Document Type (Journals)
Original Research
Abstract
Level I fieldwork provides an opportunity for occupational therapy students to be exposed to the occupational therapy framework and process across various practice settings. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding introductory fieldwork experiences for occupational therapy students in complex medical settings, specifically acute care. Researchers implemented a seven-week Level I fieldwork experience at two Midwest trauma centers, utilizing a mixed-methods, two-cohort design with 12 students and 16 practitioners. The program featured a blended Level I fieldwork supervision model, combining faculty-led and traditional on-site supervision. Over the seven-week period, students showed significant improvement in their perceived self-efficacy regarding acute care knowledge and abilities sub-scale and total scores, as measured by the Occupational Therapy Acute Care Self-Efficacy Scale (OTACSES). Students reported an increase in exposure to evaluative methods, assessment tools, and intervention types, which supported the students’ understanding and confidence regarding their role delivering occupational therapy services in acute care. Both students and practitioners reported that the blend of classroom knowledge and skill training with bridged opportunity to apply their learned skills was advantageous for preparing students for future Level II fieldwork and entry-level practice. This blended supervision model successfully enhanced student confidence and skills in a medically complex practice setting, providing a framework for developing similar preparatory experiences.
Biography
Hannah Oldenburg, Ed.D, OTR/L, BCPR is an Associate Professor and Associate Program Director in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Minnesota. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine University and a Doctorate in Education at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2018.
Jennifer Bergstrom, Ed.D, OTR/L, BCPR is an occupational therapist working in acute care in Rochester, MN. She is a graduate from The University of Wisconsin La Crosse’s OT program and A.T. Still University’s Doctor of Education in Health Professions (EdD) degree program.
Traci Kruse, OTD, OTR/L is an Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Minnesota. She has a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine University and a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine University in 2017.
Tamra Trenary, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist and clinical education coordinator at Mayo Clinic leading the group model for Level II fieldwork students in acute care. She is a graduate from The College of St. Scholastica OT Program and earned her Post-Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine.
Corey McGee, Ph.D, OTR/L, CHT, FAOTA is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Minnesota. He earned a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2000 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science in 2014 from the University of Minnesota.
Declaration of Interest
Authors do not have funding to disclose regarding the study conduction or dissemination process.
Recommended Citation
Oldenburg, H. Y., Bergstrom, J., Kruse, T., Trenary, T., & McGee, C. (2026). From Classroom to Care: A Pilot Level I Fieldwork Experience Building Acute Care Self-Efficacy. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (1). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss1/11
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Occupational Therapy Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons