OT5008 - Allied Health Interventions for Palliative Care

Credit points:	03
Year:	2009
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	Occupational Therapy

Available ONLY to students enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate of Allied Health Sciences and Master of Occupational Therapy (Coursework).

As health care increases longevity and survival rates improve for chronic diseases and malignancies, improved quality of care and quality of life for the client can be gained by increasing the types of intervention. Allied health professionals provide support for pain management through assessments, symptom management and improved access to adapted environments. Complimentary therapies, spirituality and grief management are available to support the client and their carers. The ethical issues surrounding treatments both conventional and alternative will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes

• define palliative care and identify the dilemmas of intervention by allied health professionals;
• explore the opportunities for complementary therapies including spirituality and grief management with the client and their carers;
• identify clients needs in relation to function, independence, leisure, family and life skills to enable an improved quality of life through symptom management and environmental adaptations;
• outline the role and limitations of allied health professionals in palliative care in conjunction with best practice and quality assurance requirements;
• understand the influence of culture, rurality, spirituality and the current ethical considerations in providing palliative care.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments;
• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to speak and write logically, clearly and creatively;
• The ability to select and use appropriate IT tools;
• The ability to access and employ online technologies effectively;
• The ability to use and interpret different media;
• A coherent and disciplined body of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to use a variety of media and methods to retrieve, analyse, evaluate, organise and present information;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning processes and products;
• The ability to learn independently and in a self-directed manner;
• A commitment to lifelong learning and intellectual development.

Prerequisites:

BOccThy

Availabilities
Townsville, Block, Study Period 7
Census Date 10-Jul-2009
Face to face teaching 20-Jul-2009 to 24-Jul-2009
Coordinator:	Assoc. Professor Marion Gray, Professor Matthew Yau
Contact hours:	36 hours lectures
Assessment:	quizzes or tests (20%); presentations (20%); readings/critique (10%); case study (50%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.