CQUniversity Unit Profile
OCCT14003 Transition to Professional Practice
Transition to Professional Practice
All details in this unit profile for OCCT14003 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This capstone unit will provide you with the opportunity to examine, develop and evaluate your attributes and professional behaviours that, while not explicitly part of the profession's core knowledge and technical skills, are the professional skills required to function as a registered occupational therapist. You will have the opportunity to reflect and evaluate on and evaluate the professional socialisation that has occurred during your formal academic education and practice education, exploring the translation of that professionalism to the complex and dynamic professional sectors in which you may find yourselves practicing. Regulatory requirements for professional practice will be investigated, in addition to consolidating knowledge about the professional and competency standards expected of a new graduate registered health practitioner.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 4
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-RequisitesOCCT13006  Professional Practice 1OCCT13005 Professional Practice 2

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2022

Bundaberg
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Portfolio
Weighting: 25%
2. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
Weighting: 45%
3. Reflective Practice Assignment
Weighting: 30%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Have Your Say

Feedback

A number of students provided feedback that the reflective portfolio was too onerous and there is too much emphasis on grading reflective practice.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this assessment piece be revised to include more practical elements authentic to new graduate practice e.g. having the students develop their CPD plan and portfolio.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Communicate a clear understanding of contemporary contextual factors in Australia influencing the provision of occupational therapy services
  2. Construct a plan for reflective practice and for ongoing learning, support and mentoring following graduation
  3. Critically apply relevant legal, ethical and professional reasoning principles to professional practice situations at the level of a beginning registered occupational therapist
  4. Prepare a professional portfolio to facilitate the transition from student occupational therapist to a registered, employed occupational therapist.

The new unit overview, unit learning outcomes and assessment pieces are aligned with requirements in the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (AOTCS) 2018.  These competency standards acknowledge the diversity of roles and contexts that currently exist in occupational therapy practice.

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) - 45%
2 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 30%
3 - Portfolio - 25%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) - 45%
2 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 30%
3 - Portfolio - 25%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Occupational Therapy in Australia: Professional and Practice Issues

2nd edition (2021)
Authors: Ted Brown, Helen M. Bourke-Taylor, Stephen Isbel
Taylor & Francis Ltd
London London , United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781760877446
Binding: Paperback

Additional Textbook Information

Both paper and eBook versions can be purchased at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • working camera and non-distorted audio
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Desley Simpson Unit Coordinator
desley.simpson@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 11 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

Reflecting on professional practice experiences and commencing a new graduate CPD plan according to AHPRA guidelines  


Professional reasoning at a graduate level                  

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 16: "Clinical reasoning in occupational therapy practice." pp.201-212.


Hughes, K. (2020). The use of Twitter for continuing professional development within occupational therapy [Article]. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(1), 113-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2018.1515900
Teoh, J. Y. (2022). How occupational therapy practitioners use virtual communities on the Facebook social media platform for professional learning: A critical incident study. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 29(1), 58-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2021.1895307

Events and Submissions/Topic

Guest session by the Occupational Therapy Professional Practice Manager


Week 2 Begin Date: 18 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

AHPRA, OT Australia - codes, registration process, OT competency standards, social media regulations                        

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 5: "The role of occupational therapy professional associations and regulatory bodies in Australia".  pp.50-60.



Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.  (2018).  Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards 2018. 


Occupational Therapy Board of Australia Registration Standards:

- continuing professional development

- professional indemnity insurance arrangements

- English language skills

- criminal history

- recency of practice


Occupational Therapy Board of Australia Codes and Guidelines

- social media policy

- CPD

- supervision





Events and Submissions/Topic

Guest session by OT Australia representative as available 


Week 3 Begin Date: 25 Jul 2022

Module/Topic

Australian health care systems and impact on occupational therapy clinical practice - featuring NDIS

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 24: "Emerging professional practice areas:  focus on technology"  pp.324-342. 


