Barriers to Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education in Iran: The Perspectives ofFieldwork Educators and Students

Background: Clinical education is a vital factor in the process of learning in medical sciences universities. The aim of the present studywas to explore the perspectives of fieldwork educators and students concerning barriers to occupational therapy fieldwork education inIran. Materials and Methods: A qualitative research was conducted from May ۲۰۱۹ to April ۲۰۲۰ to address the study objectives. The dataanalysis was performed using conventional content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman’s approach. Purposive sampling was used toenroll ۱۲ educators and ۱۴ students of various backgrounds (physical disabilities‑adult, physical disabilities‑pediatrics, psychosocial‑adult, andpsychosocial‑pediatrics) in the study. Results: The findings indicated that the main themes were related to fieldwork educators, fieldworksettings, educational planning, students, and educational regulation. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the perspectives of students andoccupational therapy educators regarding the field of clinical education are not only important but also useful for the attainment of effectiveclinical education and the development of knowledge related to rehabilitation nursing education. Therefore, educational planners shoulddevelop effective programs based on these themes.

Keywords:

Education , medical , nursing education research , occupational therapy