Abstract
Recent changes in health care have contributed to an increase in community care and a consequent increase in community fieldwork sites in professional practice education. Evaluations of student performance designed before this transition are limited in their applicability across diverse settings. This article describes the development of a student performance evaluation, the Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation (CBFE), based on a set of core competencies. Specifically, the CBFE was created to be used across a variety of rehabilitation professions: (a) to evaluate student performance in a variety of fieldwork settings, (b) to provide a cumulative record of student competency acquisition, and (c) to ensure competency for entry to practice. Focus group discussions and review of evaluations across disciplines led to the compilation of seven competencies common to all rehabilitation professions: (1) practice knowledge, (2) clinical reasoning, (3) facilitating change, (4) professional interactions, (5) communication, (6) professional development, and (7) performance management. A pilot version of the CBFE, using a visual analogue scale (VAS) for each competency, was field tested. Content analysis supported the seven competencies. However, concerns regarding the use of a VAS led to revision to a numeric rating scale with descriptors reflecting the stages of professional development. Evidence to date supports the use of the CBFE as a measure of developing clinical skills across diverse settings. However, most data have come from occupational therapy students. Future research is needed to evaluate the numeric rating scale, the reliability of the CBFE, and to evaluate the applicability of the CBFE across rehabilitation professions. Copyright Β© 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.