Unit rationale, description and aim
Occupational therapists use evidence-based practice principles when working with individuals with a variety of health conditions. Occupational therapy is informed by a sound understanding of a person’s health condition, and follows a process that includes goal setting, assessment, intervention and evaluation. This requires the ability to ask, acquire and apply knowledge about health conditions and the occupational therapy process.
This unit builds on students’ knowledge of anatomy, physiology and occupational therapy process frameworks. It introduces students to the evidence-based practice principles to explore the aetiology, incidence, prevalence and effects of health conditions as well as the concepts of assessment and intervention in occupational therapy.
A professional practice placement provides students with opportunities to observe and experience occupational therapy approaches with people with a variety of health conditions in practice while developing professional behaviour and communication skills.
This unit contains a learning outcome from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (HCF, 2014) specifically addressing the HCF cultural capability - Safety and Quality. This includes consideration of common health conditions among First Peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.
The overall aim of this unit is to use evidence-based practice principles to acquire knowledge about the aetiology, signs, symptoms, progression, assessment and interventions related to health conditions and to observe occupational therapy approaches with clients in practice.
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.
Explain the relevance of evidence-based practice t...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply evidence-based practice principles (ask, acq...
Learning Outcome 02
Describe the types, purpose, focus, psychometric p...
Learning Outcome 03
HCF 10.1 Identify current demographic, health indi...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate professional behaviours, self-manageme...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
Evidence-based practice skills
- Introduction to evidence-based practice
- Relevance of evidence-based practice to occupational therapy
- 'Ask' and 'Acquire' relevant literature
- Appraise, apply and assess occupational therapy research
- Introduction to journal appraisal skills
Assessment in practice
- Definition and scope of assessment in occupational therapy, informed by evidence-based practice
- Reliability and validity of assessments
- Clinical utility of assessments in occupational therapy practice
Intervention in practice:
- Definition and scope of occupational therapy interventions as informed by evidence-based practice
- Introduction to retrieving information about common health conditions
Definition of conditions:
- Primary body/organ system/s involved
- Incidence/Prevalence
- Presentation
- Causes, aetiology and risk factors
- Progression and prognosis
- Current management
- Evidence-informed, occupation-centred, goal-directed measurements and interventions
Incidence and prevalence of common health conditions in non-Indigenous and in First Peoples of Australia
Preparation for professional practice placement
- Student Practice Evaluation Form - Revised (modified) V2
- Professional behaviours
- Self-management
- Co-worker communication
- Communication
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment 1 is an individual assessment which provides timely feedback to students regarding their acquisition of foundational evidence-based practice skills and knowledge. The online assessment will allow students to demonstrate understanding of evidence-based practice (LO1) and skills in asking and acquiring evidence (LO2) through database searching scenarios. These skills will be applied in assessment 2 and future units in the course.
Assessment 2: Students will present an occupational therapy response to a given health condition, applied to a client scenario. Students will use skills developed in assessment 1 to appraise, apply and assess appropriate evidence, interpret and then present relevant information (LO2,3).
Assessment 3: The exam will assess individual knowledge of the broad core unit concepts including evidence-based-practice and assessment principles, aetiology, signs, symptoms, prognosis/progression and interventions of common health conditions, including for First Peoples and non-Indigenous Australian peoples (LO 1, 2, 3, 4). Examination questions will assess recall and recognition of information, and assess application of knowledge.
Assessment approaches in this unit were developed in collaboration with First Peoples’ Cultural Advisors. Each assessment task builds on the previous assessment.
Students will complete an online cultural awareness training module (LO4). Professional practice competencies (LO5) will be assessed using the Student Practice Evaluation Form - Revised Version 2 (Professional behaviours, Self-management, Co-worker communication, Communication domains). Students will be provided with one attempt to pass the professional practice placement.
In order to pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome, pass hurdle tasks, and obtain a minimum mark of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1 Online individual assessment. To dem...
Assessment 1 Online individual assessment.
To demonstrate the ability to ask, acquire and understand evidence when reviewing the literature.
20%
Assessment 2 Assessment 2: Students present an oc...
Assessment 2 Assessment 2: Students present an occupational therapy response to a given health condition, applied to a case scenario.
40%
Assessment 3 Written examination Students demonst...
Assessment 3 Written examination
Students demonstrate core learning undertaken in the unit.
40%
Hurdle 1) Completion of cu...
Hurdle
1) Completion of cultural awareness training
2) Pass grade on the Student Practice Evaluation Form - Revised (SPEF-R2) (Professional behaviours, Self-management, Co-worker communication, Communication domains).
3) Submit SPEF-R2 and Timesheet via Canvas
Note: To be eligible to undertake professional practice placement, students are required to have met the relevant State and Federal legislative document requirements by census date.
Pass/fail
Ungraded Hurdle
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
In this unit, students will gain skills in asking, acquiring, appraising, applying and assessing information about health conditions, assessments and interventions in occupational therapy. Lectures and an online package are used to guide learning. Students will engage with and apply this content in self-directed reading, online tasks, database searching and condition profiles. Students will create weekly condition profiles based on occupational therapy referral scenarios using a template provided. These profiles will become an information resource for future units and can be used on professional practice placement, Tutorials will then follow with a more detailed explanation and exploration of topics to provide opportunities for clarification. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning, to participate actively within group activities and demonstrate respect for the individual as an independent learner. Learning and Teaching approaches included in this unit were developed in collaboration with First Peoples’ Cultural Advisors.
Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (AOTCS) 2018
Australian occupational therapy competency standards (AOTCS) 2018 developed in this unit are: