Working with populations from a refugee background: an opportunity to enhance the occupational therapy educational experience.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the educational value of an occupational therapy fieldwork placement where students work with people from a refugee background. Research was designed to contribute to the limited evidence regarding the benefits and challenges of traditional vs. non-traditional fieldwork settings and to explore the application of occupational therapy related to working with refugee populations.


METHODS
Fourteen participants were interviewed using semi-structured, open-ended questions to explore perspectives on how their experience influenced their education and professional development. Face-to-face interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcriptions and hard-copy data were analysed to identify emergent themes and subthemes. Triangulation and member-checking increased trustworthiness.


RESULTS
Three major themes emerged in this study: Operational therapy at its Core; Cultural Awareness and Competence; and Basic Skills for Any Setting. Subthemes emerged but for the purposes of this article only the major themes are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
A fieldwork experience working with people of a refugee background can facilitate the development of cultural awareness and competence, as well as foundational professional skills. In this setting, the importance of occupation-based, client-centred practice can be fully realised. Results indicate that this fieldwork setting is a suitable environment for experiencing occupational therapy principles and that labelling fieldwork experiences working with people from a refugee background as 'non-traditional' may be inappropriate. Learning experiences reported by students also reveal the benefits of working independently at times without direct supervision of an occupational therapist.
Division of Occupational Therapy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Yda J
YJ
Smith
Erika
E
Cornella
Nyles
N
Williams
D001364:Awareness; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012036:Refugees
community; cultural competency; fieldwork; professional education; qualitative research