| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Professional Issues and Practice |
| Unit ID: | HEASP6021 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (HEASP6023) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 061707 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit provides students with a deeper understanding of the attributes and workplace issues associated with speech pathology practice. The unit discusses ethical reasoning as applied to caseload and service delivery decision-making. The unit will also equip students with knowledge and skills to support the advancement of their clinical practice. The unit introduces students to several selected areas of specialised speech pathology practice. The areas of practice have been chosen to develop advanced skills or introduce students to areas of specialised practice they may not have encountered during clinical placement. This unit will promote professional development relevant to a variety of specialist and emerging speech pathology practice domains. The learning activities within the unit will extend students' knowledge of clinical decision making, clinical reasoning, and professional judgement by applying it to complex care situations in both contemporary and emerging speech pathology clinical practice. The complexity of the cases may reflect the body structures/functions that are impaired, the activities/participation that are restricted, the environmental (physical/social) barriers that exist, personal factors and/or an integration of one or more of these. Students will incorporate research principles and practices relevant to the assessment and management of communication and/or swallowing, with socio-cultural, ethical and holistic frameworks to justify their clinical practice and reasoning in different contexts. Students will also engage in targeted critical reflection of their capabilities against the Speech Pathology Australia professional standards. This reflective process will form the basis of a personalised development plan to support their future professional growth. This unit can be co-taught with HEASP4021. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | |  | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Develop advanced knowledge and skills to support the effective engagement in supervision, mentorship and other professional support processes. |
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| K2. | Critically analyse, synthesise and reframe knowledge of speech pathology philosophy and practice in examining the potential speech pathology role within non-traditional and emerging practice areas in rural and remote contexts. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Consolidate sense of professional identity and resilience as required to articulate and negotiate the speech pathology role within evolving health care context. |
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| S2. | Identify, analyse and strategise barriers associated with complex speech pathology cases. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Evaluate personal and professional competencies and independently devise individualised strategies to plan future professional growth. |
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| A2. | Critically evaluate and apply advanced speech pathology concepts across a range of professional service delivery sectors. |
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| Unit Content: |
Professional Standards for Speech Pathologist in Australia (2020), Speech Pathology Guidelines for Reporting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Curriculum Development and Inclusions (2018), FedUni STRETCH Reconciliation Action Plan (2019-2022), National Quality and Safeguarding Framework (NQSF, 2018), National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (2017-2019) and National Aged Care Quality Standards (2019) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. Topics may include: Professionalism Clinical reasoning Ethical practice for individual case management Medico-legal issues Counselling in the context of individual case management Engagement in supervision, mentorship and other professional support processes Speech pathology philosophy and practice Speech pathology role within non-traditional and emerging practice areas in rural and remote contexts Case Studies Identify referral information Life-long learning (including critical appraisal of emerging evidence, and clinical education) Identify gaps in knowledge Plan and justify assessments using evidence-based practice and holistic frameworks Hypothesise about potential results Apply analysis procedures to interpret results Suggest strategies for management Consolidation of skills and knowledge to facilitate life-long learning and encourage success in future clinical practice. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, S1, S2, A2 | Portfolio of documentation based on 2 complex cases. Student will be required to research, explain and critically evaluate clinical practices and reasoning relating to given cases | Written assignment | 50-60% | | 2. | K2, S1, S2, A2 | Presentation of one complex case. Student will be required to research, explain and critically evaluate clinical practices and reasoning relating to given cases | Oral presentation | 20-30% | | 3. | K1, S1, A1 | Personalised Development Plan that will support new graduate growth and resilience in their first formative years of speech pathology practice. | Personalised Development Plan | 20-30% |
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