Community Health Placement (learning about wellness) in clinical practicums

Developed by: School of Physiotherapy
The University of Sydney

Teaching and learning strategy

The Community Health Practicum is a 5 week practicum in which the student explores areas of health need that have not been traditionally covered in physiotherapy programs, such as mental health, aged care, health promotion, sports coverage, obesity prevention and management. These areas reflect the changing health care needs of the Australian population and will ensure that graduates are well positioned to provide appropriate care in the changing health climate. For example, one community health practicum might involve 3 days per week in a nursing home and weekends covering weekend sports, such as school football or local netball teams.

This practicum offers less formal structure and greater diversity than traditional practicums and this will enable students to gain the generic skills of flexibility, time management and adapting to changing health care needs.

Students are required to generate independent learning contracts specific to the practicum. These learning contracts are developed and negotiated with practicum mentors. Students and practicum mentors work collaboratively to develop strategies to ensure attainment of the learning contract. In addition to assessment of physiotherapy clinical skills, students are required to reflect on the diversity of the practicum and provide evidence of the learning process.

In what course/ subject/ unit/ module/ program is the teaching and learning practice used?

Bachelor Physiotherapy

In what year level are the students who participate in the teaching/ learning practice?

Year 3 or 4 of the undergraduate course.

Expected learning outcomes from the teaching and learning practice.

The students will be required to satisfy the unit of study learning outcomes that include physiotherapy specific objectives and generic objectives related to development of learning contract

  • Assesses the patients' abilities, problems and needs
  • Interprets and analyses assessment findings for the diagnosis of the patients' problems and the definition of patients' needs
  • Develops a physiotherapy intervention plan to meet defined goals
  • Implements physiotherapy intervention involving - manual skills and therapeutic equipment
  • Implements physiotherapy intervention involving - training and teaching
  • Evaluates the effectiveness of physiotherapy intervention and modifies accordingly
  • Communicates effectively and appropriately
  • Demonstrates professional behaviour appropriate to physiotherapy
  • Operates effectively within the healthcare system
  • Ensures safety of patient, staff and self at all times
  • Develop a learning contract relevant to the placement that is mutually negotiated with the clinical mentor.
  • Outline the strategies and resources that will help meet these learning needs.
  • Identify potential evidence of successful completion of learning objectives.
  • Critically review the process and outcomes of the learning contract.
Aspects of the teaching and learning practice which make it particularly effective:
  • provision of health care to match the community needs in a variety of settings
  • development of an independent learning contract
  • taking responsibility for attainment of the learning contract, including time management, communication with mentor.
  • Collection and presentation of evidence of reflection on learning process.
Evaluation:

The community health practicum in the current program runs as Community Fieldwork. This unit of study has been evaluated by the three different stakeholders involved in the operation of the unit. The stakeholders include the students, the academic advisors and the fieldwork mentors. Students were asked to complete the university's Unit of Study Evaluation (U.S.E) form. The remaining stakeholders were asked to complete a survey specifically designed for evaluation of the unit.

What were the outcomes of the evaluation?

Students - initially students reported difficulty drawing up their own learning objectives and undertaking completion of the objectives. However, the vast majority of students reported that once they were on placement they enjoyed the opportunity to work in their chosen area and learned a great deal from the placement and the experience.

Academic Advisors - Most academic advisors were positive about the unit of study.

Fieldwork Mentors - The vast majority of mentors indicated that they were highly satisfied with the objectives and implementation of the unit; the students' professionalism and performance; and the opportunity to assist student's learning in non-traditional health/community settings.

Do you have any plans to make changes to the teaching and learning practice?

Yes. This is the last year that Community Fieldwork will be offered because the undergraduate curriculum is changing. Most aspects of the Community Fieldwork placement will be incorporated into the Community Health practicum, which is offered for the first time in 2006.

If so, describe the changes you plan to make.

The placement will be extended from 2006, and it will more specifically target health care needs of Australians, and the contribution that physiotherapy can make.

Contact details:

Name: K. Refshauge
Address School of Physiotherapy
The University of Sydney
Faculty of Health Science
P O Box 170
Lidcombe 1825
URL: http://ptwww.fhs.usyd.edu.au/Homesite/