Rebecca Banks

Publications (7)2.03 Total impact

• Article: Increasing the occupational therapy mental health workforce through innovative practice education: a pilot project.

  Sylvia Rodger, Yvonne Thomas, Sue Holley, Elizabeth Springfield, Ann Edwards, Jacqui Broadbridge, Craig Greber, Cathy McBryde, Rebecca Banks, Rachel Hawkins
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  ABSTRACT: This paper describes the evaluation of a pilot trial of two innovative placement models in the area of mental health, namely role emerging and collaborative supervision. The Queensland Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Collaborative conducted this trial in response to workforce shortages in mental health. Six occupational therapy students and eight practice educators were surveyed pre- and post-placements regarding implementation of these innovative models. Students participating in these placements reported that they were highly likely to work in mental health upon graduation, and practice educators were positive about undertaking innovative placements in future. An overview of the placement sites, trials, outcomes and limitations of this pilot trial is provided. Though limited by its small sample size, this pilot trial has demonstrated the potential of innovative placement models to provide valuable student learning experiences in mental health. The profession needs to develop expertise in the use of innovative placement models if students are to be adequately prepared to work with the mental health issues of the Australian community now and in the future.
  Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 12/2009; 56(6):409-17. · 0.68 Impact Factor
• Article: A comparison of international occupational therapy competencies: implications for Australian standards in the new millennium.

  Sylvia Rodger, Michele Clark, Rebecca Banks, Mia O'Brien, Kay Martinez
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  ABSTRACT: A timely evaluation of the Australian Competency Standards for Entry-Level Occupational Therapists (1994) was conducted. This thorough investigation comprised a literature review exploring the concept of competence and the applications of competency standards; systematic benchmarking of the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994) against other national and international competency standards and other affiliated documents, from occupational therapy and other cognate disciplines; and extensive nationwide consultation with the professional community. This paper explores and examines the similarities and disparities between occupational therapy competency standards documents available in English from Australia and other countries. An online search for national occupational therapy competency standards located 10 documents, including the Australian competencies. Four 'frameworks' were created to categorise the documents according to their conceptual underpinnings: Technical-Prescriptive, Enabling, Educational and Meta-Cognitive. Other characteristics that appeared to impact the design, content and implementation of competency standards, including definitions of key concepts, authorship, national and cultural priorities, scope of services, intended use and review mechanisms, were revealed. The proposed 'frameworks' and identification of influential characteristics provided a 'lens' through which to understand and evaluate competency standards. While consistent application of and attention to some of these characteristics appear to consolidate and affirm the authority of competency standards, it is suggested that the national context should be a critical determinant of the design and content of the final document. The Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994) are critiqued accordingly, and preliminary recommendations for revision are proposed.
  Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 12/2009; 56(6):372-83. · 0.68 Impact Factor
• Article: A national evaluation of the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (1994): a multistakeholder perspective.

  Sylvia Rodger, Michele Clark, Rebecca Banks, Mia O'Brien, Kay Martinez
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  ABSTRACT: This paper summarises results from an evaluation of the adequacy and utility of the Australian Competency Standards for Entry-Level Occupational Therapists (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994a). It comprised a two-part study, incorporating an online survey of key national stakeholders (n = 26), and 13 focus groups (n = 152) conducted throughout Australia with occupational therapy clinicians, academics, OT AUSTRALIA association and Occupational Therapy Registration Board representatives, as well as university program accreditors. The key recommendations were that: (i) urgent revision to reflect contemporary practice, paradigms, approaches and frameworks is required; (ii) the standards should exemplify basic competence at graduation (not within two years following); (iii) a revision cycle of five years is required; (iv) the Australian Qualifications Framework should be retained, preceded by an introduction describing the scope and nature of occupational therapy practice in the national context; (v) access to the standards should be free and unrestricted to occupational therapists, students and the public via the OT AUSTRALIA (national) website; (vi) the standards should incorporate a succinct executive summary and additional tools or templates formatted to enable occupational therapists to develop professional portfolios and create working documents specific to their workplace; and (vii) language must accommodate contextual variation while striking an appropriate balance between providing instruction and encouraging innovation in practice.
  Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 12/2009; 56(6):384-92. · 0.68 Impact Factor
• Article: Exploring occupational therapy competencies for this millennium: Charting the territory for change

