2.1 Registration
As in any
other course, students must be correctly registered to receive credit.
For fall, winter, spring and summer placements students must register in
the correct course and section. Refer to the Registration and Courses
section at the
Registrar’s website:
http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/ro.cfm?id=11.
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2.2 Information
sessions
Fieldwork
Information Sessions are organized to familiarize the student to the
system, and to discuss issues relevant to fieldwork.
The date/time
will be announced by the ACCE. These sessions must be attended
prior to placements and are considered part of the fieldwork
course. Non attendance will result in a mark of incomplete (IN) for the
fieldwork course.
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2.3 Selection
process
2.3.1 Policy:
A student is only guaranteed one placement in a larger city such as
Edmonton, Calgary, or Saskatoon (OT Committee, July 20, 2004)
2.3.2 Policy:
A student who has experienced difficulty in clinical education or
academic course work will not be eligible to request an “Out of
Province, International, or Independent Community Placement” for their
subsequent placement/s (OT Committee, July 20, 2004).
2.3.3 Policy:
A student will not be permitted to pursue a fieldwork placement at a
site with explicit intentions to hire them as an occupational therapist
upon completion of their OT program (OT Committee, July 20, 2004).
2.3.4 Policy:
Students are required to graduate with fieldwork experience
reflecting exposure to a diversity of areas of practice, and
practice settings across the lifespan. At a minimum, students
must have 150 hours (4 weeks full time) of experience in each of
the areas of mental health/psychiatry, physical medicine, and
community/rural. Students are responsible for ensuring they
graduate with this diversity.
Please note that the first placement hours accrued in OCCTH 524 will contribute towards the total 1000 hours required, but
not towards the 150 hours in each of the following requirements;
physical medicine, mental health/psychiatry and community/rural.
(OT Committee, March 17 , 2006).
Procedures:
Students
should refer to the
fieldwork schedule which outlines dates and
activities.
The Faculty
of Rehabilitation has developed a web based automated placement
processing system. Each student will “sign onto” the placement web site
with their WebCT/University sign-on. Students are required to make 10
placement selections from the offers provided on the web form.
For each
placement the student will be given a deadline after which the placement
selections can no longer be modified. Students with particular needs,
(single parents, primary care givers or students with health issues)
need to meet with the ACCE. Students must also indicate their request
for special consideration at the bottom of the web form under “Special
Placement Request” (Make sure you click on “save request”). Once the
automated selection process has been completed, you will be notified by
email of your confirmed placement.
To ensure
that all students have equal opportunity to obtain diversity of areas of
practice, students are not to choose placements at a site or service
they have been before (eg. Glenrose, pediatrics, hands, etc.).
The ACCE will
also provide you with further details at “Fieldwork Information
Sessions”.
STUDENTS
MUST NOT INDEPENDENTLY ARRANGE A PLACEMENT OR CONTACT OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPISTS OR SITES!
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2.4 Immunization/
CPR/Security Clearance/etc
2.4.1 Policy:
As part of the pre-requisites for clinical placements, occupational
therapy students are required to undergo medical testing, immunizations,
fit-testing for masks, a security clearance, and CPR as outlined in the
University of Alberta calendar, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
A student is responsible
for all costs involved (OT committee, Aug. 26, 2004).
Procedures:
Placements will not be assigned
unless the Clinical Education Assistant has received proof of:
 |
Basic Rescuer Level CPR
certificate (annual recertification) |
|
Medical Exam |
|
Copy of Immunizations |
|
N - 95 Mask Fit testing |
Students must have
a medical
examination prior to their first placement. A Medical Examination Form is
provided and must be completed, signed and returned to the Clinical
Education Assistant by the designated date.
Any
change in a student’s medical status must be brought to the attention of
the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE) prior to any
subsequent fieldwork placements. An assessment will be made for the need
of medical verification prior to the next placement.
University of Alberta Health
www.ualberta.ca/HEALTHCENTRE/.
It will be the student's
responsibility to ensure up-to-date immunizations on a yearly basis and
to carry current
immunization records
to each placement. Failure to comply may result in cancellation of
a placement. Health Canada - Division of Immunization.
Placements
may require a Security Clearance Check. The sites determine the criteria
for acceptance/denial of placements if your Security Clearance does not
pass.
