupation prior to present hospitalization including client priorities for participation.
Physical Health: Accurately completes standardized OT evaluation assessments for assigned clients and reports and assists occupational therapist in interpretation of data collected to establish treatment plan.

Intervention: What interventions (preparatory, purposeful and occupation-based) do you expect the student to be competent in using by the end of the fieldwork experience and how can competency in intervention use be measured? How will you determine whether interventions selected are appropriate? How do you expect collaboration between the therapist and the client to occur during the intervention process? What will demonstrate to you that the student can adapt activities and modify interventions when appropriate? How can the student demonstrate competency in documentation of services?

All: Consistently selects intervention activities that incorporate the desired occupations of the client.
All: Uses professional literature and accepted resources to guide intervention selection.
Children: Provides sensory-integrative therapy according to established protocol; modifying task approach and environment as necessary.
Children: Accurately reviews client progress in relation to established IEP goals.
Mental Health: Will effectively utilize group activities and therapeutic group process to encourage client social participation and leisure skills.
Physical Health: Will demonstrate ability to utilize principles of Neuro-Developmental Treatment approach during self-care occupations with CVA clients as appropriate.
Physical Health: Will confidently fabricate a resting hand splint, following policies of the facility, and provide instruction to client in regard to splint wear and care.
Physical Health: Completes progress notes on a weekly basis, clearly indicating client potential for return to anticipated discharge disposition.

Communication: What would demonstrate to you that the student possesses the essential verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills required at your facility?

All: Clearly and effectively communicates observations during treatment intervention to occupational therapist and provides regular and thorough written and verbal updates to relevant family and treatment team members regarding treatment progress. All: Demonstrates ability to modify language according to needs of intended audience whether thirdparty- payers, family members or treatment team members.
All: Interacts with others in such a way that invites client collaboration and respect for OT services.

Professional Behaviors: What do you expect of a student in regard to essential work skills and behaviors of a health care professional at your facility?

All: Participates responsibly in the supervisory process; utilizing available resources, communicating assertively and respectfully, and responding appropriately to constructive feedback.
All: Follows through on all assigned duties and responsibilities; seeks out additional learning opportunities.
All: Demonstrates respect for lifestyle choices of clients.
All: Demonstrates ability to be flexible, modifying approach and expectations as the situation warrants.

If you design your objectives to match these categories, you will find it easier to clarify your expectations of students from the beginning of the rotation and objectives developed will be consistent with the OT Practice Framework and the UND curriculum design. In addition, you will be able to more efficiently monitor and evaluate the student’s performance throughout the fieldwork experience. Although you do not necessarily have to have an objective for each item on the FWPE, you will want to address the general questions for each category.

Please feel free to use and modify any of the above objectives to reflect the particular competencies expected of students at your facility. Please be aware that the above list is not comprehensive, but is intended to give you a good start on writing objectives which match the competencies unique to your site.

Some of the above items have been adapted from “The Essential Guide to Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education,” edited by Donna Costa, MS, OTR/L, available at AOTA Press, ISBN # 1- 56900-195-2. This manual would be an excellent overall resource for the fieldwork educator and covers information on several relevant topics. In addition, the AOTA website (www.aota.org) offers helpful information and guidelines for both new and experienced fieldwork educators. The website that will take you directly into fieldwork education resources is: http://www.aota.org/Educate/EdRes/Fieldwork.aspx

back to top of page

Template for Writing Level II Objectives

Click here to download the template

back to top of page

1. To maintain the complete set of syllabi for all occupational therapy courses in the
   Occupational Therapy Department, to be available for students, fieldwork supervisors
   and others for review in the Department
2. To maintain files of current information on fieldwork in the Occupational Therapy
   Department. This is the information provided by the fieldwork facilities annually and/or
   when major changes occur.
3. To follow due process on working with students and fieldwork facilities.
4. To comply with affirmative action.
5. To establish and maintain on-going honest communication with fieldwork facilities and
   students.
6. To schedule students for occupational therapy fieldwork and to assign only those students
   who have satisfactorily completed the required academic work. There will be close
   planning between faculty, students and fieldwork supervisors.
7. To collaborate with fieldwork facilities in defining measurable objectives for fieldwork
   education.
8. To counsel students in fieldwork in collaboration with fieldwork supervisors.
9. To visit fieldwork centers regularly (dependent upon University funding).
10. To evaluate the total Occupational Therapy Program regularly, including the fieldwork
    experiences. Fieldwork facilities are to be evaluated on submitted documented material:
    philosophy, purpose, learning experience available (including adequate client/patient
    load), measurable objectives, curriculum vitae of supervising registered occupational
    therapists.
11. To provide liability insurance for occupational therapy students in assigned fieldwork
    placements.

