6.1 Student Withdrawal

6.1.1 Policy: Requests for withdrawal from a clinical course for compassionate, health or religious reasons must be made to and approved by the ACCE (ACCE) and the Department Chair.  Note that a request for withdrawal for health reasons must be covered by a medical certificate. 

Requests for withdrawal for other than compassionate, health or religious reasons must be made to and approved by the ACCE and Department Chair, who may seek consultation with the Clinical Teaching Coordinator of the involved facility.  Withdrawals during days 1-5 of the placement will be assigned a grade of “W”.  Withdrawals on or after day 6 of the placement will be assigned a grade of “NC”.

The circumstances of each approved withdrawal will be reviewed by the ACCE.  Requirements to document readiness (fitness) to complete fieldwork requirements will be determined by the ACCE and confirmed with the student’s academic advisor. These conditions will be communicated to the student in writing two weeks following withdrawal.  The requirements must be met prior to commencing a new placement.

If a student withdraws from a clinical course for any reason, such action will lengthen their program and may delay their graduation.  (OT Committee, March 28, 2003,).

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6.2 Site Withdrawal

A site has the right to withdraw supervision or terminate the placement at anytime assuming appropriate rationale is given.  Please contact the ACCE immediately to further discuss if you are considering this option.

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6.3 Academic Challenges

If a student has failed one course during his/her year prior to a fieldwork placement, the student will, under normal circumstances, be allowed to attend a placement until the decision is made regarding a re-examination.  The placement may be changed if the failed course is a necessary component for success (If the reexamination is not approved, the student will be required to withdraw from the placement).  If more than one course has been failed, fieldwork will be deferred until after the Revisions Committee has made a decision.

Students who have failed an academic course must see their faculty advisor, as this may affect not only other academic course, but also fieldwork placements.  The faculty advisor must consult with the ACCE to discuss the impact of failing an academic course in relation to fieldwork and the need to withdraw from or change a placement.

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6.4 Pass With Reservation (PWR)

On identification of a potential failure/pass with reservation, a meeting should be scheduled within 3 working days of the mid-term evaluation to establish objectives that would (if achieved) ensure success of the student’s placement.

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6.5 Non Credit (NC)
 

Criteria for Immediate Failure (NC)

6.5.1 Policy: A student will be failed immediately when there is evidence of:

·         physical, verbal, emotional and/or sexual abuse of a client

·         any act that lacks good judgment and/or endangers a client’s safety

·         breaches in confidentiality

·         taking financial advantage of a client or the facility

·         any other violations of the Code of Student Behavior and professional code of ethics of their respective professional/licensing bodies (AAROT Code of Conduct) and (U of A Calendar 163.2) (OT Committee, July 20, 2004).

Criteria for Failure (General) if a student fails to successfully complete any or all the course objectives. 

If Recurring, the following are grounds for failure (NC) (after incident) 

General Communication Skills/Professional Relationships/Professional Competence

Ø      Inappropriate or inadequate professional identity skills, i.e.; relationships with clients or peers that are unprofessional, inability to establish a therapeutic relationship with client.

Ø      Lack of respect for clients, co-workers or the institution; e.g.; arrogant, non-empathetic, authoritarian manner, swearing, belligerence, condescending of other disciplines, supervisor and clients

Ø      overtly inappropriate aggressive behavior

Ø      over-familiar behavior with clients, ego.; give out personal phone number

            Instrumental Skills

Ø      negligent, improper, inadequate clinical are and documentation

Ø      consistent difficulty applying theory to practice at the expected skill level

Ø      inability to set priorities

Ø      inability to carry out aspects of the job. i.e.; clear lack of knowledge of diagnosis and symptoms, inability to do assessment, standardized or non-standardized

Ø      subjective, biased observation skills; unable to make observations of group process

Ø      must demonstrate control of groups

Ø      not completing assignments/projects i.e.; handing them in late or poorly done

Ø      not meeting goals signed in Learning Contract

Ø      not able to synthesize and prioritize client assets/problems, i.e.; drawing a complete picture of the client, identify issues to be dealt with and in what order

Ø      constantly needing excessive help with assessment, analysis and treatment skills

Ø      lack of clinical reasoning skills supported by documented incidences

6.5.2 Policy 163.3 “Students who fail a fieldwork course must repeat the course…(and) are required to reregister and pay the required course fees.  Normally a student will be allowed to repeat only one fieldwork course.  In the event that a student fails the repeated course or a second separate fieldwork course, the student will be required to withdraw from the program. (see Calendar 163.3)

6.5.3 Policy 164.1 (2) : A student who has been assigned a grade of "W" or "NC" in a practicum placement is entitled to a second registration in this course, subject to satisfactory completion of such remedial work as may be assigned by the Faculty. A student who receives a “W” or “NC” in a fieldwork placement must repeat the course in a similar setting and type of service. If a student receives a "W" or "NC" in the second attempt of a practicum placement, the student is required to withdraw from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (OT Council, April 2003).  (see Calendar 164.1(2))

6.5.4 Policy: A student who has been assigned a grade of “W’ or “NC” in a practicum placement is entitled to a second registration in this course, subject to satisfactory completion of such remedial work as may be assigned the Faculty (OT Council, April 2003).

6.5.5 Policy: A student who receives a “W” or “NC” in a fieldwork placement must repeat the course in a similar setting and type of service (OT Council, April 2003).

6.5.6 Policy: If a student receives a “W” or “NC” in the second attempt of a practicum placement, the student is required to withdraw from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (OT Council, April 2003).

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 6.6 Appeals and Grievances

Fieldwork is an integral component of the curriculum.  Fieldwork courses must be successfully completed to fulfill the requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy: OCCTH 524, OCCTH 525, OCCTH 526, OCCTH 527, OCCTH 528.

A mid-term and final evaluation are required with each placement.  At the time of the mid-term evaluation, both the student and the instructor/preceptor are required to contact the ACCE if the student is failing or at risk of failing.  The student and the ACCE must be informed of a failure at the final evaluation.

Grounds for Appeals

Appeals can be made only on the basis that there has been a miscarriage of justice in the case of the student.

A Miscarriage of justice would include:

1.      procedural errors on the part of the instructor/preceptor:

a.      failure to orient the student to the philosophy, rules and regulations of the practicum setting leading to a misunderstanding of the role and responsibilities of the student

b.      failure to inform the student of borderline or failing performance at the mid-term evaluation

c.       failure to work with the student in the development of a Learning Contract

2.      failure of the instructor/preceptor to consider all the factors and relevant information pertaining to the student performance within the environment and at the expected level of the student

3.      failure of the instructor/preceptor to provide ongoing feed-back to the student

4.      bias or discrimination against the student

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6.7 Strikes

In the event of a strike the student/site is asked to contact the ACCE as soon as possible so strategies can be discussed.  The student is asked to follow the lead of their preceptor, however it is understood that the student may not wish to cross the picket line for personal or political reasons.  Due to the unpredictable nature of a strike, the placement may be delayed, cancelled, or alternative work tasks engaged in and graduation may also be delayed. 

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6.8 Injury of Student During Placement

Students are covered under the Alberta Workers’ Compensation Act. In the event of an accident or injury, students must complete and submit the appropriate forms to the ACCE.

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