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OTA 225 Clinical Fieldwork Level I-A

This fieldwork experience provides exposure to pediatric and young adult populations and individuals with developmental disabilities across the life span. A seminar class provides additional exposure to roles and responsibilities of the certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) and issues that impact service delivery across the life span. Students function as participating observers in the clinical setting with emphasis on the development of their professional behaviors.

Credits

2

Prerequisite

Prerequisite: OTA 110

See Course Syllabus

Course Number and Title:

OTA 225 Clinical Fieldwork Level I-A

Campus Location

  • Georgetown
  • Wilmington

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: OTA 110

Course Credits and Hours

2 credit(s)

1 lecture hours/week

5 lab hours/week

Course Description

This fieldwork experience provides exposure to pediatric and young adult populations and individuals with developmental disabilities across the life span. A seminar class provides additional exposure to roles and responsibilities of the certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) and issues that impact service delivery across the life span. Students function as participating observers in the clinical setting with emphasis on the development of their professional behaviors.

Additional Materials

Campus program and policy manuals

Required Text(s)

Obtain current textbook information by viewing the campus bookstore - https://www.dtcc.edu/bookstores online or visit a campus bookstore. Check your course schedule for the course number and section.

Core Course Performance Objectives (CCPOs)

  1. Demonstrate professional behaviors that include communicating effectively, self-assessing, and maximizing learning opportunities. (CCC 2, 4; PGC 2, 4)
  2. Recognize at-risk behaviors and potentially dangerous situations, and respond appropriately to ensure public health and welfare of populations. (CCC 1, 2; PGC 1, 2)
  3. Perform successful interactions with the clients and staff in the clinical setting. (CCC 1, 3, 4; PGC 2, 3)
  4. Compare and contrast the roles and functions of the registered occupational therapist (OTR), certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA), and/or other professionals in various practice settings. (CCC 4, 5; PGC 1)
  5. Interpret information related to the occupational therapy process for a client using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF). (CCC 1, 2, 4, 6; PGC 1, 2, 3, 4)

See Core Curriculum Competencies and Program Graduate Competencies at the end of the syllabus. CCPOs are linked to every competency they develop.

Measurable Performance Objectives (MPOs)

Upon completion of this course, the student will:

  1. Demonstrate professional behaviors that include communicating effectively, self- assessing, and maximizing learning opportunities.
    1. Adhere to facility rules and regulations for safety of self and others.
    2. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical and legal standards of practice, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and use them as a guide for ethical decision making in professional interactions, client interventions, employment settings, and when confronted with personal and organizational ethical conflicts.
    3. Demonstrate punctuality and preparedness for all fieldwork sessions.
    4. Demonstrate time management skills.
    5. Follow supervisory directions and guidelines, and use feedback to change behavior.
    6. Handle stressful situations appropriately and with flexibility.
    7. Exhibit curiosity and interest in occupational therapy, and take initiative to maximize learning.
    8. Adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.
  2. Recognize at-risk behaviors and potentially dangerous situations, and respond appropriately to ensure public health and welfare of populations.
    1. Take and describe the importance of vital signs.
    2. Be prepared to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as necessary.
    3. Demonstrate the ability to assess and monitor vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory status, and temperature) to ensure that the client is stable for intervention.
    4. Describe infection control procedure and appropriate responses to medical emergencies.
    5. Respond when client and/or staff assistance is needed and volunteer to help.
    6. Demonstrate knowledge of the social determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions. This must include an understanding of the epidemiological factors that impact the public health and welfare of populations.
  3. Perform successful interactions with the clients and staff in the clinical setting.
    1. Establish rapport with clients and/or significant others using a client-centered approach.
    2. Use active listening skills.
    3. Demonstrate therapeutic use of self, including one's personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments, as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction.
    4. Respond with awareness that occupation impacts quality of life, well- being, and health promotion.
    5. Demonstrate an understanding of the intervention strategies that remediate and/or compensate for functional cognitive deficits, visual deficits, and psychosocial and behavioral health deficits that affect occupational performance.
  4. Compare and contrast the roles and functions of the OTR, COTA, and/or other professionals in various pediatric practice settings.
    1. Demonstrate effective intraprofessional OT/OTA collaboration to explain the role of the occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapist in the screening and evaluation process.
    2. Discuss current healthcare trends and contemporary standards of practice across the life span.
    3. Define the systems and structures that create federal and state legislation and regulations, and their implications and effects on persons, groups, and populations, as well as practice.
    4. Demonstrate knowledge of various reimbursement systems and funding mechanisms (e.g., federal, state, third party, private payer), treatment/diagnosis codes (e.g., educational classifications, CPT®, ICD, DSM® codes) and coding and documentation requirements that affect consumers and the practice of occupational therapy.
    5. Effectively communicate through documentation the need and rationale for occupational therapy services.
    6. Identify and explain the contextual factors; current policy issues; and socioeconomic, political, geographic, and demographic factors on the delivery of occupational therapy services for persons, groups, and populations and social systems as they relate to the practice of occupational therapy.
    7. Explain the role and responsibility of the practitioner to advocate for changes in service delivery policies, effect changes in the system, recognize opportunities in emerging practice areas, and advocate for opportunities to expand the occupational therapy assistant's role.
    8. Examine current service operations, including maintaining, prioritizing, and organizing workloads.
    9. Demonstrate understanding of professional literature, including the quality of the source of information, to make evidence-based practice decisions in collaboration with the occupational therapist.
  5. Interpret information related to the occupational therapy process for a client using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF).
    1. Describe the benefits of OT for a student/child/participant as it relates to the value of occupations to support participation in contexts.
    2. Explain to consumers, potential employers, colleagues, third-party payers, regulatory boards, policymakers, and the general public the distinct nature of occupation and the evidence that occupation supports performance, participation, health, and well-being.
    3. Analyze the information obtained from clinical observations, including a description of the activity, with an activity upgrade and downgrade, objectives, results, relationship to outcomes, and subjective reactions to treatment.
    4. Demonstrate the ability to use a client's chart to gather information, to design intervention plans and strategies which are client-centered, culturally relevant, reflective of current occupational therapy practice, and based on available evidence.
    5. Identify the factors to consider when implementing a discharge plan from occupational therapy services that was developed by the occupational therapist in collaboration with the client and members of the interprofessional team by reviewing the needs of the client, caregiver, family, and significant others; available resources; and discharge environment.
    6. Promote physical health, mental health and prevention of injury and disease depending on the context and environment considering the quality of life, well-being, and occupation of the individual, group, and population.

