A practice placement design facilitating occupational therapy students’ learning

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an addition to the practice placement design for occupational therapy students in Oslo, and to report on the learning experiences related to this modified practice placement design among the participants.

Design/methodology/approach

Occupational therapy students and practice educators were interviewed in focus groups after having participated in an exploration of the utility of the Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills during mental health placement. Thematic analysis was applied to the data material.

Findings

Four themes emerged relating to the students’ learning experiences during practice placement. They were theory-practice integration; the role of supervision; self-awareness of communication; and socialization to the therapist role.

Practical implications

The practice placement design addition presented in this paper was well received by students and practice educators. It contributed to students’ focussed experience and to their active participation within a community of practice. The program appears to be one way of organizing placement with a potential for making a substantial contribution to occupational therapy students’ learning.

Originality/value

The study adds to the existing literature in providing an example of a successful addition to the practice placement design, and in the detailed account of the learning experiences among the participants.

Citation

Bonsaksen, T., Emil Granå, K., Celo, C., Ellingham, B. and Myraunet, I. (2013), "A practice placement design facilitating occupational therapy students’ learning", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 169-180. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-08-2012-0028