Unit rationale, description and aim
Occupational therapists enable participation in meaningful activities to enhance health and wellbeing of individual, groups and communities.
Therapeutic communication is required to support people to achieve their participation goals. This involves ethical, culturally safe and strengths-based communication. Building on introductory communication skills developed in first year, students will analyse the theory, develop and implement their approach to therapeutic communication using simulated scenarios.
This unit contains a learning outcome from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (HCF, 2014) specifically addressing the HCF cultural capability of communication. Students will develop the knowledge and skills required for culturally safe communication when interacting with First Peoples individuals, families and communities.
The aim of this unit is to identify, apply and evaluate the theory and therapeutic communication skills required to effectively enable individuals and groups to achieve their occupational goals.
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.
Identify, analyse and apply knowledge of therapeut...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply knowledge to design, facilitate, and evaluat...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically reflect on communication skills and how...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply and critically reflect on ethical and profes...
Learning Outcome 04
HCF 6.3 Incorporate knowledge and skills of cultur...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
Therapeutic communication in occupational therapy practice:
· Collaborative relationship focused occupational therapy
· Therapeutic communication skills
· Ethical issues and professional behaviours
· Theoretical frameworks for counselling and psychological intervention
· Working with people experiencing change, grief and loss.
Working with groups in occupational therapy practice
· Group theory
· Group dynamics
· Developmental stages of groups
· Group process, practice and design
· Leadership Styles
· Group Facilitation skills
· Managing participant behaviours
· Evaluation
Reflexivity:
- Therapeutic use of self
- Critical reflection on own knowledge and skills in individual and group interactions
- Giving and receiving feedback
Culturally safe communication
- Strengths based therapeutic communication approaches
- Culturally responsive, safe and communication strategies
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements.
Assessment 1 involves students recording a counselling session for a occupational performance issue with a fellow student followed by a critique of their practices and behaviours using theoretical frameworks. This will provide an authentic learning experience in developing counselling skills.
Assessment 2 involves students preparing a group protocol utilising a theoretical framework and session plan, facilitating and evaluating this session and then critiquing their practices and behaviours. This will provide an authentic learning experience in developing group work skills and group outcome measurement.
Assessment 3 is a viva to assess applied knowledge of counselling and group work practices and behaviours, including culturally safe communication. This assessment task is designed to develop students’ skills to apply counselling and group work knowledge, practices and culturally safe communication to relevant occupational therapy case scenarios. Assessment approaches in this unit were developed in collaboration with First Peoples’ Cultural Advisors.
In order to pass the unit students must:
- Obtain a minimum mark of 50% for the unit and
- Achieve a mark of 50% or greater in Assessment 3 which is a graded hurdle.
Where students achieve a cumulative mark of 50% or more in the unit but do not achieve a mark of 50% or greater in Assessment 3 they will be offered one re-attempt of Assessment 3. If students pass the re-attempt assessment, they will pass the unit and their original mark will be the final unit mark. If students fail the re-attempt assessment, they will fail the unit. Students must demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome.
Overview of assessments
Counselling video and critique Students record a ...
Counselling video and critique
Students record a counselling session for a occupational performance issue with a fellow student and critique their practices and behaviours using theoretical frameworks.
30%
Group planning, facilitation and critique Student...
Group planning, facilitation and critique
Students prepare a group protocol utilising a theoretical framework and session plan, facilitate and evaluate this
session and then critique their practices and behaviours.
30%
Viva Requires students to apply their knowledge o...
Viva
Requires students to apply their knowledge of therapeutic communications skills, theoretical frameworks, practices and behaviours.
40%
Graded Hurdle
HURDLE REQUIREMENT 1. Present group protocol...
HURDLE REQUIREMENT
1. Present group protocol in practical class for feedback
Hurdle
HURDLE REQUIREMENT 2. Compulsory attendance ...
HURDLE REQUIREMENT
2. Compulsory attendance and participation in simulated group learning activities. This hurdle provides students with exposure to a wide variety of simulated occupational therapy client groups and contexts, including a range of community and clinical settings.
Hurdle
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning approaches for this unit will include online lectures, practical sessions, simulation and self-directed learning. Students are required to watch the online lectures and complete preparatory tasks in readiness for the practical classes. Students are expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities, demonstrating 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 and include tutorial co-facilitation by cultural mentors. This unit includes two hours of practice placement hours embedded within this unit. These fieldwork hours include conducting a simulated individual interview and facilitation of an occupational therapy group with peers.