  Sylvia Rodger, Rebecca Banks, Michele Clark, Mia O'Brien, Kay Martinez
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  ABSTRACT: The paper will present outcomes from a web based survey undertaken with 26 heads of school, fieldwork academics, registration board members and accreditors, followed by focus groups conducted across the country in every city with an occupational therapy education program during 2008. Extensive consultation with multiple stakeholders by way of a project steering committee (project team and OT Australia nominees) and reference group (heads of schools, fieldwork academics, accreditors, registration board representatives) as well as with clinicians and students has led to the development of a series of recommendations for the revision of the Australian OT Competency Standards so that they meet the needs of contemporary and future occupational therapy practice that covers new and emerging areas.
• Article: A comparison of international occupational therapy competencies : implications for Australian standards in the new millennium

  Sylvia Rodger, Michele J. Clark, Rebecca Banks, Mia O'Brien, Kay Martinez
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  ABSTRACT: Background/aim: A timely evaluation of the Australian Competency Standards for Entry-Level Occupational Therapists© (1994) was conducted. This thorough investigation comprised a literature review exploring the concept of competence and the applications of competency standards; systematic benchmarking of the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994) against other national and international competency standards and other affiliated documents, from occupational therapy and other cognate disciplines; and extensive nationwide consultation with the professional community. This paper explores and examines the similarities and disparities between occupational therapy competency standards documents available in English from Australia and other countries.----- Methods: An online search for national occupational therapy competency standards located 10 documents, including the Australian competencies.----- Results: Four 'frameworks' were created to categorise the documents according to their conceptual underpinnings: Technical-Prescriptive, Enabling, Educational and Meta-Cognitive. Other characteristics that appeared to impact the design, content and implementation of competency standards, including definitions of key concepts, authorship, national and cultural priorities, scope of services, intended use and review mechanisms, were revealed.----- Conclusion: The proposed 'frameworks' and identification of influential characteristics provided a 'lens' through which to understand and evaluate competency standards. While consistent application of and attention to some of these characteristics appear to consolidate and affirm the authority of competency standards, it is suggested that the national context should be a critical determinant of the design and content of the final document. The Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994) are critiqued accordingly, and preliminary recommendations for revision are proposed.
• Article: Mastering handwriting: How children with developmental coordination disorder succeed with CO-OP

  Rebecca Banks, Sylvia Rodger, Helene J Polatajko
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  ABSTRACT: Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is an intervention that facilitates motor skill acquisition in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Preliminary research has recently begun to investigate the significance of the cognitive strategies fundamental to the CO-OP approach. This study aimed to elucidate the specific strategies used by children with DCD while addressing handwriting goals. In this descriptive study, four boys aged 6 to 11 years who had DCD were videotaped while engaging in 10 hour-long CO-OP treatment sessions over 5 consecutive weeks. Subsequently, 180 minutes of handwriting videotapes were randomly selected for systematic behavioral observation. Discussion, not practice, was the predominant tool employed to improve performance. Significantly, the children most often used strategies that increased their awareness and understanding of task requirements. This supports the theory that DCD represents the physical or motor manifestation of a learning problem.
• Article: Acute hospitals: A challenging context for occupation-centred practice with children

  Sylvia Rodger, Rebecca Banks
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  ABSTRACT: Molineux (2004) described the translation of an occupational focus from theory into practice as being simultaneously simple and diffi cult. This diffi culty is rooted, he suggested, in the very nature of most modern work environments and particularly reductionist medical settings. Acute medical settings pose specifi c challenges to occupational therapists who aspire to occupation-centred practice (Baum, Berg, Seaton, & White, 2002; Pollard & Walsh, 2000). Yet there appears to be limited information available to guide and support therapists in reconciling an occupation-centred practice paradigm with the (often incongruous) acute orientation of hospitals, especially with children. This chapter aims to explore how occupational therapists in childrens hospitals describe, justify and implement occupation- centred practice despite the inherent challenges of their working....