Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

4-16-2026

Faculty Mentor

Roxanna Bendixen

Abstract

For occupational therapy students, the fieldwork education portion of their curriculum allows them to apply theory and principles learned in their academic program into practice with actual clients (Occupational therapy fieldwork education, 2022). Research indicates the benefit of access to resources and adapting to different learning styles in occupational therapy fieldwork education (Grenier, 2015). Research also indicates that training programs for new healthcare employees can positively impact knowledge, skills, and performance (Patel et al., 2023).  However, there is a lack of research on the availability and benefit of supplemental educational resources for students to access during fieldwork education in pediatric outpatient occupational therapy. The objective of this project was to develop evidence-based pediatric occupational therapy educational resources and intervention strategies for fieldwork students in partnership with an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic in Charleston, SC. Data gathered from needs assessments completed by occupational therapy students and occupational therapists in an outpatient pediatric clinic revealed the need for supplemental resources including educational content related to patient diagnoses, evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies, relevant therapeutic skills, and fieldwork site expectations. This capstone project aimed to improve outcomes and increase confidence and preparedness among fieldwork students through the creation of a student and new hire resource guide with main topics including evaluation, diagnoses, treatment planning, case studies, documentation, and equipment. Both qualitative data from clinicians and students and quantitative data from student survey responses revealed positive outcomes, with students agreeing or strongly agreeing that the content and format of the resources will enhance students’ fieldwork learning experience. Data also revealed that students are very likely to utilize educational resources such as these prior to and during their fieldwork rotations. Overall, this project highlights the importance of access to evidence-based educational resources to enhance the occupational therapy fieldwork learning experience in addition to enhancing the new employee onboarding process.

References

Grenier, M. (2015). Facilitators and barriers to learning in occupational therapy fieldwork education: Student perspectives. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 69 Suppl 2, 6912185070p1–9. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2015.015180

Occupational therapy fieldwork education: Value and purpose. (2022). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 76(Supplement_3), 7613410240. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2022.76S3006. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.76S3006

Patel, N., Patel, J., Patel, V., Pandya, H., & Shah, K. (2023). Effectiveness of Induction Training on Newly Joined Employee Knowledge and Hospital Performance. Global journal on quality and safety in healthcare, 6(3), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.36401/JQSH-23-11

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