Recommended content for fieldwork manual

Material for your student manual can be gathered from other sources within your facility (e.g., employee handbooks, Human Resources Department, etc.)

Feel free to call the academic programs that you have contracts with to get the names of nearby facilities that are similar to your site. Call those facilities and see if they are willing to share their student manual with you.

Don't feel that you need to have a separate manual for students and fieldwork educators. The manuals can be the same.

Recommended Content for a Student Fieldwork Manual

1. Orientation Outline
2. Assignments
3. Safety Procedures/Codes
4. Behavioral Objectives
5. Week-by-Week Schedule of Responsibilities
6. Patient Confidentiality Information (Patient Rights)
7. Guidelines for Documentation:
   • Completed samples of all forms
   • Acceptable medical abbreviations
   • Discharge plan
   • Billing
   • Dictation Directions, if applicable
8. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process

Additional information that can gradually be added to the student manual

1. Organizational Chart of the Fieldwork Setting
2. History of the Fieldwork Setting
3. Department Information
   • Policy and procedures
   • Mission statement
   • Organizational chart
   • Essential job functions
   • Dress code
4. Regularly Scheduled Meetings:
   • Dates\times
   • Purpose of meeting
5. Special Client Related Groups\Programs
   • Purpose
   • Referral system
   • Operation
   • Transport
6. Patient Confidentiality Information (Patient Rights)
7. Guidelines for Documentation
8. Responsibilities of:
   • Fieldwork educator
   • Student
   • Fieldwork coordinator (if position exists)
9. Performance Evaluation. Procedure and guidelines used in the evaluation of
   • Student
   • Fieldwork Educator
   • Fieldwork Experience