Clinical occupational therapists' experience of their role as clinical educators during the fieldwork experience of occupational therapy students

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fieldwork is an essential part of the occupational therapy student's education, and optimallearning is dependent on effective facilitation by a clinical Occupational Therapist. This studyexplored the lived experience of the clinical Occupational Therapists in their role as clinicaleducators by means of a phenomenological inquiry. Ten semi-structured interviews wereconducted with clinical Occupational Therapists involved in clinical education. The data wasanalysed by using thematic content analysis, and was discussed according to the LivedExperience of a Clinical Educator Model. The results indicated that the clinical OTs' sense ofself, which revealed strong humanistic values, acted as the core element influencing the way inwhich they related to others and were able to juggle many roles in order to perform their role asclinical educator. It furthermore influenced the ways in which they managed balance andharmony in the workplace, as well as the process of growth and development. Incongruenceduring the performance of their roles as clinical educators was mainly caused by insufficientcollaboration between the clinical educators and the university, the prescriptive nature of thefieldwork curriculum, workload pressures, the students' attitudes and their lack of knowledge, aswell as insufficient training of new clinical educators. The results may be helpful in fostering acollaborative relationship between the university and the clinical Occupational Therapists, aswell as renewed attention to growth and development, all of which will benefit the students'education.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University