Changes in Field Experience
You will be approved to participate in the field experience only as specifically documented on your field experience application. Any changes whatsoever (including to sites, site supervisors, provision of in-home or TMH services) must be approved in advance. You should immediately notify your faculty supervisor and the SOC-OFE (counselingfield@mail.waldenu.edu) if any changes are needed. In some cases, changes in field experience plans will result in a discontinuation and/or delay of the field experience to allow time for review of a new application. Failure to disclose changes, request review, and engaging in a field experience different from the one specifically approved is strictly prohibited and may result in sanctions and/or a U grade in the course.
Note: You are not able to change sites once the application submission window for the quarter for which you are applying has closed. Site changes cannot be accommodated after the start of the quarter under any circumstances.
Supervision Changes
While you are expected to work with the Walden-approved site supervisor (as approved on your field experience application) throughout the field experience, it is understood that circumstances may change, and this may be beyond your control. You must notify your faculty supervisor and the SOC-OFE as soon as you become aware that your site supervisor may need to change, in accordance with the instructions below:
Temporary Supervision Coverage
- What is it?
- A temporary change due to short-term (fewer than 2 weeks) absence of Walden-approved site supervisor (e.g., vacation, short-term medical leave, bereavement leave).
- The temporary site supervisor must meet all site supervisor requirements and take over all site supervisor responsibilities.
- What do I do?
- Complete the Supervisor Absence/Change Form to provide information about the individual who will serve as a temporary site supervisor in your approved site supervisor's absence.
Permanent Site Supervisor Changes
- What is it?
- A permanent change because of the unavailability of the approved primary site supervisor. This is also required if the absence is longer than 2 weeks (e.g., the site supervisor leaves the organization; the site supervisor is on an extended leave of absence).
- The change must be approved by the field experience director or designee.
- The new site supervisor must meet all site supervisor requirements and take over all site supervisor responsibilities.
- The Site Supervisor Orientation must be completed by the new site supervisor.
- What do I do?
- Complete the Supervisor Absence/Change Form to provide information about the individual who will serve as a temporary site supervisor in your approved site supervisor's absence.
- Work with the new site supervisor to complete a new Field Experience Application Worksheet reflecting the change in site supervisor and submit your replacement application by the deadline provided. (If the absence is permanent or for more than 2 weeks, Meditrek will automatically open a new application for you.)
- Monitor your Walden email account closely for updates.
Note: Whenever possible, you should have a site supervisor change formally approved via Meditrek® well in advance of the effective date of the change. If a sudden change in supervision occurs, this might not be possible. You must notify your faculty supervisor and the SOC-OFE of the supervision change immediately, and you can work with a new site supervisor as a temporary supervisor while you await formal approval of a new permanent site supervisor via Meditrek®, if notification of the temporary supervision is provided as noted above. Temporary supervisors will not receive Meditrek® access for approving time logs or completing field experience evaluations. Meditrek® access will be provided to a new permanent site supervisor after the Meditrek® application has been approved.