Barclay, L., Callaway, L., & Pope, K. (2020). Perspectives of individuals receiving occupational therapy services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme: Implications for occupational therapy educators. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 67(1), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12620


Smethurst, G., Bourke-Taylor, H. M., Cotter, C., & Beauchamp, F. (2021). Controlled choice, not choice and control: Families' reflections after one year using the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 68(3), 205-216. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12715

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 01 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Preparing to secure a job

- interviewing

- resume-writing


Chapter

Resources will be provided on your Moodle site for this topic.


Events and Submissions/Topic

The guest panel will include a CQUni Career Hub Career Specialist and leaders and recruiters in the occupational therapy profession.

Week 5 Begin Date: 08 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Ethical decision-making at a graduate level - application to case studies and workplace scenarios     

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 7: "Ethical and legal responsibilities of occupational therapy practice"  pp.80-88. 


Prescribed textbook, Chapter 11: "Decolonising occupational therapy through a strengths-based approach"  pp.130-142. 


Hazelwood, T., Baker, A., Murray, C.M., & Stanley, M. (2018). New graduate occupational therapists' narratives of ethical tensions encountered in practice. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 1-9. doi: 10.1111/1440-1630.12549.


VanderKaay, S., Letts, L., Jung, B., & Moll, S. E. (2020). Doing what's right: A grounded theory of ethical decision-making in occupational therapy. Scandinavian Journal Occupational Therapy, 27(2), 98-111.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 15 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 22 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Managing oneself in professional practice


Special issues for regional, rural and remote Australia. 

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 27: "Occupational therapy practice in regional, rural and remote Australia"  pp.368-382.  


Prescribed textbook, Chapter 28: "Population and community occupational therapy practice and project management in Australia" pp.383-394. 


Prescribed textbook, Chapter 29: "Advocacy, promotion, leadership and entrepreneurship in the occupational therapy profession in Australia"  pp.395-402.  


Chen, C. C. (2020). Professional Quality of Life among Occupational Therapy Practitioners: An Exploratory Study of Compassion Fatigue. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 36(2), 162-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212x.2020.1725713


Murray, C. M., Edwards, I., Jones, M., & Turpin, M. (2019). Learning thresholds for early career occupational therapists: A grounded theory of learning-to-practise. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 83(7), 469-482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022619876842

Events and Submissions/Topic

Job Application Portfolio Due: Week 6 Tuesday (23 Aug 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Begin Date: 29 Aug 2022

Module/Topic

Motivational Interviewing module 1

Chapter

Fortune, J., Breckon, J., Norris, M., Eva, G., & Frater, T. (2019). Motivational interviewing training for physiotherapy and occupational therapy students: Effect on confidence, knowledge and skills. Patient Education and Counselling, 102(4), 694-700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2018.11.014


Norris, M., Eva, G., Fortune, J., Frater, T., & Breckon, J. (2019). Educating undergraduate occupational therapy and physiotherapy students in motivational interviewing: the student perspective. BMC Med Educ, 19(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1560-8


Park et.al. (2019). Model of Human Occupation as a framework for implementation of Motivational Interviewing in occupational rehabilitation. Work, 62, 629-641. doi: 10.3233/WOR-192895.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 05 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Motivational Interviewing module 2

Chapter

Alpersetein, D., & Sharpe, L. (2016). The efficacy of motivational interviewing in adults with chronic pain: A meta-analysis and systematic review. The Journal of Pain, 17(4), 393-403.


Schaefer, M.R., & Kavookjian, J. (2017). The impact of motivational interviewing on adherence and symptom severity in adolescents and young adults with chronic illness: A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling,100, 2190-2199.


Ruiz Moral, R. et.al. (2015). Effectiveness of motivational interviewing to improve therapeutic adherence in patients over 65 years old with chronic diseases: A cluster randomized cinical trial in primary care. Patient Education and Counseling 98, 977-983.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 12 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

OSCE assessments MI 

Chapter

No readings during this assessment week 

Events and Submissions/Topic

Motivational Interviewing Practical Assessment Due: Week 9 Thursday (15 Sept 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Begin Date: 19 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Considerations for private occupational therapy practice

Chapter

Moir, E. M. A., Turpin, M. J., & Copley, J. A. (2022). New Graduates’ Experiences in Paediatric Private Practice: Learning to Make Intervention Decisions. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1177/00084174221102716


Hudgins, E., Stover, A., & Walsh-Sterup, M. (2018). Opening a Private Practice in Occupational Therapy. OT Practice, 23(7), 1-9.

