Unit rationale, description and aim
To be successful in undergraduate studies in health sciences, it is important that students develop effective health-specific language and communication skills. Knowledge of medical terminology and an understanding of selected body systems and their associated disease processes, prepares students for clinical communication at undergraduate level.
In this unit, students will be introduced to content and terminology related to health disease, appropriate communication with clients and their relatives in verbal and written form, and the work undertaken in different the health professions. Students will be introduced to problem solving, and emphasis will be placed on working independently and on building confidence.
The aim of this unit is to help students develop the communication skills they will need as a health practitioner in a variety of settings by introducing them to health-related language and information.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Define common medical terminology and describe sel...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain the processes and behaviours associated wi...
Learning Outcome 02
Communicate relevant health-related information us...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Topics will include:
Terminology
- Introduction to terminology used in the health professions and as a health practitioner
- Introduction to selected body systems and related disease processes and health behaviours
- Introduction to colloquialisms used in a health profession context
- Introduction to abbreviations and affixes
- Pronunciation
Communicating with Clients
- Listening and responding
- Beginning, continuing and ending interviews
- General conversation skills
- Posing questions
- Discussing health issues
- Non-verbal communication with clients
Preparation for Professional Skills
- Reading health records and case notes
- Writing a patient or client summary
- Note-taking
Assessment strategy and rationale
The progress quiz assessment provides an opportunity for students and teachers to check academic progress and for teachers to offer additional support where required. The presentation provides students with the opportunity to explore and convey health-related content and to present that knowledge as an oral presentation. The Patient Summary requires students to demonstrate a greater understanding of content and terminology, and of the style and register of language in a health setting. The exam is used to assess students’ health-specific language skills, in a timed and controlled setting. Examined content will include the receptive skills of listening and reading, as well as the basic terminology and discipline-specific writing that students must demonstrate independently in order to progress to ACOM225 Health Science 2.
Overview of assessments
Module 5 Progress Quiz The module 5 content quiz...
Module 5 Progress Quiz
The module 5 content quiz assesses students’ use and understanding of the medical terminology taught in modules 1 to 4 of this unit in order to highlight student development in content knowledge.
10%
Oral presentation The oral pre...
Oral presentation
The oral presentation is designed to assess students' ability to identify relevant information, and to assess how they communicate in an oral context in a health science setting. It exposes students to a variety of health topics and allows for the discussion of those topics with class peers. It precedes the writing summary as it does not require the same language style or formality of the writing task and supports the development and accurate pronunciation of common medical terminology from early in the semester.
20%
Writing assessment – Patient Summary. ...
Writing assessment – Patient Summary.
The patient summary is designed to assess students' understanding of a discipline-specific writing genre, their ability to identify relevant and appropriate information, and focusses on the style, register and accuracy required for writing within the discipline.
25%
Final Exam (Listening, vocabula...
Final Exam
(Listening, vocabulary and knowledge, reading discipline-related texts, writing on health-related topics)
The exam, in a timed and controlled setting, allows students to demonstrate their ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the unit.
45%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit takes an active learning approach in order to encourage problem solving, and to build the knowledge, confidence and communication skills required as a health professional when dealing with clients and other health professionals. Students will be provided with case studies to further explore content, interpretation of information, and discipline specific language and vocabulary. There will be peer and small-group learning to support the understanding of content and the development of communication skills.
This unit is delivered face-to-face on campus in 3-hour workshops. The workshop format is designed to allow students to explore content and language, and subsequently engage with content and apply skills in a classroom setting. It is aimed at maximising the students’ opportunities for interaction and communication with the tutor and with their peers and provides practice and feedback on impromptu language use. Face-to-face mode is supported by online resources and activities available on the Learning Management System.