Practice Educator Page

Educator Training

• All educator training programme outlines and expectations are available on the above websites

• Dates and methods of booking onto training are outlined on the above website pages

The Occupational Therapy Team offer educator workshops in advance of each placement block.  These are normally approximately 3 weeks before the placement and cover placement paperwork and processes, as well as learning outcomes for apprentices. Details of these sessions can be found on the website above and can be booked by contacting ahptraining@shu.ac.uk 

• Information around the expectations and standards from both learners and educators can be found on this page: https://www.shu.ac.uk/health-social-placements/placement-information/placement-expectations

• Please note that a learner requires a formal assessment by SHU to be given a learning contract. This learning contract is a legal document that sets out reasonable adjustments that a learner requires to support them on the course. This may not always state adjustments for placement, as this may depend on the type of placement and so will need to be discussed prior to starting. Due to GDPR, staff at SHU are NOT legally able to disclose if a learner has a learning contract, they need to disclose this themselves, which we will actively encourage and support.

• Contact with the Academic Advisor and learner as early as possible to discuss what appropriate reasonable adjustments could be implemented 

• Identify with your own team what reasonable adjustments could be implemented in your area (this will be different for each area)

• Examples of reasonable adjustments are: Altered Start / Finish Time, Quiet room to write notes +/- Extra time, Ability to type rather than handwrite notes. Self-directed / Educator Directed Study day mid-week, Extended appointment times, Written / Verbal debrief

• CSP Welcoming and Supporting Disabled Students information https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/practice-based-learning/welcoming-supporting-disabled-learners

• Guidance for neuro-divergent learners https://www.shu.ac.uk/-/media/home/health-wellbeing-placements/guidepblneurodivergentstudents.pdf

We want all learners to reach their maximum potential on placement, some learners may meet the expectations and learning outcomes for placement very easily.  It can then be easy to allow them to continue at this level,  to ensure that they gain as much development as possible, below are ways to help stretch learners.

• Look at the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) that they are working towards on the course. Can you develop activities/opportunities to help them develop across a range of areas?

• Our aim is to develop autonomous practitioners, think what additional activities they can be doing to work towards and beyond qualification

• If at level 5, utilise level 6 placement objectives to identify where they could push to the next level 

• If at level 6, what are the job specifications / expectations of Band 5 staff

• Set regular and clear objectives, giving structured feedback at least once per week

• Could they take on more organisational / leadership tasks such as managing the team / ward. Can they present case studies, deliver some training? Can they be involved in audits, projects, research, business proposals?

For all educators who are identify a learner as struggling, having challenges or not meeting the objectives of placement from a professional or clinical element should contact the academic advisor at the earliest opportunity. Clear objectives should be provided to the learner at regular intervals and in documented on the appropriate marking document.

• Process for Managing a Student who is not Progressing, including Refer and Failure of Placement Attempt - Process Map (PDF, 223.1KB)

Please see the profession specific pages for more information and assessment paperwork links  can be found here:

Physiotherapy students are assessed against the CSP develop Common Placement Assessment Framework (CPAF), at SHU we currently as our clinical educators complete the form as a PDF, password protect this and then send to the student to submit.

CSP Resources:

Here are some support resources around the CPAF (DOCX, 15.4KB) 

• How to Assess the Learning Domains (PDF, 917.3KB)

• Practice Educator CPAF Guidance (PDF, 1.6MB)

• Student CPAF Guidance (PDF, 3.5MB)

Paperwork:

CPAF Level 4 - Block 1 - This paperwork (PDF, 1.9MB) 

CPAF - Level 5 - Block 2 + 3  - This paperwork (PDF, 2MB) 

CPAF - Level 6 - Block 4 +5 - This paperwork (PDF, 2MB)

Assessment paperwork can all be found at: https://www.shu.ac.uk/health-social-placements/profession-information/occupational-therapy/assessment

Online workshops are run throughout the year, in advance of each placement block, for educators who want further training on SHU Occupational Therapy assessment paperwork and processes. Dates for this can be found at: https://www.shu.ac.uk/health-social-placements/profession-information/occupational-therapy/practice-based-learning-placement-educator-preparation-and-support 

Assessment documents can be found here: Assessment guidance dietetics website

Sheffield Hallam University is required to adhere to professional standards and guidelines published by professional and statutory regulatory bodies (PSRB), including the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

In order to ensure that students and supervisors experience a high quality learning experience during all placements irrespective of location we audit our practice placements for compliance with legislation, standards and guidance. These standards and audits are in place to check that they will offer student’s the placement learning opportunities required to meet the approved Learning Outcomes for any given course. They include:

• PSRB standards

• Health and Safety legislation

Placement education audits also take account of student evaluations of their placement learning experience and feedback from providers.  All quality assurance information can be found on this link Quality Assurance (Audits and Student and Practice Evaluations) 

HCPC Standards

• HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics

• HCPC Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students

• HCPC Standards Standards of Proficiency for Dietitians

• HCPC Standards of Continuing Professional Development

• HCPC Standards relevant to Education and Training

• HCPC Students and Learners - information and guidance for students