Specialty level II fieldwork in low vision rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

Low vision rehabilitation is an emerging practice area for the field of occupational therapy. As a result there is a need to develop tools and training for fieldwork educators in this practice area.

PARTICIPANTS

Occupational therapists with no experience in low vision rehabilitation participated in the pilot of the tools and training developed.

METHOD

A literature review was completed in the areas of low vision rehabilitation and fieldwork education. Additional evidence was gathered for relevant training modules, methods, and organizational training and development tools. A best-practice model for specialty Level II fieldwork in low vision rehabilitation was then developed for a partnering site. Best-practice was defined as the triangulation of the research evidence, consensus from a panel of occupational therapists with specialty certification in low vision (SCLV) and academic fieldwork coordinators, and feedback from the partnering site.

RESULTS

After three training sessions, the occupational therapists were able to achieve entry-level practice using the model developed.

CONCLUSION

While the model was not intended for training therapists it proved successful with the occupational therapists trained with it. Therefore, it is expected that an occupational therapy student, completing a third specialty placement in low vision rehabilitation, would achieve this status during the twelve-week fieldwork placement.