Evaluation Criteria/Policies

The grade will be determined using the Delaware Tech grading system:

90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
0-69 = F
Students should refer to the Catalog/Student Handbook for information on the Academic Standing Policy, the Academic Integrity Policy, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and other policies relevant to their academic progress.

Final Course Grade

Calculated using the following weighted average

Evaluation Measure

Percentage of final grade

Summative Assessments:

 

Exam

15%

2 Fieldwork Evaluations (16%) and 2 Student Evaluations of Clinical Site (6%)

22%

Case Study/Treatment Plan

30%

Professional Behaviors

10%

Formative Assessments: Documentation (8%), Clinical Portfolio (5%), Case Study Treatment Plan Oral Presentation (5%), Competency (5%)

23%

TOTAL

100%

Program Graduate Competencies (PGCs are the competencies every graduate will develop specific to his or her major)

  1. Demonstrate knowledge related to the occupational therapy assistant including patient/client interactions, therapeutic treatments, activity analysis, documentation, safety techniques, and therapeutic equipment.
  2. Demonstrate professional patterns of behavior consistent with the profession's code of ethics.
  3. Exercise independent judgment and critical thinking in performance of occupational therapy, according to the profession's standards of practice.
  4. Perform competently a full range of occupational therapy skills with patients/clients and various populations as occupational beings.
  5. Exhibit effective nonverbal, verbal and written communication in patient/client and family interventions and education and in professional relationships.

Core Curriculum Competencies (CCCs are the competencies every graduate will develop)

  1. Apply clear and effective communication skills.
  2. Use critical thinking to solve problems.
  3. Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
  4. Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
  5. Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
  6. Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.

Students in Need of Accommodations Due to a Disability

We value all individuals and provide an inclusive environment that fosters equity and student success. The College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the campus Disabilities Support Counselor to request an accommodation needed due to a disability. The College's policy on accommodations for persons with disabilities can be found in the College's Guide to Requesting Academic Accommodations and/or Auxiliary Aids Students may also access the Guide and contact information for Disabilities Support Counselors through the Student Resources web page under Disabilities Support Services, or visit the campus Advising Center.

Minimum Technology Requirements

Minimum technology requirements for all distance education type courses.

Academic Integrity

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Attendance

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Cell phone/Electronic Device

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Tuition Adjustment Policy

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