Rights of Clinical Education Faculty

RIGHTS OF CLINICAL EDUCATION FACULTY AND POLICIES

RELATED TO CLINICAL EDUCATION

Consistent with the Evaluative Criteria for Accreditation of Education Programs for the Preparation of Physical Therapists, the following definitions are used in this document:

            Clinical Education Faculty: Individuals engaged in providing the clinical education components of the program, generally referred to as either Center Coordinators of Clinical Education (CCCEs) or Clinical Instructors (CIs).

Core Faculty: Full time and part time faculty members employed primarily in the program, with the responsibility and authority to administer the curriculum.

Associated Faculty: Individuals who have classroom or lab teaching responsibilities who are not core or clinical education faculty.

Program Faculty: All faculty involved with the program including those listed above.

CAPTE criterion F-26

The rights and privileges of clinical education faculty and policies and procedures related to clinical education are delineated and communicated to all program faculty.

Policies

1.       The Clinical Education faculty members have the right and responsibility to provide feedback to the department regarding the physical therapy program, curriculum and student performance.

Procedure: Sites are provided the opportunity to telephone the DCE at any time. Each site is contacted during a student rotation to solicit feedback re: student performance, academic preparation for the experience and curricular comments. They are provided feedback forms to be completed at the conclusion of each student’s rotation.

2.       The affiliating sites have the right to require additional criteria to accept students. (i.e. additional malpractice insurance, an individual preplacement interview, specific health requirements, criminal background checks, etc.)

Procedure: Sites communicate these requirements to the program. This information is shared on the site requirement form each student receives prior to the clinical eduaction course. Students comply with requirements.

3.       The Clinical Education faculty has the privilege of participating in an annual continuing education course offered by the academic program at no expense to the attendees.

Procedure: All sites with affiliation agreements are invited to an annual seminar tuition free with meals provided.

4.       The Clinical Education faculty have the privilege of participating in a biannual multidisciplinary (PT, OT, ST, Therapeutic Rec, Health Policy Studies) continuing education course offered at no expense to attendees.

Procedure: Sites with an active affiliation agreement are invited to a biannual seminar tuition-free with meals provided.

5.       The Clinical Education faculty members have the privilege to request inservicing from core faculty m

Procedure: Clinicians may request inservicing at any time. Feedback forms are provided with a request for future topics of interest at each seminar and following each student’s participation in a clinical rotation.

6.       The Clinical Education faculty members have the right to decline taking students during any time

Procedure: Sites may not offer affiliation slots for up to 3 consecutive years. Sites select annual dates of affiliation participation. Sites may cancel a student placement at any time.

7.       Sites have the right to terminate the affiliation agreement with Ithaca College.

Procedure: Site notifies program of desire to terminate in writing. Site is removed from affiliate list.

8.       Sites have the right to terminate the affiliation of a student due to student or situational issues.

Procedure: The site notifies the DCE of the need to terminate the student affiliation. DCE notifies the student.

Clinical Education faculty (CCCE’s and CI’s) do not have faculty status at this institution and therefore are not eligible for the rights and privileges afforded core faculty. This is consistent with other clinical departments within the School of Health Science and Human Performance at Ithaca College.

 CAPTE Criteria F-23 and F-24 Clinical Education Faculty

Clinical education faculty members Have a minimum of one year of clinical experience and are evaluated in those years during which they have clinical education responsibilities in the program to determine clinical teaching effectiveness. 

Policy: Ithaca College supports the intent of this criterion

Procedure: Students are required to complete the APTA PT Student Clinical Experience and Clinical Instructor feedback form. CI/CCCEs are asked to complete the Clinical Education Assessment form. DCE reviews the completed forms for evidence of professional development, clinical teaching, and clinical skills competencies.

Ithaca College core faculty evaluates clinical instructors’ effectiveness via midterm calls and visits to our students and clinical faculty while the students are on affiliation. We examine effectiveness of teaching, communication skills and knowledge of our curriculum.

The ACDE and/or DCE review student feedback regarding the Clinical Education faculty at the completion of each affiliation. Information is used to modify communications and develop appropriate in services and opportunities to develop the effectiveness of clinical education faculty.

CAPTE Criteria of the Clinical Education Program

There is an assessment of the clinical education program as a whole to determine the adequacy of the program in meeting the needs of the students and mission and objectives of the program.

Policy: The DCEs perform ongoing evaluation of the clinical education sites. We value and reinforce evidence of effective clinical teaching and work with sites on an individual basis to enhance the clinical learning when needed. Several methods are utilized in this process and include, but are not limited to:

Procedures:

1.       Obtain and review a current Clinical Site Information Form from the affiliating site.

2.       Facilitate and monitor effective communication between the site and the program prior to student participation (does the CCCE return appropriate documents, make timely offerings, respond to student letter of introduction etc.?)

3.       Assess the learning experiences available during each clinical rotation by core faculty conducting midterm calls/visits. Exemplary performance or areas of concern are identified and forwarded to the DCE who reviews Clinical Experience feedback.

4.       Core faculty participates in routine midterm visits. Visits are conducted on a rotating basis to a sampling of sites during each clinical rotation. Impressions are recorded on the midterm call/visit form. Exemplary performance or areas of concern are identified and forwarded to the DCE.

5.       The DCEs review written and verbal feedback from each student, following each clinical rotation to assess the quality of learning experiences available at the site. The students’ written feedback is made available to future students considering placement at same sites.

