Occupation

Abstracts
P166
Being and becoming occupational therapist:
perception of students from Ghana
Adomako E, Ndaa P, University of Ghana
This longitudinal study sought to explore the development of
students’ professional identity as they progressed through their
study programme to become occupational therapists (OT).
Exploring perceptions of these students were unique, in that
their mere presence initiated the need for the study. Experiential
analysis of their views was expected to help fill gaps of unknown
understanding in relation to their emotions and self-actualization
as they strive to mature into professionals in their specific
context.
A qualitative phenomenological method was used to explore
their experiences of transition in the first two years of the
degree programme. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were
conducted each year to explore their feelings and experiences.
Nine participants were recruited from a maiden cohort of
students undertaking the Bachelor of Science in Occupational
Therapy programme in Ghana. Ethical approval was by School
of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (Ghana) and Coventry
University (UK) Ethics Committees. Approach to data analysis
involve the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
(IPA) Smith et al (2013) with reference to the step-by-step guide
suggested.
A master theme that emerged from cross-case analysis of
corresponding super-ordinates was the participants formulating
a sense of becoming OT through identity formation, awareness
creation of the profession and self-identification.
The participants in the study are students of the lead researcher.
However, participation in the study had no impact on their
academic performance and was voluntary.
The study highlight the understanding of students’ thoughts on
the course programme and occupational therapy as a profession.
It has also informed other considerations towards developing
professional educational programmes. Extensive Preparation
(academic and service provision) for programme development:
practice setting or educational institution, does it matter which
one comes first.
References
Smith JA, Flowers P, Larkin M (2009) Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research.
London: SAGE Publication
Keywords
Students, Research, Education
Contact E-mail Addresses
ellen.adomako@gmail.com
Author Biographies
Peter Ndaa (Occupational Therapist/ Lecturer/PhD Student) and
Newly elected President – OTARG.
Ms Ellen S. Adomako (Occupational Therapist/Clinical Tutor
University of Ghana
P167
Driving service improvement through innovative
student practice
Simons M, The University of Northampton
As part of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement,
2005–2013 (NHS, 2013), the University of Northampton was
Posters
one of the invited universities in 2008/9 to be a part of phase
3 of partnership working with healthcare and universities. The
aim was to ensure staff had an understanding of improvement
that improvement was explicit within the curriculum and that
students have practical experience of improvement tools and
techniques.
Within Occupational Therapy curriculum this has been
embedded within final year of study, in preparing students
to meet the NHS Improving Quality agenda (NHS, 2013).
Workshops at university have delivered the underpinning theory
and tools for development to equip students to undertake a
service development project whilst on placement. Modular
evaluations using questionnaires looked at both the students
and services feedback on the project base learning experience.
Findings confirmed this was a valued learning opportunity,
in developing confidence and critical thinking for future
practice linked to the broader context of services delivery
and in supporting transition from student to practitioner.
Examples of projects undertaken will be reviewed. The legacy
of these projects has helped service development and within
role emerging settings, has contributed to students gaining
employment as Occupational Therapists and expanding the
profession into the third and charitable sectors.
References
NHS (2013) NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
(online) available from: http://www.institute.nhs.uk/organisation/
about_nhsi/about_the_nhs_institute.html (accessed 14/9/2015)
Keywords
Students, Service improvement or transformation, Education and
learning, Other
Contact E-mail Addresses
sara.simons@northampton.ac.uk
Author Biographies
Sara has worked in education since 1998 with previous
experience in management and mental health.
P169
The development of a theory-informed workbook as
an additional resource for supporting occupational
therapy students on role-emerging placements
Dancza K 1 , Copley J 2 , Rodger S 2 , Moran M 3 , Canterbury
Christ Church University 1 , The University of Queensland 2 ,
Central Queensland University 3
Introduction: Placement learning promotes the development
of reasoning and decision making commensurate with
the theoretical tenets of a profession (Clark et al 2015). In
role-emerging placements, where there is no established
occupational therapy service, students do not have the same
structures and supports that are provided in established
placements. This poster describes the development and
evaluation of a workbook, designed to reinforce the integration
of theory with practice and provide an additional resource to
support students when a supervisor is not always present.
Method: Fourteen final year occupational therapy students and
four off-site occupational therapy supervisors involved in roleemerging
placements in school settings in England participated
in the study. A social constructionist perspective and action
research methodology was used. In-depth, semi-structured
interviews across four action research cycles informed the
development and evaluation of the workbook. Ethical approval
was received by relevant university ethics committees, with
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