ASOT OTD Handbook: Fieldwork Educator Resources and Information​​

Dear Fieldwork Agency Partners,

My name is Juliet Steffe, and I am the Academic Fieldwork Director for the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy (ASOT) at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. I am writing you this letter to emphasize the importance of fieldwork education for the profession of occupational therapy. If you are intending to complete the ASOT Fieldwork Educator Tutorial for 1 continuing competency unit (CCU), please open the attachment below to print and use while reading this on-line tool.

In today's healthcare environment, practitioners of all disciplines are being challenged to meet the high demands of and regulatory changes in all healthcare delivery settings. While there are many, many reasons for this evolution, one very important reason is to ensure healthcare providers deliver safe, quality care to all consumers. These consumers are some of the clients that occupational therapists see every day; they might even be your friend, your neighbor, your parents, your children, and even you.

Reflect a moment on the message in that last statement. Because these consumers are the people we love - including ourselves, as educators of occupational therapy, we are in a unique and critical position to uphold the highest education standards to ensure occupational therapy students transform into competent, skilled, ethical practitioners upon graduation.
 
Occupational therapy education occurs through two primary venues: didactic (classroom) and fieldwork coursework. The faculty and staff of this program are the primary educators responsible for the didactic component of occupational therapy at Spalding University. The occupational therapists and other professionals in the community are the primary educators for the fieldwork component of this program, thus being formally identified as Fieldwork Educators. Fieldwork Educators and ASOT faculty work closely together to promote successful student learning outcomes to help them achieve their dreams of becoming occupational therapists and for preparing practitioners of the future.
 
To this end, the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) accredits OT/OTA programs throughout the United States by holding programs responsible for meeting specific quality standards. Assuring that ACOTE standards are met or exceeded is a high priority for ASOT and Spalding University for the benefit of all stakeholders: the students, the fieldwork agencies, this program, and most importantly, the clients served in our respective communities. Several of the ACOTE standards require that all educators, on campus and in-the-field, are prepared and qualified to teach students of occupational therapy. 
 
To support two of these ACOTE standards (C.1.3. and C.1.4.), this Fieldwork Educator on-line resource will provide you with information about what it means to be a fieldwork partner, how to be a Fieldwork Educator, and how to support the learning needs of different students.  The following items are essential documents that will be completed as a part of a fieldwork partnership:

• ASOT Fieldwork site contract (usually negotiated and/or managed by organizational leadership);
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Fieldwork Data Form;
• Site-specific Fieldwork Objectives ;
• Evidence of Fieldwork Educator Preparedness. 

Understanding that collecting, completing, and/or revising fieldwork-related documentation may be challenging, I will gladly collaborate with Fieldwork Educators to complete any documentation supporting our fieldwork partnership. By completing this step, all stakeholders will have a common understanding of the overarching outcomes for ASOT students during their fieldwork experiences.
 
Lastly, to gain stakeholder input, within the first 60 days of each calendar year, ASOT conducts an on-line Fieldwork Educator survey. This data is utilized for program evaluation and enhancement to continue preparing practitioners who are equipped to meet the demands of the ever-changing healthcare environment. When you receive an invitation to participate in ASOT surveys, please take this opportunity to share your honest input so this program continually evolves to meet the needs of the times.
 
On behalf of the ASOT faculty, thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy, Spalding University, and its students. We hope your experiences with hosting ASOT students are rewarding and will encourage other professionals and agencies to participate in fieldwork education with us.    
 
Thank you for the time and talent you and your agency dedicate to ASOT students.  
 
Most sincerely, 
 
Juliet Steffe, OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Academic Fieldwork Director
Spalding University
Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy
901 South Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40203

Email: [email protected]

Office: 502-873-4227

Fax: 502-233-8056

 
All information found on the OTD Program Fieldwork website is property of the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. Information contained in ASOT fieldwork LibGuide may be borrowed or edited with credit given to this program. Please report any malfunctions related to the information or links found on this page to the Academic Fieldwork Director, Juliet Steffe. Email: [email protected]; Phone: 502-873-4227.