Practice placements have been identified as a primary factor influencing new graduates' selection of specialty preference. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the experiences and issues for occupational therapists when providing practice placements for students in mental health. This research was prompted by continuing difficulties in the recruitment and retention of occupational therapists within mental health services in Queensland, Australia, along with a declining number of offers for student practice placements.
In-depth interviews with eight participants extrapolated four key elements in the experiences of educating students, which were time, energy, skills and mental health provider issues. The participants also identified determinants that influenced the decision to educate students, including professional responsibility, personal rewards and demands, and support needs. The inherent complexities of contemporary mental health practice, such as emotional and role demands, added pressure when educating students. The need for appropriate support and practice placement educator training programmes that deal effectively with mental health issues was highlighted.
Driving is often omitted or ignored during assessment and ongoing work with consumers of mental health services. This Open Forum describes guidelines to help providers of psychiatric services to support safe driving practices among consumers. The guidelines were developed over seven years with contributions from a wide range of stakeholders. They include key principles for conducting screening and initial assessment, obtaining a detailed driving history, and performing risk assessment. The guidelines include information about process (how to assess) and content (what information to seek) of driving assessment. Because driving is regulated by local jurisdictions and national legislation, the guidelines provide a general framework for addressing questions about driving practices among consumers of mental health services. They are intended to complement, rather than replace, existing guidelines, by providing a focus on the occupation of driving. In so doing, they provide principled information to embed driving assessment and intervention as part of psychiatric services.
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