Resources for Practice Educators

For practitioners who have never been practice educators or have not taken up the role for a long time, a reflective scenario to help you explore the possibility and how to go about taking the first steps to offer practice-based learning.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar of the RCOT Career Development Framework, Career Levels 5 to 9

A reflective scenario to support you to consider becoming a practice educator as an independent practitioner.

It supports the RCOT Career Development Framework Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5 to 9

A reflective scenario to help you plan for hosting a leadership placement. 

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 6 to 9.

A reflective scenario to help you consider whether a multi-learner practice-based learning model could work for you.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5 to 9.

A reflective scenario to help you consider how to offer practice-based learning opportunities to pre-registration learners, in small children’s community occupational therapy teams.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5-9.

A reflective scenario to help you consider whether practice-based learning will work for you in your social enterprise.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5 to 9.

A reflective scenario to help you consider how you might support practice-based learning as a Therapy Service Manager. 

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar of the RCOT Career Development Framework, Career Levels 6 to 9

A reflective scenario to help you explore how you can support learners in an emerging role in public health.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5 to 8.

A reflective scenario to help you consider how you might facilitate remote practice-based education and remote assessment. 

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 5 to 9.

A reflective scenario to help you consider the difficult topic of potentially failing a practice education learner.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 4 to 7.

A reflective scenario to help you consider and support learners' mental health using available support mechanisms.

This resource supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar, Career Levels 4 to 7. Personnel at Career Levels 8 to 9 may also find it helpful.

A reflective scenario to help you to explore actions and further learning you may need to take as you consider setting up practice-based learning with Technology Enabled Care Services. 

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar of the RCOT Career Development Framework, Career Levels 5 to 7

A reflective scenario to help you manage or help to manage interprofessional learning for pre-registration learners, optimising the remote learning environment.

It supports the Facilitation of Learning Pillar of the RCOT Career Development Framework, Career Levels 4 to 6

These well-regarded courses are hosted by FutureLearn and produced by UK universities.

Clinical Supervision: Assessing and Providing Feedback

Clinical Supervision: Planning your Professional Development

Clinical Supervision: Teaching and Facilitating Learning

Developing Expert Educators for Healthcare Professions

OTHER RESOURCES
Blended approach to educating students - video

All registered practitioners can support practice-based learning! Get an overview of the new blended approach to educating students (produced by Health Education England, 3 minute video)

Innovations in AHP clinical placements - video

Find out about innovations in clinical placements across allied health professions (produced by AHP Leader Podcast, 1 hour 20 min video)

Paramedic practice-based learning. A handbook for practice educators and facilitators - e-book

There are some differences in emphasis and requirements for paramedic PBL, but many of the principles and general information of the handbook for practice are the same. This e-book was written by the College of Paramedics.

HEE Practice-based Learning resources

Health Education England has produced a series of guides and toolkits to support AHPs with PBL. Visit their webpage from time to time to check on new resources.

An article published by Beveridge and Pentland introduce a brief literature review on practice education models.

Beveridge J, Pentland D (2020) A mapping review of models of practice education in allied health and social care professions. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 83(8), 488–513.

This University of Brighton blog post highlights the different models of placements delivery and signposts to resources.

Aspects of supervision apply to Practice Education. RCOT provides a guide to supervision.

The HCPC also has some excellent new resources on supervision.

Keeping records is as important for practice-based learning as it is for service delivery.

Articles on practice-based education are published regularly in OTnews. The OTnews indices can help you find articles by using the key words “practice placements” and “student education”.

Delivering pre-registration practice-based learning: alternative models

The Career Development Framework outlines knowledge, skills and ways of thinking that support learning (Facilitation of Learning Pillar). Consider which principles you might like to develop to enhance your role as a practice educator.

The Health and Care Professions Council’s Standards of education and training cover practice-based learning. The standards relating to Practice Educators are:

• 5.4 Practice-based learning must take place in an environment that is safe and supportive for learners and service users;
• 5.5 There must be an adequate number of appropriately qualified and experienced staff involved;
• 5.6 Practice educators must have relevant knowledge, skills and experience to support safe and effective learning, and [normally] must be on the relevant part of the Register;
• 5.7 Practice educators must undertake regular training which is appropriate to their role, learners’ needs and the delivery of the learning outcomes of the programme;
• 5.8 Learners must have the information they need in a timely manner in order to be prepared for practice-based learning.

The RCOT Learning and development standards for pre-registration education (Domain 5, p. 38-44) reaffirm these standards.

RCOT expects occupational therapists’ professional and ethical conduct to include provision of practice-based learning (p. 29-30 of Professional Standards and Ethics).