Unit rationale, description and aim
In order to ensure that psychologists practice in ways that protect public safety, a thorough knowledge of ethical, professional and legal requirements is required. This unit explores the various professional practice standards and legislation relevant to the provision of psychological services, including The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) Code of Conduct, the PsyBA professional competencies, the Australian National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce, and relevant state and federal legislative requirements. Developing and applying an ethical decision-making approach in psychological practice is emphasised, with specific exploration of topics such as the client's rights, who is the client in third party referrals, the impact of multiple role relationships, the need for professional boundaries, and the purposes and limits of confidentiality. The unit will also introduce knowledge of local and international perspectives in relation to professional practice in psychology and draw from cross-cultural research, with a particular reference to Indigenous Knowings. This unit aims to provide students with an in-depth and critical understanding of the ethical, professional and legal requirements to ensure they have the ability to practice competently and safely in their work as psychologists.
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.
Describe the relevant legislative, ethical and pol...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain the interrelationship of the relevant prac...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse the impact of historical events on Aborigi...
Learning Outcome 03
Examine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander key ...
Learning Outcome 04
Understand interprofessional team roles for goal s...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics covered include:
- The purpose, structure and content of the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) Code of Conduct
- The Mental Health Act NSW (2007), and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act VIC (2022)
- Ethical principles and decision making
- Informed consent, confidentiality, competence and professional boundaries
- Privacy, freedom of information and maintenance of health records
- Working with other practitioners and colleagues, and in a range of work settings
- Working with children, young people and other clients who might have special needs
- Cultural safety and culturally reflective practice for all communities
- Aboriginal/Torres Straight Islander health and cultural safety
- Simultaneous services when working with groups, couples, families, or other systems
- Diversity, bias, discrimination
- Awareness and respect of differences in gender and sexuality
- Professional competence
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order for students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised across three assessment tasks. Acquisition of knowledge of relevant legal, ethical and policy frameworks is assessed via multiple-choice and short answer questions in the ethics exam (graded hurdle). The written assignment allows students to demonstrate their understanding of ethical principles and regulations and to apply these to real-life situations (graded hurdle). A practical examination in the form of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is used to examine students’ ability to respond appropriately in a simulated clinical environment (hurdle). In this assessment, students are expected to demonstrate sound ethical decision-making related to a clinical practice issue.
To pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes and pass all assessment tasks in order to meet the competencies set by the Psychology Board of Australia. The passing mark for the exam is 70%, and 50% for the written assessment. If students fail their original submission (i.e., first attempt) they are provided with one further opportunity to pass the assessment task (i.e., second attempt). If the student passes the second attempt, the highest mark that they can achieve on that task is 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 - Ethics Exam ...
Assessment Task 1 - Ethics Exam
Enables students to demonstrate their knowledge of ethical guidelines and ability to apply knowledge to practical situations in a culturally responsive way, including in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Graded Hurdle (50%)
Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment Th...
Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment
This assignment allows students to demonstrate their capacity to critically evaluate and reflect on a real-life ethical issue related to professional practice
Graded Hurdle (50%)
Assessment Task 3 - Practical Examination in OSC...
Assessment Task 3 - Practical Examination in OSCE format
This practical examination allows students to demonstrate critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills, with consideration of culturally safe practice and interprofessional collaboration.
Hurdle (Pass/Fail)
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit utilises case-based learning, individual and group activities, and reflective/critical thinking activities which are designed to enhance discussion and engagement in the content covered in the unit. This unit therefore uses an active learning approach which puts students at the centre of their learning through discussion given that postgraduate students in psychology are provisional psychologists and are expected to be independent learners who take responsibility for their learning and participate actively in group activities. This unit is delivered in face-to-face mode with 2 contact hours per week or equivalent in intensive mode. Students benefit from active participation in class and the opportunity to discuss the various issues that arise in the course of this unit. This aids students with the acquisition and evaluation of knowledge through the content presented, while also providing an opportunity for development of reflectively thinking capacities through participation in class discussions.