Curriculum Information

The content of this module will underpin the student’s development of the knowledge and skills to apply evidence-based best occupational therapy practice and begin to develop confidence in some key proficiency areas. The four pillars of RCOT Career Development Framework will be embedded in this module.

A key feature of this module is interprofessional working and learning and students will share learning with a variety of students studying other pre-registration programmes, including physiotherapy, operating department practice, midwifery, and nursing (child, adult, mental health and learning disabilities nursing).
The core content will be shared by all groups of students and then students helped by their occupation specific tutors to anchor this knowledge and understanding to their own profession.

There will also be opportunities for learning with students from wider groups, for example, social work, health visiting and school nursing students in pre-determined interprofessional activities, for example a safeguarding exercise.

The module content will help prepare the student for their first practice experience and gain a greater understanding of their own and others professional identity.

Topics explored will include:

Professionalism, professional standards, duty of candour, raising concerns, working within limits of own abilities, HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, RCOT (2021) Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics, Codes of Practice, duty of care, welfare, gaining consent, confidentiality, role of the student understanding what supernumerary status means.

Developing a professional identity, focusing on occupation, philosophy of professional practice, working within the context of multi/inter professional health and social care teams.

Developing effective relationships with their practice educators and how this will foster effective practice learning, contributing to the setting and achievement of objectives for self.

The student will explore the potential impact of their own values, beliefs, and personal biases (which may be unconscious) on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity.

They will explore the impact of culture, equality and diversity on occupational therapy practice and practise in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner.

The student will consider how they respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, for example, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences, and cultural differences.

Students will also be encouraged to consider their own wellbeing and reflect on the development of resilience.

This will include consideration of the importance of own mental and physical health and wellbeing. Maintaining fitness to practise. Developing wellbeing strategies, recognising the emotional burden of workloads, managing anxiety and stress and ensuring positive physical and mental health in self.

Students will be required to achieve the skills and proficiencies identified in part one of the Occupational Therapy Practice Assessment Document. The assessment requirements for practice learning, how the student will be assessed, and criteria used to determine a pass for the practice placement will be discussed with the students in detail prior to their practice-based learning experience.

Assessment and Planning for Occupational Therapy Practice. Keeping occupation central to practice whilst recognising contextual policies, practice and drivers.

Students will be introduced to the concept of continuous reflection to improve their Occupational Therapy practice. Models of reflection, reflection in and on practice, responding to feedback to enhance and develop own practice and inform change will form part of this module content.

Students will consider the opportunities to work with and learn from members of the interdisciplinary and multi-professional health and social care teams.

Students will begin to explore and discuss leadership and the need for compassionate leadership.

They will explore using interprofessional communication skills, with clients and other professionals and adapt language to different audiences.

Understand the need for and develop the skills of effective record keeping both written and electronically.

Students are given the opportunity to become an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends and Learning Disability Champions to enhance their skills and the skills of others when providing effective Occupational Therapy care to all.

Students will also receive Mental Health First Aid training and discuss the application of this to their practice.

The continual development of the student’s literacy, numeracy and technological and digital literacy will be a feature of this module as the student s demonstrate these developing skills within the practice learning environment.

Accessing and appraising research, evidence and data to inform own practice.

Students will complete the online Bronze IQT service improvement package as part of this module.

As part of this module students will undertake the required mandatory training before commencing their practice placement, including Manual Handling Passport, Breakaway Training, CPR and Basic Life Support, Infection Control procedures, Correct use of PPE, Health and Safety Induction, Information governance and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

Students will also be required to complete the adult and child safeguarding online learning packages.