Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
(OTHY200 Neuroscience, Neurodevelopment OR ALHT210 Neuroscience for Allied Health ) AND (OTHY203 Occupational Therapy Interventions for Physical Conditions OR OTHY210 Physical Rehabilitation 1 )
Teaching organisation
150 hours of focused learning.Unit rationale, description and aim
Occupational therapy in neurological rehabilitation aims to enable people with neurological conditions to participate in occupations they need to, want to or are expected to do. Building on knowledge of conditions and neuroscience, students will explore the impact of neurological conditions on occupational performance and participation. Students will use evidence-based practice and measurement principles to identify strengths and barriers and outcomes that inform goal attainment. Students will learn to identify and articulate the rationale for assessment and results to clients and relevant others.
The overall aim of this unit is to develop students knowledge of the impact of neurological conditions on occupational performance and to develop skills in evidence-based assessment in order to address occupation-focused 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.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Critically review the evidence base for assessments and outcome measures for adults with neurological conditions | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9, GC12 |
| LO2 | Select, administer, interpret and communicate assessment rationale and results for clients with neurological conditions and relevant others; | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC9, GC12 |
| LO3 | Discuss the pathophysiology, clinical features, progression, and impact of a range of neurological conditions on occupational performance and participation; | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
| LO4 | Apply the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) to analyse the impact of neurological impairments on occupational performance and participation, and to develop professional reasoning that guides the goal setting and assessment process for adults with neurological conditions. | GC1, GC2, GC7 |
Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (AOTCS) 2018
Australian occupational therapy competency standards (AOTCS) 2018 developed within this unit are:
| Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
Standard 1 - Professionalism An occupational therapist practises in an ethical, safe, lawful and accountable manner, supporting client health and wellbeing through occupation and consideration of the person and their environment. An occupational therapist: 1.3 – maintains professional boundaries in all client and professional relationships 1.5 – practices in a culturally responsive and culturally safe manner, with particular respect to culturally diverse client groups 1.7- collaborates and consults ethically and responsibly for effective client-centered and inter-professional practice 1.8- adheres to all work health and safety, and quality requirements for practice 1.9- identifies and manages the influence of her/his values and culture on practice | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Standard 2 - Knowledge and learning An occupational therapist’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in practice are informed by relevant and contemporary theory, practice knowledge and evidence, and are maintained and developed by ongoing professional development and learning. An occupational therapist: 2.1- Applies current and evidence-informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice 2.2- Applies theory and frameworks of occupation to professional practice and decision making 2.3 – Identifies and applies best available evidence in professional practice and decision making | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Standard 3 - Occupational therapy process and practice An occupational therapist’s practice acknowledges the relationship between health, wellbeing and human occupation, and their practice is client-centered for individuals, groups, communities and populations. An occupational therapist: 3.1 – Addresses occupational performance and participation of clients, identifying the enablers and barriers to engagement 3.2 – Performs appropriate information gathering and assessment when identifying a client’s status and functioning, strengths, occupational performance and goals. 3.3- Collaborates with the client and relevant others to determine the priorities and occupational therapy goals. 3.5- Selects and implements culturally responsive and safe practices to suit the occupational therapy goals and environment of the client 3.6 – Seeks to understand and incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ experience of health, wellbeing and occupations encompassing cultural connections 3.7- Reflects on practice to inform and communicate professional reasoning and decision making 3.8- Identifies and uses practice guidelines and protocols suitable to the practice setting or work environment | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Standard 4 – Communication Occupational therapists practise with open, responsive and appropriate communication to maximise the occupational performance and engagement of clients and relevant others. An occupational therapist: 4.1 – Communicates openly, respectfully and effectively 4.2 – Adapts written, verbal and non verbal communication appropriate to the client and practice context 4.4- Uses culturally responsive, safe and relevant communication tools and strategies 4.5 – Complies with legal and procedural requirements for the responsible and accurate documentation, sharing and storage of professional information and records of practice 4.6 - Maintains contemporaneous, accurate and complete records of practice 4.7 – Obtains informed consent for practice and information sharing from the client or legal guardian 4.8 – Maintains collaborative professional relationships with clients, health professionals and relevant others 4.9 – Uses effective communication skills to initiate and end relationships with clients and relevant others 4.11 – Identifies and articulates the rationale for practice to clients and relevant others. | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Content
Topics will include:
Neurological conditions and impact on occupational performance and participation
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Huntington’s Disease
- Brain Tumours
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome
- Chronic Pain
Measurement focus:
- Participation
- Occupational Performance
- Motor
- Somatosensory
- Vision
- Cognitive
- Neurobehavioural
- Selection, administration and interpretation of evidence based assessments for adults with neurological conditions
Additional focus:
- Collaborative goal setting
- Communication
- Evidence-based Measurement Focus of assessment (ICF levels)
- Purpose of assessment
- Clinical utility
- Validity
- Reliability
- Responsiveness
- Client participation in the assessment process
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning approaches for this unit include lectures, tutorials, case studies and self-directed learning. Consistent with adult learning principles, the teaching and learning approaches used within these modes of delivery will aid in students constructing knowledge and will apply to real-life situations of occupational therapy practice. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities, demonstrating respect for the individual as an independent learner.
