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Unit outline_

CSCD4056: Advanced Practice Community II

Intensive May, 2023 [Professional practice] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Students are placed in one off-campus clinic, hospital, or other setting 6-week block attending a minimum of 4 days per week (or equivalent). Over the semester they manage a varied child or adult caseload, participate in a variety of clinical service and multidisciplinary team activities. Note: students are required to complete one adult and one paediatric community placement. If this placement is paediatric, CSCD4055 will be adult and vice versa. If this is a student’s penultimate paediatric, they are required to be nearing entry level on the COMPASS assessment. If it’s a student’s adult or final paediatric or adult placement they are required to be at entry level on the COMPASS assessment.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Communication Sciences
Credit points 12
Prerequisites
? 
(CSCD3083 or CSCD3084 or CSCD3089 or CSCD3101)
Corequisites
? 
CSCD4055
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Amani Bell, amani.bell@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement hurdle task Orientation and clinical meetings
Orientation
0% Multiple weeks 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3
Placement hurdle task COMPASS® and reflection
Competency assessment and formal reflection
0% Multiple weeks Mid (formative) and end placement
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Final clinical paperwork
Documentation
0% Multiple weeks 5 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3
Assignment hurdle task Initial clinical paperwork
Documentation
0% Multiple weeks 5 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3
Assignment hurdle task Professional portfolio
Portfolio
0% Multiple weeks As per specifications on Canvas
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Orientation and clinical meetings: Students must attend orientation activities prior to, and at the commencement of block placements, and clinical meetings with their clinical educator during placements.
  • Initial clinical paperwork: Students must complete a work health and safety checklist and a learning agreement, designed to facilitate discussion of the structure and content of the placement between the clinical educator(s) and student.
  • COMPASS® and formal reflection: Students’ clinical performance is assessed using the COMPASS® (competency assessment in speech pathology) tool in the middle and at the end of the placement. It will be completed by the clinical educator and submitted online at mid-placement and within one week of completion of the placement. Final grades are determined by the unit of study coordinator. At the end of the unit, students reflect on their practice according to the Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards (2020).
  • Final clinical paperwork: At the end of the placement, students must submit their final learning agreement, a summary log of clinical practice hours, and an online clinical placement evaluation.
  • Portfolio (after final placement only): Students prepare a professional portfolio collating their experiences and skills. The portfolio folder will include an introduction, adult practice documents, child practice documents, professional documents and graduate development plans.

Students must complete all the assessment tasks to pass the entire unit. Failure to complete any assessment item will result in being awarded a Fail grade. Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Nearing entry level is required for students in their penultimate paediatric placement and entry level is required for students in their adult placement or if this is their final clinical placement on COMPASS®.

As this unit includes placement components, students are reminded that the FMH Sydney School of Health Sciences Placement Provisions apply (https://www.sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2019/497&RendNum=0).

An automatic fail will be awarded for any assessment item where a student breaches client/ patient privacy.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

This unit is graded as SR - Satisfied Requirements (pass) or FR - Failed requirements only

Result name

Mark range

Description

Satisfied Requirements

SR

This is the overall unit grading awarded when you meet the minimum standards on a placement performance assessment that is a barrier task, and complete other assessment tasks to a satisfactory standard.

Fail FR

This is the overall unit grading awarded when you fail to meet the minimum standards on a placement performance assessment that is a barrier task, regardless of cumulative performance on the other assessment tasks.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Adult OR child placement. Students attend placement for 6 weeks, with 4 days per week of client contact and 1 day per week of planning and preparation. Please note the hours estimated below are the total working time for the placement. Students will keep a log of their clinical practice hours. Clinical practice hours will be fewer than the total working time of the placement. Placement (228 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Clinical placements are scheduled from January to December. This unit of study consists of a full time 6 week block placement or equivalent. At minimum, you must attend the placement site for four days per week (or equivalent to a total of 24 days) unless otherwise directed (e.g. if placement components can be completed remotely). The fifth day each week is allocated for preparation and reading and you may be required to attend either on or off site by your clinical educator(s).

Failure to meet attendance requirements may prevent students from satisfactorily completing this unit of study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

To assist clinical learning, you are expected to refer to:

-         COMPASS® Competency Assessment in Speech Pathology: Assessment Resource Manual, 2013 – to be found online https://compass.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/

-        Professional Standards for Speech Pathologists in Australia 2021 https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAweb/Resources_for_Speech_Pathologists/CBOS/Professional_Standards.aspx 

-         Off campus Placement information available on the WIL Speech Pathology Placements Canvas site)

-         Academic lecture materials relevant to the caseload(s) at the placement site.