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2.5 Checklists
2.5.1
Your First Placement
2.5.2
The Rest of Your Placements
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2.6 Independent Community Placements (ICP)
Independent
Community Placements (ICP) have a long standing history at the
University of Alberta and offer a unique opportunity for learning,
and to provide a positive contribution to the community. ICPs
occur at a variety of sites such as inner city centres, correctional
institutions etc. (usually in Edmonton). This placement is a “2 for
1 deal” in that it will fulfill “Community, Mental Health or
Community/Physical Medicine” requirements to graduate.
As there are no direct formal OT services at these sites you will be
matched with an on-site supervisor (e.g., social work, nursing,
psychiatry etc) who will work with you on a daily basis. The
Fieldwork Educator for Independent Community Placements (FEICP) is
an occupational therapist employed by the University of Alberta who
works with you to provide timely, effective and on-site support to
students in groups or on a 1:1 basis. This OT ensures that what you
are doing at the site is “OT” and that you are meeting your clinical
education University requirements. Typically two students are
placed at each ICP site to provide support for each other and enrich
the learning experience. For more information and to view video,
visit the
ICP link.
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2.7
International Placements
Students
who are contemplating going out of country for any Level 3
placements are required to attend an International Fieldwork Seminar
at least one year prior to the potential placement. Students must
have acceptable fieldwork and academic standing to qualify for
international placements.
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2.8
Changes to and Cancellations of Placements
All placements are assigned
on the assumption of good health and good grades. The University
does not cancel placements. However, illness, injury, or personal
crises are matters that are handled individually in consultation
with both you and the ACCE.
Students are NOT able to make any changes to their placements
unless there are extenuating circumstances (i.e., medical reasons,
caregiving, duplication in placements, death in the family etc).
Getting married (yourself or friends), going on a holiday,
traveling, family reunions etc. are not appropriate reasons.
Students are not able to cancel or change placements because they
are disappointed with where they are going, client issues, age group
etc. Students are also not able to change placements because they
misread or incorrectly filled out their placement forms. The
concept is no different than filling out a multiple choice question
with the wrong letter/answer...or making a mistake with a
patient...you need to take responsibility for your actions and their
results.
There can be last minute
cancellations of the placement by the site. Students must be
prepared for quick adaptation to the situation. It is possible
that some students may not receive a placement, requiring
alterations in the curriculum placement plan. Every effort will be
made, however, to acquire a suitable placement.
In the
case of academic difficulty or failure, the student’s circumstances
will be reviewed by the ACCE, taking into consideration the content
of the course(s) involved and the planned fieldwork. Unfortunately,
final grades are not always available before placements begin. If
there is a course failure, the student may be withdrawn from
fieldwork. (see
Academic Challenges)
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2.9
Expenses
2.9.1
Policy:
A student
requesting a fieldwork placement outside of Alberta, Saskatchewan or
the North West Territories will be responsible for related costs,
whether they receive the requested placement or not. Effective for
students admitted Sept. 2004 (OT committee, July 20, 2004)
Procedures:
All costs
related to medical exams, CPR, immunizations and security clearance
checks are the responsibility of the student. Also, all costs
relating to clothing, accommodation, travel and meal expenses during
fieldwork are the responsibility of the student.
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2.10
Insurance
2.10.1
Policy:
A student is responsible for ensuring they have appropriate vehicle
insurance in the event that she/he uses his or her car during a
fieldwork placement (OT Committee, Aug. 26, 2004)
Procedures:
While
fulfilling fieldwork requirements, either in-province or
out-of-province, students are insured by the University of Alberta
for both malpractice and general liability. In addition, students
are covered under the
Alberta Workers’ Compensation Act.
The University of Alberta does not cover any car insurance;
therefore, you must have your own.
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2.11
Contact With the Site
Once you
have been matched to a placement site, the University notifies the
site. A package is then sent to the site with the following
information:
·
Student’s
Resume & Letter of Introduction
·
Letter
from ACCE
·
Fieldwork
Handbook
Your
supervising therapist will make contact with you after that time.
If you have not heard from your supervising therapist at least one
week prior to the start of the placement, contact the Clinical
Education Assistant.
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