Assessment task:

Critically reflect upon and evaluate your own use of advanced communication within clinical practice and create reasoned plans for advanced communication in challenging situations based on an analysis of the relevant literature. Apply knowledge of advanced communication to situations involving clients, students or other health professionals and discuss the outcome.

From your clinical experience take an example of a "difficult patient", a significant interaction with a problem student or with other health professionals that you have encountered in the past and narrate your interaction and communication.

Narrate a significant conversation under the following headings (you can include more headings as you may deem necessary):

• Describe the incident/event - What happened?

• Identify emotions and issues - Why it happened?

• Review the related literature to analyse what happened - Do other people have similar problems?

• Suggest best practice in light of evidence - How did others solve the problem?

• Create a reasoned plan for future communication in similar significant circumstances - How would you deal with it?

This is a written assessment with a maximum of 2000 words.

One part of the assessment is the presentation. This can be a short video illustrating an aspect of the assessment (initial incident, final outcome etc). This can be an oral narrative or a role play. Be creative in your presentation. You can also use a voice over power point presentation or any other multimedia format you may find interesting. This is a non-assessable component but is an essential part of the assessment. Written assessments without the presentation component will not be marked. Some of the files may be too big or in a format that cannot be uploaded on the moodle. Please don't leave it to the last moment and give yourself enough time for troubleshooting. If the files cannot be uploaded on the moodle, contact the unit coordinator so that the file can be transferred by other means.

You must ask yourself the following:

• Is the introduction to the case engaging to the audience?

• Is the description of the case clear and concise whilst giving all the relevant background information?

• Have you critically reflected upon and evaluated your own use of advanced communication within clinical practice?

• Does the analysis of the case demonstrate academic rigour, depth and insight?

• Do your reflections on your own performance, practice and any feedback received demonstrate insight? Have you described a plan for performance improvement?

• Have you created reasoned plans for advanced communication in challenging situations based on an analysis of the relevant literature?

• Have you applied knowledge of advanced communication to situations involving clients, students and other health professionals and discussed the outcome of strategies used in the communication? (You may have to apply knowledge of advanced communications to situations involving clients, students and other health professionals. Analyse how you have (or would) initiate the discussion using advanced communication strategies/knowledge/criteria. Evaluate the process and address problems encountered and things you perceived you did well. Discuss the outcome).

• Is the conclusion concise and clear in its evaluation and summary of the significance of the communication pitfalls and in its vision for your performance development?

This assessment must be submitted with all identifying factors removed. Identifying factors include such things as patient name, date of birth and clinical site name for example.

You must achieve a pass mark of 50% to pass this assessment.

Further details and marking rubric are available on the Moodle page.

You will create a portfolio with two parts. In part 1 on report writing - you will construct written reports which effectively communicate an interpretation of patient findings to referrers and other health professionals. In part 2 on clinical supervision - you will consider the role of the clinical supervisor and strategies for improving student-supervisor relationships.

The portfolio has two parts:

Part 1: Submit 4 normal and 4 abnormal cases with relevant key images, sonographer's worksheet and full written report. The reports should be professional, comprehensive, precise, discuss the clinical indications, relevant history, scanning techniques, imaging findings, probable diagnosis, differential diagnosis, recommendations and advice regarding other imaging modalities (Based on the RANZCR recommendations). You can use cases from your routine clinical practice. Please be sure to anonymise the patients completely.

Part 2: Consider a student you have supervised in your clinical experience. If you have not yet supervised any student consider your own time as a student. Critically evaluate your experience of supervising a student, or being supervised as a student. Discuss the student - supervisor roles, responsibilities and relationship and, based on literature search and evidence base discuss how the student-supervisor relationship can be improved for better outcomes.

The Assessment Criteria will address the following areas of your performance:

For Part 1:

• Patient care and communication.
• Knowledge of duty of care and best practice as a sonographer.
• Recognition and understanding of the relevant rules and laws governing effective communication.
• Ability to recognise the need to extend the clinical communication where appropriate.
• Accurate documentation and communication of findings.

For Part 2:

• Understanding of communication requirements when supervising students.
• Detailed literature review of various methods of communication and supervision of students.
• Evidence based strategy for improving supervisor - student relationship.
• Detailed reflection on your own experience as a supervisor / student and insight in the communication.

First part of the assessment (Report writing) carries 40% marks, equally divided in 8 reports (4 normal and 4 abnormal cases - 5% each report).

Second part of the assessment (Student supervision) carries 60% marks.

Detailed Assessment Criteria and marking rubric will be available on this course Moodle site.