-         Stagnitti, K., Schoo, A., & Welch, D. (Eds.). (2013). Clinical and fieldwork placement in the health professions (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

Students should also consider the skills and techniques learned on previous placements and apply/build on these to maximise their learning and competence development on this placement (transferable skills).

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Demonstrates nearing entry or entry level skills and professional conduct around evidence-based practice, compliance, safe practice, collaboration, communication, and record keeping, and advocacy
  • LO2. Demonstrates nearing entry or entry level skills of reflective practice and life-long learning, including self-awareness, learning goals, integration of knowledge, professional development, and peer and collegial learning
  • LO3. Demonstrates nearing entry or entry level skills in person/family/community-centred and culturally safe speech pathology practice, including assessment, diagnostics, reporting, and service planning and delivery

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes Competency standards
LO1
Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards (2021) - SPA
1. Professional Conduct
1.1. Provide ethical and evidence-based practice
1.2. Comply with legislation, standards, policies and protocols
1.3. Provide safe and quality services
1.4. Collaborate with individuals, their supports, our colleagues and the community
1.5. Maintain high standards of communication, information sharing and record keeping
1.6. Consider the needs of individuals and communities in clinical decision-making and practice
1.7. Advocate for optimal communication and swallowing
LO2
Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards (2021) - SPA
2. Reflective practice and life-long learning
2.1. Demonstrate self-awareness
2.2. Use critical reflection to inform professional development and practice
2.3. Plan personal development goals
2.4. Participate in professional development
2.5. Acquire, critique and integrate knowledge from a range of sources
2.6. Engage in learning with colleagues, students and the community
2.7. Contribute to the speech pathology evidence base
LO3
Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards (2021) - SPA
1.6. Consider the needs of individuals and communities in clinical decision-making and practice
2.6. Engage in learning with colleagues, students and the community
3. Speech pathology practice
3.1. Develop shared understanding of speech pathology
3.2. Assess communication and swallowing needs
3.3. Interpret, diagnose and report on assessments
3.4. Plan speech pathology intervention or service response
3.5. Implement and evaluate intervention or service response
3.6. Support development of the profession

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit of study has changed from the previous unit with the same code. It is now a 6 week placement that is either adult or child, rather than a child placement. [It is worth noting that CSCD4055 has also changed to be either adult or child rather than an adult placement. CSCD4055 Advanced Practice Community I is the first off campus placement unit and CSCD4056 Advanced Practice Community II is the second. Students will complete one adult and one child placement in these two units of study.] Changes have been made to reflect the new Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards.

This unit of study outline must be read in conjunction with the Medicine and Health Handbook: https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/

The handbook also includes specific Clinical Education information on your course:

https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/coursework/speech_pathology.shtml

All students are required to familiarise themselves with their academic responsibilities, and the academic policies governing their enrolment and progression. This handbook provides a direct link to the University of Sydney’s Coursework policy and Faculty provisions.

  • In particular, students are directed to review the FMH – Sydney School of Health Sciences Placement Provisions (2020). https://www.sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2019/497&RendNum=0
  • When considering applications and appeals relating to these matters, it will be assumed that students understand their academic responsibilities and are familiar with these key policies and procedures. 

The Work Integrated Learning Canvas site also provides information specific to Sydney School of Health Sciences placements such as essential preparation, forms and policies. https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/9121

Work, health and safety

As you are completing a health-related degree, there are clinical checks and clearances you will need to complete before you can undertake placement. You can find more information at:

https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/clinical-placement-checks.html

Ensure your verification status is up to date. Students who are not verified will NOT be able to attend placement.

Further, students must have an up-to-date declaration (in Sonia) that they have read and understood key documents related to privacy and confidentiality, codes of conduct, NSW Health policies and general communication/ email etiquette. Failure to meet these requirements may prevent you from being allocated to and/or completing a placement or placement unit of study irrespective of your enrolment status.

Students must comply with the latest public health orders regarding COVID-19 (if any), as well as any site specific guidelines.

Failure to meet these requirements may prevent you from being allocated to and/or completing a placement or placement unit of study irrespective of your enrolment status.

Consistent with New South Wales WHS legislation, students are required to complete a WHS induction within the first few days of placement, and if relevant, at any time their placement requires them to work in another setting.  This is an essential legal requirement to ensure that all risks are minimised for you, and others for whom you are responsible. The University has a duty of care to students to ensure they have been inducted appropriately.  Similarly, students are responsible for demonstrating they are aware of and know how to manage risk appropriately. Students should complete the WHS Checklist in Sonia to indicate this.

 

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.