03-06-06
Professional Behaviors as a Foundation for Fieldwork
Kelly Fischer
Concerns regarding the "gaps" that exist between education and practice have been one of the recurrent themes of discussion I have been part of, in my role as a fieldwork educator in a clinical setting and in my position representing fieldwork educators on the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Commission on Education. Few could argue against the importance of ensuring that students see knowledge and concepts they have learned in school, such as occupation-based and evidence-based practice, being implemented in fieldwork sites. It is just as critical to ensure that performance items students are rated on to demonstrate competence in the fieldwork setting be expectations that are emphasized in the educational program as well.
To my surprise, and to that of many of my colleagues who routinely supervise both Level I and Level II students, the items on the Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapy Student1 with which many of our students have difficulty are the performance items related to Professional Behaviors. Under this heading are skills such as "collaborating with supervisor," "responds constructively to feedback," "demonstrates positive interpersonal skills," "demonstrates consistent work behaviors," and "demonstrates respect for diversity." None of these skills and behaviors are introduced to the student for the first time in the fieldwork setting because students should begin to develop them long before entering college. These professional behaviors are further refined throughout the educational process. What my colleagues and I have found, however, is that the majority of students who have required remediation or have failed the internship have demonstrated considerable deficits in Professional Behaviors.
As a fieldwork educator, I see my role in teaching professional behaviors as supplementary. I expect students to arrive on the first day of fieldwork with a basic understanding of how to dress professionally, how to collaborate in a supervisory relationship, how to accept feedback and begin to formulate ideas about how they might implement it, and how to interact in a positive and professional manner. I expect them to realize that they are responsible for attaining expectations and to have a basic understanding of strategies that help them to manage their time more efficiently. As a supervisor, I am more than willing to spend time role-modeling and teaching students how to apply these skills within my particular clinical setting while guiding them to develop these skills to a more advanced level. But as a supervisor I do not feel it is my responsibility to teach students that flip-flops and tube tops do not qualify as professional dress, or that they are supposed to implement feedback that is given, or that assignments must be completed and turned in on time, or that they are expected to be prepared and dependable. These are foundational skills that students should have learned before fieldwork; before entering a professional practice setting.
These professional behaviors are certainly required for students to successfully complete an occupational therapy educational program, and the acquisition and strengthening of these behaviors should be directly addressed in educational programs in the same way they are addressed in fieldwork. I think many of us, students and professionals alike, assume that the structure of the curriculum and the nature of assignments students are given facilitate development of these professional behaviors. For example, requiring students to complete assignments in groups or to collaborate with peers, faculty, or professionals provides opportunities to practice these skills, but does not always identify deficit areas or teach students strategies to further develop them. Tools such as The Professional Development Evaluation2 or the Professional Development Assessment3 provide students with a score on specific professional skills and can help to identify problem areas early to allow the student time to improve these skills and behaviors before beginning fieldwork. I would suggest that all educational programs use some form of professional behavior assessment to provide students with this much-needed information as early as possible.
In addition to facilitating a successful fieldwork experience, competence in professional behaviors is likely to make a student more marketable to a potential employer. In a study by Mulholland and Derdall,4 the areas of team skills and interpersonal skills ranked among the top five areas employers look for when hiring occupational therapists. The majority of the items in the Professional Behaviors section of the AOTA Fieldwork Performance Evaluation is reflective of those team and interpersonal skills.
My advice to students, before beginning fieldwork, is to make use of the many resources available to ensure that they are competent in the various areas of professional behavior. Taking time early on to refine these skills will pay off in the fieldwork setting and in the future job market.
References
1. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2002). Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapy Student. Bethesda, MD: Author.
2. Medical University of South Carolina. (1994). Professional development evaluation form. Cited in Randolph, D. S. (2003). Evaluating the professional behaviors of entry-level occupational therapy students. Journal of Allied Health, 32, 116–120.
3. Kasser, J., Clark, E. N., Watson, D., & Pfister, S. (1996). Professional development assessment. Cited in Randolph, D. S. (2003). Evaluating the professional behaviors of entry-level occupational therapy students. Journal of Allied Health, 32, 116–120.
4. Mulholland, S., & Derdall, M. (2004). Exploring what employers seek when hiring occupational therapists. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71, 223–229.
Kelly Fischer, OTR/L, received a BS degree in occupational therapy from Towson University in Baltimore in 1998. She has worked in inpatient and outpatient mental health programs at the University of Maryland Medical Center and currently serves as the fieldwork coordinator. She also is the representative for fieldwork educators on AOTA's Commission on Education.
Reference Information:
Fischer, K. (2005). Professional behaviors as a foundation for fieldwork. [Electronic Version]. OT Practice, 11(4), 10, 12.
©Copyright 2006. The American Occupational Therapy Association. All rights reserved.