Leader: Ms Rebecca Allen

Offered

Peninsula First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

In this unit, students begin to describe the role of an occupational therapist as distinct from other health professionals. Students demonstrate appropriate professional behaviours and apply these to practice through a fieldwork component. Students develop an awareness of the legal, cultural and ethical issues of practice and begin to understand and articulate some of the challenges faced by client/consumers of health services. Students demonstrate a beginning competence with some early clinical skills applicable to fieldwork.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

Theme 1 Personal and Professional Development

1. explain the role of an occupational therapist;

2. explain the role of other health professionals within a team and how interdisciplinary teams function to provide optimal client care;

3. identify the characteristic that distinguish ideal professional behaviour;

4. describe ethical and legal issues pertinent to a practicing occupational therapist;

5. demonstrate effective communication and interview skills for practice;

6. articulate strategies to apply when communication requires cross cultural sensitivity and understanding;

7. consider concepts of disability and appreciate the impace of disability upon the individual;

8. describe challenges and barriers likely to confront a person with a disability and how these affect participation in the community;

9. develop a beginning competency in pre-clinical skills of client handling skills, basic skills in equipment use and prescription and correct use of mobility techniques;

10. examine safety issues in the workplace and outline standard emergency and infection control procedures;

11. describe different methods of recording and reporting medical information and the role of professional records for communication; and

12. explain appropriate interaction with an interpreter and identify criteria that indicate when an interpreter should be used.

Assessment

Reflective journal on clinical placement (1000 words): 10%
Written examination (1 hour): 50%
Clinical workbook (2000 words): 40%
Hurdle requirements: attendance at 80% of all tutorials, practicums and fieldwork placements, completion of disability experience and reflective journal summary and successful completion of a 4 day fieldwork placement.

Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy.

Prohibitions

HSC1011