OT4009 - Introductory Skills For Practice

All learning on the BSc Occupational Therapy programme is designed to be transformative and experiential. Through practical, experiential and sometimes immersive approaches, you will practice specific skills (such as listening and undertaking assessments) with opportunities for repetition, reflection and feedback.

Technology enabled approaches (such as the use of video or Virtual Reality scenarios) will be used to enable you to experience close-to-life occupational therapy situations and practice your own skills in similar scenarios. Practical workshops will be used to try out specific techniques (such as setting up or being a member of an in-person or online group) and then reflect on learning from these situations.

Experts with lived experience will be involved in your learning to help you to reflect on specific practice skills (such as setting up a group or using an assessment checklist) and how this can be adapted to the uniqueness of individuals.

You will have the opportunity to gather examples of activities and evidence of your learning, self-appraisal and reflection to contribute to your student ePortfolio. This aims to enhance your learning by taking you beyond the limits of the individual module, and helping foster lifelong learning, as portfolios support inquiry, reflection and integration of learning. Items for your ePortfolio could include self-assessment or peer-feedback on your practical skills.

The identified module tutor, alongside the module teaching team, will structure learning opportunities to support your learning and skill development within the module and to assist you to work towards the module assessment. Where appropriate, contributors with lived experience and practitioners will also support your learning.

The module guide, the electronic reading list, and information communicated on the e-learning portal will all signpost you to resources to support your academic development.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Demonstrate understanding of the professional skills used by occupational therapists
2. Demonstrate understanding of the skills used to involve individuals and communities in all aspects of occupational therapy

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Use reflection to support learning and development of practice skills
4. Discuss how evidence informs occupational therapy practice skills
5. Consider the application of technology to occupational therapy practice skills

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
6. Show a commitment to learning and working with others
7. Show curiosity about people, communities and their occupational lives
8. Show a commitment to safe, effective, ethical and legal practice when learning practice skills

Formative Assessment
Opportunities to practice scenarios within simulation, with opportunity for peer and tutor feedback and reflection on video feedback.

Summative Assessment
Practical Examination

You will complete a practical examination based on a range of pre prepared scenarios and consisting of three components. The three components are:
- A simulated initial assessment (10 minutes)
- Documentation (10 minutes)
- Verbal handover and professional discussion (15 minutes)

Further information:
- You will have access to a range of scenarios in advance of the assessment and will be randomly allocated to one scenario on the day of the assessment
- Preparation time will be planned as part of the assessment.

Your summative assessment mark and feedback will be returned to you within the University standard of 20 working days, normally accessed through the module eLP site.

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At each level of the BSc Occupational Therapy programme we have a ‘skills for practice’ module, supporting students to develop skills for professional practice. Across these modules, you will develop skills across three broad areas: building relationships; occupational therapy assessments; and occupational therapy interventions.

In this Introductory Skills for Practice module, you will develop foundation skills to build relationships which include listening, communication skills, recognising emotions and gaining consent. In relation to occupational therapy assessments, you will practice skills in asking questions, and observing people, environments and activities. Intervention skills include the practical ways in which occupational therapists help people to improve their wellbeing or work towards their goals such as teaching new techniques or adapting environments.
This is a year-long module to support you to incrementally develop a range of skills, to make links to your practice-based learning/placement and to integrate learning across other Level 4 modules.  

Teaching and learning will include a range of experiential and practical methods. The assessment for the module is a practical examination which will evidence the development of essential skills for occupational therapy practice.