1. To maintain competency in practice, keeping abreast of current theories and techniques.
2. To provide the Occupational Therapy Department with current information on the
   educational program for occupational therapy students in fieldwork. This includes
   philosophy, purpose, types of patients/clients, evaluation and treatment theories and
   techniques, learning experiences available, measurable objectives, policies and
   procedures of the facility and method(s) of evaluating students.
3. To maintain honest communication with students and with UND faculty to improve
   practice, assist in improving academic course content and learning experiences and
   identify trends in occupational therapy health care and rehabilitation.
4. To provide meaningful learning experiences for students in fieldwork.
5. To make available to students at the beginning of fieldwork and throughout the fieldwork
   experience, the policies and procedures of the facility.
6. To provide supervision of students by qualified personnel.
7. To clearly define to students the channels of communication within the facility.
8. To evaluate students on both a weekly and monthly basis and to complete a required midterm
   evaluation. If there appears to be a problem, this should be discussed with the
   student as soon as possible, and the problem should be documented in writing, preferably
   with both student and fieldwork educator signature. If it is serious, the Academic
   Fieldwork Coordinator and/or the Chairperson of the Occupational Therapy Department
   should be notified. Consultation with the OT Department and/or University should be
   maintained until the problem is resolved. If a student’s performance in relation to patient
   treatment is unsatisfactory, and/or the student is unable to function satisfactorily to meet
   the measurable objectives of the fieldwork experience, the student’s fieldwork may be
   terminated by the facility and the Occupational Therapy Department. Due process must
   be adhered to throughout the proceedings.
9. To notify the Occupational Therapy Department as soon as possible of major changes in
   program, scheduling, etc.

1. Professional behavior begins in the classroom. The student will demonstrate professional
   judgment in all didactic activities by:
   1. being prepared for class, paying attention and participating with relevant material in
      class discussion.
   2. showing respect for the instructor and guest lecturers.
      These characteristics carry over into the clinical situation. The individual with
      professional behavior is respected by patients, family, other members of the health care
      team and society. The professional person’s behavior reflects the credibility of the
      profession.
2. The student is expected to adhere to the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics as adopted
   by the American Occupational Therapy Association.
3. Students are expected to know and to adhere to the regulations within the agencies in
   which they are assigned fieldwork. Such regulations may involve dress, behavior and
   attendance.
4. Students are expected to maintain respect and courtesy toward their own colleagues as
   well as toward their faculty, fieldwork supervisors, patients/clients and others with whom
   they come in contact.
5. Students are expected to assist in promoting honest and harmonious working
   relationships in the classroom and fieldwork facilities.
6. Students are expected to maintain good health habits and regular physical examinations
   during both academic and fieldwork experiences. Students are expected to maintain
   appropriate health insurance during academic and fieldwork education.
7. Students are expected to engage in only those procedures in which they have achieved an
   appropriate level of competence.
8. Students are expected to integrate material from previous courses as they progress
   through the academic and fieldwork program.
9. Students are expected to take the initiative for their own learning in addition to required
   course content.
10. Students are expected to analyze the information in fieldwork manuals and to review
    appropriate material necessary for their assigned placement.
11. Students are expected to take the initiative in regard to analyzing and synthesizing their
    perceptions of the learning experiences in both the academic and fieldwork phase of their
    education. If a student has a concern about any phase of the learning experience, he/she
    will follow the appropriate channels of communication to resolve issues. Appropriate
    channels for resolving conflict are as follows:
    1. Academic: Student, Instructor, Chairperson , Dean of the School of Medicine and
       Health Sciences. The student is encouraged to seek counsel throughout the
       process.
    2. Fieldwork Experience: Immediate supervisor, then through the established
       channels of communication at the facility/agency. Both the student and facility
       must communicate with the UND Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in
       Occupational Therapy throughout the process.
12. Students are expected to complete candid and constructive written evaluations of each
    course in which they are enrolled, including fieldwork.
    Students who are in non-compliance with the above may be placed on professional probation or may
    have their enrollment in either coursework or fieldwork canceled.