A virtual placement day to improve preparedness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Amanda Anderson, Evelyn Volders, Lisa A. Barker, Emily Robertson, Melanie Myers

Research output: Contribution to journalMeeting Abstractpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Work integrated learning is core to competency-based assessment however the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 changed course design and delivery, impacting on preparedness for clinical placement. In an attempt to ameliorate these disruptions, a virtual placement day was developed as a collaborative project between the university and the clinical placement sector. This was delivered during the orientation program prior to clinical placement.

Aim: To improve preparedness for long clinical placement via a communication package utilising a scenario of a patient with dementia. Further aims included exposing students to person centred care, prioritisation of care, utilisation of alternative strategies to collect assessment data, documentation and reflection.

Methods: In conjunction with a clinical placement partner, an authentic case was developed and trialled by a single student before converting to an on-line learning platform. It was estimated to take 6 h in total to complete the case including a reflection and action plan. The case was undertaken by 42 students in 2022, with the reflection and action plan submitted for analysis.

Results: Preliminary results suggest students highly valued the experience, felt prepared for placement and requested more virtual cases for different scenarios.

Conclusion: The next phase of the project is to increase the interactivity and virtuality, especially with interprofessional components. The model could be used for different cases in diverse practice settings. Evaluation of educators' perception of student preparedness for placement will be measured once placement begins.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberID71
Pages (from-to)6
Number of pages1
JournalNutrition and Dietetics
Volume79
Issue numberS1
Publication statusPublished - 8 Aug 2022
EventAnnual Conference of the Dietitians-Association-of-Australia 2022 - Adelaide, Australia
Duration: 14 Aug 202216 Aug 2022
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17470080/2022/79/S1
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1747-0080.12758 (Oral Presentation abstracts)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1747-0080.12759 (Poster Presentation abstracts)

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