Journal article
Has undergraduate education prepared occupational therapy students for possible practice in palliative care?
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, Vol.57(4), pp.224-232
2010
PMID: 20854596
Abstract
Background: It has been argued that the unique nature of the occupational therapy role in palliative care (PC) warrants dedicated attention in undergraduate programmes to improve the confidence of occupational therapy graduates to work in this setting. Nevertheless, little is known about either the present PC education or the preparedness of graduates to work in this field. In addressing each of these issues, this study also sought information to guide the development of occupational therapy-specific undergraduate teaching resources.
Methods: Survey information was gathered from two participant groups: (i) six occupational therapy schools from Australia and New Zealand and (ii) 24 occupational therapists employed in PC in Australia and New Zealand. Two different surveys were used, targeting issues specific to each of these two groups. Where possible, data were analysed quantitatively, whereas open-ended questions were interpreted thematically.
Results: Occupational therapy schools reported 2–10 hours of PC-specific content and requested teaching resources specific to the occupational therapy role. Less than half of the clinicians (45.8%) recalled receiving undergraduate content in PC, and 75% reported having felt unprepared to work in this field. Clinicians who had received PC-specific content at university felt more prepared to work in this field than those who had not. Several recommendations for teaching PC were made.
Conclusions: The link between the extent of PC education received and perceived readiness to work in this field, together with the relatively small amount of dedicated undergraduate PC-specific content, supports the need to optimise teaching in this unique field.
Details
- Title
- Has undergraduate education prepared occupational therapy students for possible practice in palliative care?
- Authors
- Pamela Joy Meredith (Author) - University of Queensland
- Publication details
- Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, Vol.57(4), pp.224-232
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00836.x
- ISSN
- 1440-1630
- PMID
- 20854596
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Occupational Therapy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99568105402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
9 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Web Of Science research areas
- Rehabilitation
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites