An application of the model of human occupation to fieldwork supervision and fieldwork issues in NSW

Occupational therapists in New South Wales (NSW), both clinicians and academics, find themselves in the position of adapting to the continually increasing demands for sufficient fieldwork opportunities for students. There are now four occupational therapy undergraduate programmes in NSW presenting further challenges for the supply of fieldwork placements. In response to this situation, the NSW Fieldwork Issues Group was formed to address issues arising for all involved. This paper is a result of initial attempts by members of the group to identify and explore the major issues confronting fieldwork supervisors, in order to develop some strategies for managing the changes taking place in NSW. In an effort to clarify the issues involved, a variety of models were considered and the 'model of human occupation' was applied. This paper presents, briefly, the reasons for choosing this model and details its potential application to issues facing fieldwork supervisors in NSW and the implications for fieldwork supervision within the occupational therapy profession as a whole.