BSc Healthcare Science (Audiology) / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Clinical Placement & Practical Skills

Course unit fact file
Unit code PCHN10080
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

The course unit will be taught via on line and on-campus tutorials, lectures and clinical skill laboratories, as well as work placement clinics.  By the successful completion of the unit it is expected that students will be able to discuss how each Neurosensory Healthcare Science Practitioner works within each of the specialism’s, understand the role of a Hearing Aid Dispenser, gain an understanding of the personal and professional qualities needed in order to become a healthcare professional, and identify care pathway’s for patients being referred into each of the three specialisms.

Aims

The unit aims to:

  • Develop an awareness of the challenge and excitement of one's future career as a Healthcare Science Practitioner.
  • Provide students with both laboratory and clinical experience of basic measurement procedures within Audiology, Neurophysiology and Ophthalmic and Vision Science specialisms, in order to understand the role of a Healthcare Science Practitioner.
  • Provide students with hearing aid private sector experience in order for them to understand the role of a Hearing Aid Dispenser.
  • Provide students with NHS paediatric audiology service experience in order for them to understand the role of audiologists working within children's services.
  • Introduce students to the role of regulatory bodies, such as Health and Care Professions Council, the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists.
  • Introduce the notions of professional responsibility, integrity and accountability.
  • Allow students to examine the importance of patient centred care, evidence-based practice, and multidisciplinary team working.

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

  • Discuss the roles of Audiology, Neurophysiology and Ophthalmic and Vision healthcare science practitioners and how they interface with patient and pathways, within primary care, outpatients and inpatients.
  • Explain the basic principles underpinning the routine investigations and procedures carried out in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients referred to Audiology, Neurophysiology, Ophthalmic and Vision Science.
  • Discuss the role of a Hearing Aid Dispenser.
  • Explain the role of Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists(RCCP), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS).
  • Understand and work within the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency and Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, in particular making sure that during their studies they understand the importance of: time management, dress code, confidentiality, consent, team work, scope of practice.
  • Maintenance of own health and wellbeing.
  • Explain the importance of a patient centred approach in clinical work.
  • Understand the procedures relevant to the use of chaperones.
  • Understand local guidelines for responding to unacceptable behaviour by patients, carers, relatives, peers and colleagues including harassment, bullying and violent behaviour.
  • Discuss the role of the multidisciplinary team in the assessment and management of patients.
  • Discuss what is meant by evidence-based medicine.

Intellectual skills

  • Evaluate information critically.
  • Apply theory to practice.
  • Integrate and analyse information.
  • Problem solve. 

Practical skills

  • Work in ways that minimises risks to health, safety and security, in particular: adhere to infection control policies, be able to demonstrate on a manikin Basic Life Support procedures, understand what is meant by a critical incident and know what to do if involved in an incident, begin to manipulate, analyse and present clinical data appropriately.
  • Perform a range of observational and/or practical skills and subsequent documentation of results, appropriate to each specialism under direct supervision, including: audiology, pre session preparation, otoscopy, not masked pure tone audiometry, uncomfortable Loudness Levels, tympanometry, impression, taking in rubber ear, hearing aid repairs, hearing aid questionnaires, basic patient history/interview.
  • Neurophysiology: room preparation for EEG, set up and calibrate equipment for EEG recordings.
  • Ophthalmology and Vision Science: snellen or logMAR visual acuity test, optical coherence tomography (OCT) or fundus photography test.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Demonstrate the development of communication skills which allows them to communicate with a range of people, on a range of matters in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation, both within the workplace environment and university.
  • Improve their effectiveness of communication through the use of communication skills and constructively manage barriers to effective communication.
  • Respect confidentiality and respect and uphold the rights, dignity and privacy of patients.
  • Take responsibility for own personal development through reflection and reviewing performance, and take an active part in learning opportunities.
  • Recognise that people are different and make sure that they do not discriminate against other people.
  • Work effectively and responsibly in a team, by recognising and identifying views of others and working constructively with them.

Syllabus

  • Professional roles of those working in Audiology, Neurophysiology and Opthalmic and Vision Science and their role within a multiprofessional team.
  • Principles underlying investigative techniques, and rehabilitation in Audiology, Neurophysiology and Opthalmic and Vision Science.
  • Standards of professional behaviour, including Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
  • Health and Care Professions Council(HCPC) Standards of Proficiency Hearing Aid Dispensers.
  • Academy of Health Care Science - Good Scientific Practice.
  • Evidence based practice.
  • Health and safety.
  • Range of practical skills within the three specialism's.
  • Effective communication skills.
  • Team work.
  • Confidentiality.
  • Consent.
  • Independent personal development and reflection.

Teaching and learning methods

The course unit will be taught by utilising clinical skills laboratories, work placement clinics, video, patient stories, tutorials and lectures. 

Assessment methods

  1. Video OCE (formative)
  2. Session feedback forms (formative)
  3. 1 OCE, 1 CBD (formative)
  4. Work placement report: Audiology, Neurophysiology, Vision (pass/fail)
  5. Personal Portfolio of Learning and Application (pass/fail)
  6. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (pass/fail)

Feedback methods

Continuous verbal feedback in practical sessions and clinic placements, session feedback forms, placement report, written feedback on PPLA.

Recommended reading

See co-requisite unit reading lists (PCHN10070 and PCHN10000).

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Practical classes & workshops 44
Seminars 9
Placement hours
Placement 120
Independent study hours
Independent study 27

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Bridget Goodier Unit coordinator

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