Goals of the professional practice placement:
Skill integration and enhancement; a final professional placement in which students have the opportunity to further develop, integrate or enhance their skills prior to graduation. basic competencies in the practice of occupational therapy have been obtained prior to the year 4 fieldwork experience.

Structure: 
Ten week professional placement at the commencement of second semester. Following a review of previous professional placement experiences, in consultation with school of Occupatioka Therapy staff, students develop learning goals. Students then select suitable agencies which match their learning needs. Following a school managed matching process, students either attend an interview or submit a written application to an agency which has expressed an interest in having a 4th year student.

Professional Placement Dates 2010

Semester Two: 16th August - 22nd October 2010 (10 Weeks)

Fourth Year Professional Placement Coordinator:
Lieve de Clercq
Ph:9479 5854
l.declercq@latrobe.edu.au

Documents to view or download:

Professional Placement Practice Educators Manual

Planning:
Towards the end of each year the school sends facilities a professional placement offers package for the following year.  On these forms agenices indicate to the school the student placements they can offer during the following year. This information is compiled and used when allocating students for each placement.

Role of Practice Educator:
The nature of the practice educator will vary depending on the type of professional placement undertaken. In the case of a non-traditional, or project professional placement where no occupational therapist is on site, practice educators responsibilities will be negotiated with the agency and the occupational therapy school. It is expected that there will be two practice educatros, an on-site practice educator responsible for day to day matters, and an off-site occupational therapy practice educator. An on-site practice educator may guide, direct, demonstrate, provide feedback and support.

Assessment requirements:
Successful achievement of the learning goals as negotiated between student and practice educator forms the basis of the assessment. It will be necessary to specify measurable evaluation methods when negotiating the learning contract. Practice educators are encouraged to negotiate additional learning needs into the contract as they consider it necessary.

Practice Educators information sessions: 
Three practice educators information sessions will be held prior to the professional placement commencing, the details of this information sessions will be sent to facilities who have indicated an interest in offering a fourth year professional placement.

Student Tutorial Program:
Two compulsory student tutorials will be provided, in weeks three and seven of the placement. Students in regional or interstate professional placements will be contaced by their tutor directly in the first or second week of the placement to arrange suitable times for the tutorials, if this does not occur students should contact the school no later than the second week. If no regional tutor is available phone linking will be provided by staff at the school. Individual liaison is also available to student on an as needed basis.

Leave from professional placements:
Students who need to take sick leave must inform their practice educator immediately. A medical certificate must be presented where two or more consecutive days are taken. These must be returned to the School along with the report and timesheet. Practice Educators are to contact the school to discuss students making up time. Public holidays are not counted unless worked. Students are to follow the workplace protocol at the facility regarding rostered days off.
Students will be allowed to take compassionate leave under certain circumstances. Students must obtain permission from the practice educator and inform the professional placement coordinator at the school.

Student Insurance: 
For information on the following La Trobe University insurance cover relating to:

Accident Insurance
Motor Vehicle
Publick Liability & Professional
Indemnity
Workcover
Workexperience or Voluntary Work

Please click on the following link La Trobe University Insurance

Incident reports:
Any incident or injury involving the student or a patient in the student’s care while on placement, and which could potentially give rise to an insurance claim MUST be reported to the Fieldwork Education Coordinator within 48 hours.  The University’s insurer may deny liability to claims where the incident has not been reported.  The student must also comply with the protocols of the host agency.

Protocol for student to follow after incident or injury jeopardising health of student while on clinical placement.

Advise the clinical supervisor of incident

Comply with agency protocol

Seek medical advice if necessary

Complete incident form at hospital/institution if required

Advise the Clinical Education coordinator so that the University insurers may be notified.

Ethical Standards:
Students are required to conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner at all times. Each student is required to read and sign a copy of the Confidentiality Agreement prior to commencement.  A copy of the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics is also included in the Clinical Education General manual.  Please refer to this manual for the School’s policy regarding confidentiality of student information.