title: Identifying educational priorities for occupational therapy students to prepare for mental health practice in Australia and New Zealand: Opinions of practising occupational therapists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effective preparation of occupational therapy students for mental health practice is critical to facilitate positive consumer outcomes, underpin optimal practice and support new graduates' professional identity. This project was established to determine a set of 'educational priorities' for occupational therapy students to prepare them for current (and future) entry-level practice in mental health, from the perspective of mental health occupational therapists in Australia and New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included two phases. In Phase One, participants identified what they considered to be important educational priorities for occupational therapy students to prepare them for practice in mental health. For Phase Two, an 'expert panel' was assembled to review and rank these using a Policy Delphi approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five participants provided educational priorities in Phase One. These were grouped into a total of 149 educational themes. In Phase Two, the expert panel (consisting of 37 occupational therapists from diverse locations and practice settings) prioritised these themes across three Delphi rounds. A final priority list was generated dividing educational themes into three prioritised categories: 29 'Essential', 25 'Important' and 44 'Optional' priorities. Highest-ranked priorities were: clinical reasoning, client-centred practice, therapeutic use of self, functional implications of mental illness, therapeutic use of occupation and mental health fieldwork experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The priority list developed as part of this project provides additional information to support the review of occupational therapy curricula across Australia and New Zealand to ensure that new graduates are optimally prepared for mental health practice.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Occupational Therapy, Mental Health Services, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Justin Newton
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Scanlan
authors.affiliation: Occupational Science and Therapy, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pépin
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haracz
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ennals
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jayne S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Meredith
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy, School of Exercise and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batten
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Allied Health, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Siann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Exercise Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonassi
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Rosie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration; D002983:Clinical Competence; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D000068616:Professionalism; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Delphi technique; mental health; occupational therapy process/competency standards; occupational therapy professional attitudes and behaviours; students