In accordance with the Minimum Standards for Practice Education in Ireland document, produced by the Association of Occupational Therapists Ireland (AOTI) (2007), MSc students in the Occupational Therapy programme are required to complete a minimum of 1000 hours of practice education placements to a satisfactory level of competence. Each student must have a mixture of physical and psychosocial placements. Practice Education 3 will be an eight week full time practice placement that is completed in semester 1 of year 2. Students will complete this placement either in Ireland or abroad. This placement will enable students to build on their professional competencies as they continue to learn and demonstrate professional skills and attitudes in the management of cases from referral to discharge.

Supervised full time experiential practice education experience for 8 weeks in either Ireland or abroad up to 296 hours. Supervised full time experiential practice education experience for 8 weeks in either Ireland or abroad. Acquisition of practice knowledge relevant to the practice setting; Basic clinical reasoning skills; Occupational therapy therapeutic process with the specific client group. Communication and personal management Skills

To apply practice knowledge to the therapy process in a service context. Seek out evidence and apply new information to develop their own professional practice. To consider change, developments and policies that impact on practice contexts. To reflect and act on their own clinical strengths and learning goals as they make the transition from student to therapist.

To practice self-reflection and critique of their own performance. To demonstrate an ability to interact with individuals in a fair, equitable and inclusive manner in all therapeutic and professional relationships. To display a client-centred approach to practice to optimise the therapy process.

To demonstrate clinical reasoning processes through the ability to prioritise, manage and evaluate appropriate interventions with a range of clients. To perform a range of occupational therapy skills, using occupation, in a safe and effective manner with guidance.

TEACHING The student will engage in experiential learning within a specified health or social care setting under the supervision of a named practice educator who will be a fully qualified occupational therapist. Additional support will also to be provided by staff within the University of Limerick. Student learning will be experiential and there will be a mixture of patient contact, case studies discussion and tutorials. Self directed study. LEARNING The placement will enable students to apply the occupational therapy process. This placement will enable students to build their professional competencies as they continue to learn and demonstrate professional skills and attitudes in the management of cases from referral to discharge, develop self-reflection skills; display a person centred approach to practice. Student learning will be structured using a learning contract within the framework of the Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation for Occupational Therapists (CBFE-OT). Students will be assessed and graded on seven competency areas for practice. This includes the acquisition of practice knowledge relevant to the practice setting, the ability to demonstrate basic clinical reasoning skills and to show an understanding of the occupational therapy therapeutic process with the specific client group. Also, the student will be required to demonstrate an awareness of the importance of effective communication and personal management skills and to develop these core skills within his/her practice.