6.       Students are provided the opportunity to discuss the clinical education experience with program faculty during and after the affiliation. Written assessment forms are reviewed. Any site identified as needing improvement is followed up with the student and site.

7.       The DCEs review student performance evaluations to seek insight regarding the effectiveness of learning in that environment.

8.       The participation of core faculty in local, state and national professional organizations and teaching opportunities assist the program in the development, assessment and retention of clinical sites.

9.       The DCEs conduct an annual review of the database of clinical education sites. Sites that have not provided current Clinical Site Information Forms are contacted for updates. Sites that have not provided slots for students in 3-5 years are contacted to ensure the value of their retention as a site.

10.    CI/CCCEs complete the Clinical Education Assessment forms, providing feedback re: program strengths and needs as well as self assessment of effectiveness as a CI.

11.    CI/CCCEs complete ADCE/DCE feedback forms.

12.    DCE reviews feedback from the CI/CCCE and incorporates information gathered into Clinical Education report for dissemination to program faculty and department administrators. Content is used to develop enhanced effectiveness.

13.    The DCEs assess the content of the slots offered for each rotation prior to student selection of placement sites. This list of available opportunities is critiqued for its mixture of variety of experiences offered, availability of learning experiences, and geographic and socioeconomic diversity. Information gathered is useful in directing future marketing efforts of the clinical education program to ensure rich diversity.

14.    At the conclusion of each Clinical Education rotation, the DCE or ADCE provides a summary of student performance to all core faculty. The Clinical Education Committee meets to discuss any site issues or exemplary situations that have occurred and make recommendations for follow up. Core faculty utilizes this feedback in curricular assessment.

 Action: When the DCE identifies concerns with an affiliation or a clinical site’s effectiveness, the following procedure is implemented:

1.       Gather information from the student, CI, CCCE and any other parties involved in the experience. Seek concrete examples illustrating the areas of concern.

2.       Review site files for previous concerns expressed by students, faculty or DCE.

3.       Review the student’s previous feedback in academic and clinical arenas. Seek consistencies or discrepancies in student feedback. Attempt to clarify whether the current problem is a site issue or a student issue.

4.       Evaluate all information gathered and develop a list of specific concerns.

5.       Discuss clinical sire concerns with the clinical education faculty to try to resolve the issues.

6.       At the discretion of the program faculty, a site visit may be done to observe issues, student performance, and the functions of the clinic.

7.       Provide inservicing, education, and/or guidelines specific to the concerns identified to the clinical education faculty to enhance effectiveness in clinical teaching.

8.       Assess the clinical education faculty’s receptivity to change.

9.       Closely monitor the site during the next student’s participation at that site. Assess quality of learning and reinforce ant noted improvements. Repeat steps 1-8 as deemed necessary.

10.    Many concerns can be resolved through steps 1-8. However, if concerns are not resolved then the use of the site mat be temporarily suspended. Any student that is already assigned to a site that becomes suspended will be re-assigned to another site.

11.    Concerns will be discussed with the site, and an individual plan of action created to address the needs.

12.    The site will be reevaluated after a specified period of time and if concerns remain the contract will be terminated.

13.    If a site is found to be practicing unethically or illegally, the contract will be terminated.

 CAPTE Criterion F-17

The clinical education faculty demonstrates clinical expertise in their area of practice and the capacity to perform as effective clinical teachers.

 Policy: Ithaca College values the time and efforts of our clinical instructors. In addition to the site assessment methods described previously, the following criteria are assessed to determine an individual’s ability to continue to serve as a clinical instructor.

The CI will:

1.       Initiate timely communication with the school when concerns arise regarding student performance or program issues.

2.       Be available and able to provide constructive feedback on student performance at the midterm call or visit.

3.       Provide specific examples of concerns or positive aspects of student performance.

4.       Provide consistent, timely and ongoing feedback to the student throughout the affiliation and this feedback is consistent with the feedback provided to the academic program.

5.       Returns paperwork to the program in a timely fashion.

6.       Is willing to provide the program with additional information for clarification regarding student performance when such information is requested.

7.       Is familiar with the program expectations for the various levels of student clinical education and sets appropriate objectives for the student.

8.       The student writes performance evaluation which is consistent with performance expectations for the level of affiliation or specific examples are provided for deficient performance areas.

9.       Provides meaningful comments and details on the written assessment of student performance.

10.    Creates and environment conducive to student learning.

11.    Is open to new ideas and suggestions that the student presents.

12.    Maintains clinical practice standards, the APTA Code of Ethics and appropriate State Practice Act.

Procedure: The DCE reviews the Clinical Education Assessment Form and the APTA Clinical Experience and Clinical Instructor feedback form for evidence of current professional development activities. The DCE assesses the site feedback forms, midterm call/visit records, faculty feedback and other communications with the site to determine the site’s effectiveness as a clinical affiliate and the therapist’s ability to be effective as a clinical instructor.

Action: If needs are identified, intervention on behalf of the student may be initiated during the affiliation. Following the student’s completion of the affiliation, additional plans of action may be developed to resolve the issues. In servicing may be offered to the facility. Information to clarify misunderstandings may be provided. Additional training may be recommended e.g. the Clinical Instructor Credentialing Course. The CCCE may be informed of concerns and may act as mediator of needs on site.

9/02, rev 1/05, rev 12/07