Innovation and Competency Development in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Education
• Rehabilitation Sciences

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic disrupted occupational therapy clinical education globally.
• This disruption presented unique challenges and opportunities for fieldwork education.
• A naturalistic study setting emerged to examine pandemic-driven innovations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe innovations in occupational therapy fieldwork education during the pandemic.
• To understand the impact of these innovative clinical contexts on learner competency development.
• To analyze how new educational models influenced occupational therapy trainees.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative multi-case study approach was employed.
• Data collection involved in-depth interviews with 28 occupational therapy learners and preceptors.
• Analysis included within-case and cross-case examinations of innovations and competencies.

Main Results:

• Three primary fieldwork innovations were identified: Virtual Care, Intrapreneurship, and Administration.
• Key competency domains addressed included OT Expertise, Excellence in Practice, and Communication and Collaboration.
• The Culture, Equity, and Justice domain was uniquely addressed within the Virtual Care innovation.

Conclusions:

• Innovative occupational therapy fieldwork placements can effectively support competency development.
• Competency acquisition in these settings is complex and highly dependent on the specific context.
• Findings highlight the adaptability and resilience of occupational therapy clinical education.