An Investigation of the Satisfaction and Perception of Fieldwork Experiences Among Occupational Therapy Students

Abstract

Objective Fieldwork practice is an essential part of education in occupational therapy (OT). For an OT educator, it is crucial to understand students’ perceptions and satisfaction of fieldwork practice to raise its overall quality. Methods Students’ perceptions and satisfaction of their fieldwork were measured with the students’ fieldwork satisfaction assessment. The assessment contains three subscales: the degree of satisfaction with the clinical setting, supervisors, and the improvement of professional knowledge. A total of 67 senior-year OT students from six universities in Taiwan were recruited. The students’ overall perceptions of and satisfaction with their fieldwork were obtained. Results Results indicated that the level of satisfaction was high among students (mean ± standard deviation = 3.94 ± 0.52). In addition, students had relatively lower satisfaction with the hospital environment (3.57 ± 0.48). Students who considered pre-fieldwork preparation to be necessary often had higher satisfaction (4.05 ± 0.51) with fieldwork experience than those who considered it unnecessary (3.61 ± 0.47; p = .004). Our results showed that students practicing in the field of physical disabilities were more satisfied with their fieldwork than were students in the field of psychiatric disabilities (p = .003). Students’ perception of OT was a significant predictor for students’ degree of satisfaction with fieldwork (p < .001). Conclusion To elevate the quality of the clinical education of OT students, educators may improve the facilities and spaces in the hospital departments.