The lectures will provide a framework for the content of this unit, and situate it within an occupational therapy practice context. The tutorials will provide opportunity for experiential learning to further develop an understanding of the impact of neurological conditions on occupational performance and to develop skills in assessment approaches for clients with neurological conditions. Experiential learning in this unit is an important aspect for learning about how to administer a variety of assessments for clients as this type of learning allows students to practice the cognitive, sensory and motor patterns and communication skills required to become a competent occupational therapist.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and to develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements.
Assessment 1 is a written assessment involving critique of 2 client assessments. Students will be provided the opportunity to gain skills in critiquing and justifying the selection of a client assessment for a neurological case study. Students will critique a client assessment based on the psychometric properties and justify the selection for the case study. This is an essential skill in selecting and interpreting assessments for neurological clients.
Assessment 2 is an in-class presentation. The purpose of the presentation is for students to work collaboratively to develop their ability to (a) Apply clinical reasoning to determine appropriate assessments / outcome measures for a person with neurological impairment, and (b) Demonstrate appropriate administration of an assessment/outcome approach for a person with a neurological impairment.
Students are provided with a clinical case scenario of a person with a neurological condition. In the presentation students provide a rationale for, and demonstration of, an evidence-based assessment/outcome measure for that client. This allows students to demonstrate their understanding and application of knowledge of a neurological condition, communication skills in a simulated client-therapist interaction, clinical reasoning, and ability to answer questions related to their clinical knowledge. This assessment provides students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an authentic form of assessment
Assessment 3 is a written examination, comprised of multiple choice questions and short answer questions. The multiple choice questions examine students’ overall knowledge of measurement, and the short answer questions assess students’ application of knowledge in relation to neurological case studies.
In order to pass this unit students must:
- Demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome, and
- 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 for the unit, overall, but do not achieve a mark of 50% or greater in Assessment 3 they will be offered one further attempt in Assessment 3. If students pass this further assessment, they will pass the unit and their original mark will be the final unit mark. If students fail the further assessment, they will fail the unit. The assessment strategy in this unit is designed to enable students to demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome and essential professional knowledge and skills for safe and competent practice.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment 1: Written Assessment Requires students to critique and justify the selection of an assessment for a neurological case study based on the psychometric properties. | 25% | LO1 |
Assessment 2: Group Oral Presentation Requires students to work collaboratively to develop their ability to apply knowledge of measurement to a neurological case study | 30% | LO1, LO2 |
Assessment 3: Written Examination Enables students to demonstrate their understanding and application of core learning undertaken in the unit including materials from lectures, tutorials and preparatory readings | Graded Hurdle 45% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Curtin, Egan, M., & Adams, J. (2017). Occupational therapy for people experiencing illness, injury or impairment : promoting occupation and participation (Curtin, M. Egan, & J. Adams, Eds.; Seventh edition). Elsevier.
Dirette, D. P., Gutman, S. A., Radomski, M. V., & Latham, C. A. T. (2021). Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Gillen, G. (2021). Treatment of cognitive perceptual deficits: A function-based approach. In G. Gillen & D.M. Nilsen (Eds.) Stroke rehabilitation: A function-based approach (5 th ed.). Elsevier.
Townsend, E. A., Polatajko, H. J., & Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (2013). Enabling occupation II : advancing an occupational therapy vision for health, well-being, & justice through occupation (Second edition.). CAOT