Millsteed, J., Redmond, J., & Walker, E. (2017). Learning management by self-employed occupational therapists in private practice. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 64(2), 113-120. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12331

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 26 Sep 2022

Module/Topic

Working in teams: interprofessional practice, understanding your own style, conflict management, understanding workplace bullying policies.  This is not your usual 'teamwork' content. 

Chapter

Prescribed textbook, Chapter 30: "Looking forward: Occupational therapy in Australia's future"  pp.403-412. 

Adamson, K., Loomis, C., Cadell, S. & Verweel, L.C. (2018). Interprofessional empathy: A four-stage model for a new understanding of teamwork. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 32(6), 752-761. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2018.1511523.


Seaton, J., Jones, A., Johnston, C., & Francis, K. (2021). Allied health professionals' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in primary health care: an integrative review. Journal Interprofessional Care, 35(2), 217-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2020.1732311

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 03 Oct 2022

Module/Topic

No lectures

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Reflective Practice Submissions Due: Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Assessment Tasks

1 Portfolio

Assessment Title
Job Application Portfolio

Task Description

There are three components to this assessment submission. Firstly, you will develop a curriculum vitae (four pages maximum) based on the accumulated knowledge throughout your training and reflections throughout the unit about how to frame your information. Secondly, you will consider your professional experiences and skills and use those considerations to prepare responses to selection criteria for a new graduate position. Thirdly, you will compose a cover letter addressed to the selection panel highlighting your skills and abilities in a professional and succinct manner.


This authentic assessment piece in this unit is designed to produce documents that can be used to assist in applying for professional positions upon graduation. It is expected that you will apply knowledge gained throughout the term and specifically following the 'careers day' session and translate that into this assessment piece.  You will be supplied with a choice of three role descriptions and may choose which one you submit your assessment piece on. The skills obtained in this assessment and the feedback provided by your lecturer may then be applied in the real-world context to job applications upon graduation.  As this is an authentic assessment piece, you are not required to reference your submission.



Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Tuesday (23 Aug 2022) 11:45 pm AEST

Please upload as one combined Word document to Moodle. Do not submit three separate documents.


Return Date to Students

Week 8 Tuesday (6 Sept 2022)


Weighting
25%

Minimum mark or grade
Students must receive 50% and over of the total available marks in order to pass the assessment and the unit overall.

Assessment Criteria

You will find a marking rubric on Moodle, detailing the assessment criteria and marks available.  In summary, the Portfolio is graded out of 50 marks which cover the areas of:

Appearance (10)

Your curriculum vitae (CV) ought to be impressive. It should be neat, succinct and aesthetically pleasing. Think carefully about how information is organised and how headings are displayed, and which font is used. The CV, cover letter and responses to the selection criteria should make a strong first impression.

Organisation (10) 

Each document must be well organised with a clear sequence in order to allow the reader to quickly assess your competencies and attributes in order to be shortlisted.

Content (20)

You must convey your technical and interpersonal skills in an effective, succinct way.

Written expression (10)

All submitted documents must be grammatically correct and without spelling or punctuation errors. The documents must convey your knowledge, skills and abilities through high level written communication.



Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Students are to upload the documents on Moodle.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Prepare a professional portfolio to facilitate the transition from student occupational therapist to a registered, employed occupational therapist.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Information Literacy

2 Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)

Assessment Title
Motivational Interviewing Practical Assessment

Task Description

Motivational Interviewing via Telehealth Assessment. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a patient interview style designed to promote behavioural changes in our patients/clients/consumers.   Facilitating behaviour change to promote health and wellbeing is a therapeutic skill of great benefit to patient outcomes, transcending specific caseloads.  Following on from MI lectures, practical sessions and simulated interviews for practice, this assessment requires you to conduct a patient interview in which you demonstrate the principles of motivational interviewing.   The interview will be recorded and observed by the examiner in real-time.  Following completion of your interview, you are required to take the recording away and complete a rating of your performance using the tool provided, and a written reflection.  You will be supplied with a self-assessment template to guide your reflection.   The interview will be of 20 minutes duration (maximum).   The method of your motivational interview and thus your assessment will be via a telehealth process.  This advances your skills in both motivational interviewing but also in the application of clinical work across technology platforms which may increasingly be part of flexible patient service offerings.  You will be advised of the specific schedule in week 1 of class. 


