TM5563 - Public Health Leadership and Crisis Management

Credit points:	03
Year:	2009
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	Sch Public Health,Trop Medicine&Rehabilitation Sc

This subject empowers health professionals with the appropriate leadership knowledge and skills required for effective performance during rapidly changing situations and crisis events within and external to most organisations. Leadership in internal or external crisis events necessitates the application of general leadership principles under extreme circumstances often characterised by uncertainty and disorder, non-standard risks and consequences, limited timeframes in the context of rapid change and limited communication. Despite best laid plans, actual crises often require the ability to deal with the unexpected. How would you lead when preparations are insufficient and when core values are threatened? How would you respond to unanticipated situations when time is of the essence, and planned approaches don't work? Crisis events require not only require flexibility, but depend heavily on effective delegation, and well planned resource logistics. Health professionals planning or preparing for deployment to situations that are experiencing rapid change or crisis events, especially need to carefully consider what skills they require. This subject provides the skills, knowledge and awareness to assist health professionals in dealing with crisis events of varying magnitude and scope. The importance of self awareness in identifying and addressing crisis leadership strengths and challenges is emphasised. Students will leave with new and improved knowledge, awareness and skills, and extensive resources. Students participate in online learning throughout the Study Period and are required to attend a residential which will convey some theoretical and practical components. Learning is supported by group work, discussions, case studies, media, interactive exercises, and a simulated international crisis that puts student's crisis management skills to the test. Opportunities are provided for students to share their experiences in crisis leadership with others and to develop an invaluable network for ongoing support.

Learning Outcomes

• Critical analytic and assessment skills;
• Policy development and program planning skills;
• Communication skills;
• Management skills;
• Public health leadership and systems thinking skills.

Graduate Qualities

• 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 think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Availabilities
Townsville, Limited, Study Period 2
Census Date 28-Aug-2009
Non-standard start/end 20-Jul-2009 to 20-Nov-2009
Face to face teaching 20-Jul-2009 to 24-Jul-2009 (1 week residential)
Coordinator:	Dr Peter Aitken, Dr Deon Canyon
Lecturers:	Dr Peter Aitken, Dr Deon Canyon.
Contact hours:	16 hours lectures - Residential block lectures 20 hours workshops/Seminars - Residential block workshops 80 hours - Online
Assessment:	other exams (20% - 30%); assignments (60% - 80%).
Special Assessment Requirements:	Attendance at the residential block is compulsory.

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.