Occupational Therapy 628

OCTH 628: Practicum in Community-Based Services

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of OCTH 610, 612, 614 and 616 or permission of the Chair

Credit Hours: (2)

Students work in groups with a faculty mentor to provide occupation-centered services to clients in a community setting, collect and analyze data about the outcomes of the services provided, and reflect upon their experiences.

 

Detailed Description of Content of the Course

Students will provide occupation-based services to clients, with on-site faculty supervision.

 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Occupational therapy faculty will initiate relationships with organizations in the local community that serve clients with special needs, but do not currently employ occupational therapists.  Students will be assigned in teams to accompany and work with faculty in these organizations once each week.  Each team will plan an occupation-based program, carry out the program with clients, and collect data about outcomes.  Discussion and journal writing will be used to encourage students to reflect upon their experiences with clients.

 

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students will:

  1. Express support for the use of occupation-based programs to improve the quality of life and well-being of individuals and groups;
  2. Articulate to service providers and consumers the unique nature of occupation and the value of occupation to support participation in the community for the client;
  3.  Promote occupational therapy by educating others about the profession;
  4. Apply theoretical constructs to occupation-based evaluation and intervention with clients in community settings;
  5. Work with a faculty mentor to provide therapeutic use of occupation and activities to clients;
  6. Apply therapeutic use of the self as part of the therapy process in both individual and group interaction;
  7. Work with a faculty mentor to refer clients to specialists (both internal and external to the profession) for consultation and intervention;
  8. Collaborate with a faculty mentor and the client and caregiver to monitor the effect of occupational therapy intervention and the need for continued or modified intervention;
  9. Work with a faculty mentor to organize, collect, analyze and report data in a systematic manner for evaluation of program outcomes;
  10. Interact through written, oral and nonverbal communication with the client and family, colleagues and other health-care providers, and the public in a professionally acceptable manner;
  11. Terminate occupational therapy services at the end of the semester, by developing and discussing with clients and appropriate others a summary of outcomes and recommendations for the future.

 

Assessment Measures

A Professional Development Assessment will be used by the student to evaluate his or her own skills, and by the faculty mentor to assign a grade for the Practicum.

 

Other Course Information

 

Review and Approval

February, 2009