This is assessing graduate-level skills so it is assumed you already have sound skills in setting up the interview space, developing rapport with the patient and utilising professional verbal and non-verbal communication.  In this assessment, your skills in evocation, collaboration, supporting autonomy, directing, empathy and asking open-ended questions are the focus.  You are demonstrating your ability to facilitate the patient's ownership of goals and actions.  The patient/client/consumer will be a "standardised patient" played by an actor.  


You must follow the guidelines supplied for your written reflection.  There is no word limit for the written reflection.  The assessment criteria provides guidance for you in how your content and written expression will be assessed.  Those students who are able to incorporate and synthesise key content, referencing a wide range of relevant readings, and present it in a concise way are likely to score highly.  Your written reflection is your own original work,  but you will use motivational interviewing reflection tools  in order to inform a robust analysis of your skills.  You will be supplied with these tools throughout your learning experience. 

  


Assessment Due Date

Week 9 Thursday (15 Sept 2022) 11:45 pm AEST

Students will be advised of the week 9 interview schedule. Assessments will be timetabled over two full days in week 9.


Return Date to Students

Week 11 Friday (30 Sept 2022)


Weighting
45%

Minimum mark or grade
Students must achieve 50% of the total available marks for this assessment piece to pass the unit overall.

Assessment Criteria

A detailed rubric is supplied for you on Moodle.  


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Communicate a clear understanding of contemporary contextual factors in Australia influencing the provision of occupational therapy services
  • Critically apply relevant legal, ethical and professional reasoning principles to professional practice situations at the level of a beginning registered occupational therapist


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

3 Reflective Practice Assignment

Assessment Title
Reflective Practice Submissions

Task Description

Five of the weekly topics in OCCT14003 are linked to a reflective practice assessment task.  On each of those topics, you are required to write 500-800 words distributed across the prompt questions supplied to you.  The templates of all prompt questions will be supplied to you at the commencement of term.   You are to refer to the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards 2018 document in your weekly responses, as there will be at least one prompt question encouraging you to link those standards to the knowledge obtained in class.  There are no right or wrong responses to these assessment pieces; rather it is important that you are exhibiting reflective practice and decision-making of a graduate practitioner.  Our accrediting body, Occupational Therapy Council, wants to see 4th year graduands demonstrating high-level reflective practice.  This is your opportunity to bring your four years of learning together, using the content and readings in OCCT14003 to provide a framework and demonstrate your ability to be a reflective practitioner. 


There are five templates corresponding to the following topics: 1) Professional Reasoning, 2) Ethical Decision-Making,  3) National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Medicare Benefits Schedule,  4) Managing Oneself as a New Practitioner and 5) Working in Teams. Each of the five weekly topics has an overall mark available of 6 and will in total contribute to 30% of the overall unit mark.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)


Weighting
30%

Minimum mark or grade
Students must achieve 50% of the total available marks for this assessment piece in order to pass the unit overall.

Assessment Criteria

A marking rubric detailing the assessment criteria and marks available is on Moodle.  In summary, the reflective practice submission assessment is graded out of 60 marks, weighted to 30%.  There is an 80% attendance requirement at scheduled classes and this has been built into this final rubric. 


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Please ensure each template is saved into one Word document and submitted as one document. Please save and upload in a Word format (.doc or .docx) rather than PDF

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Communicate a clear understanding of contemporary contextual factors in Australia influencing the provision of occupational therapy services
  • Construct a plan for reflective practice and for ongoing learning, support and mentoring following graduation


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice
  • Social Innovation

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?