96099 Genetic Counselling Clinical Placement 2
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Subject handbook information prior to 2021 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96104 Communication and Counselling AND 96103 Medical Genetics and Genomics in Practice AND 96102 Research Methods in Genetic Counselling AND 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
The application of theory and skills learned during the coursework subjects begins during the second clinical placement. Students undertake clinical placement alongside practicing genetic counsellors in a variety of settings and learn through guided practice. Students are expected to demonstrate early development of core skills in genetic counselling, including taking a family history and providing explanations of inheritance patterns. As they did during 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1, students engage in weekly reflective practice supervision to help transform their clinical experience into learning. Students continue to maintain an e-portfolio to record and reflect on their learning during this subject.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 005. | Engage in client-centred genetic counselling practice |
|---|---|
| 006. | Use basic counselling skills including active listening, attending, reflecting, clarifying and summarising |
| 007. | Demonstrate empathic listening skills |
| 008. | Establish rapport with clients and families |
| 010. | Establish an environment conducive for effective communication |
| 016. | Respect, protect and maintain client confidentiality |
| 028. | Collect, draw and enter family history information to complete a family tree |
| 031. | Identify, synthesise, organise and summarise medical and genetic/genomic information for use in a clinical consultation |
| 032. | Use relevant databases and the genetics/genomics literature to inform practice |
| 033. | Facilitate clients’ understanding of risk |
| 041. | Engage in reflective practice |
| 066. | Adhere to laws, evidence-based guidelines, codes of conduct and policies that are relevant to genetic counselling practice |
| 068. | Organise and prioritise workload autonomously and as a team member |
| 070. | Implement strategies to continually improve own genetic counselling practice through ongoing learning |
| 071. | Identify own learning needs and direct own learning experiences |
| 072. | Take action to recognise own limitations and access help when needed |
| 073. | Develop and maintain respectful working relationships with colleagues at all levels |
| 075. | Work within the boundaries of the Scope of Practice for Genetic Counsellors |
| 077. | Work respectfully with professional/ administrative/ ancillary staff |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Apply evidence-based genetic and genomic health care to practice across a variety of settings. (1.1)
- Apply professional self-awareness through self-reflection to enhance their practice in genetic and genomic counselling to improve client outcomes. (1.2)
- Integrate a critical awareness of cultural and societal diversity and disparity in health care into clinical practice. (2.1)
- Engage and build relationships with people from all walks of life and across diverse communities. (3.1)
- Embody the core tenets of the genetic counselling profession, demonstrating professional and ethical behaviour and positively responding to the changing technological environment. (5.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the following graduate attributes:
Practice ready:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are knowledgeable and literate healthcare practitioners, with well-developed workplace communication skills. They are skilled in providing evidence-based care to clients and their families in a variety of settings as autonomous and collaborative practitioners.
Culturally competent:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are self-reflective, culturally competent professionals who embrace cultural diversity. They work alongside Indigenous Australians, New Zealand Maori, Pacifica and other culturally and societally diverse groups to build equitable access to genetic and genomic healthcare.
Person-centred:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are empathic, person-centred practitioners who form and value partnerships with individuals, families and communities. They facilitate understanding and adaptation to information provided by genetic and genomic technology for individuals and families.
Professionally competent:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling embody professional and ethical practice, and uphold knowledge and competency standards both locally and globally. They embrace opportunities for leadership and contribute to shaping the future development of the genetic counselling profession.
Teaching and learning strategies
Preparation for Learning: A four week clinical placement forms the core work in this subject. While on placement, students will begin to use the core competencies required for HGSA Certification. Activities that assist in the preparation for placement and preparation for weekly reflective practice supervision will be undertaken on Canvas.
Live and online workshops: Weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision provides students with a weekly opportunity to engage with their supervisor and student colleagues throughout this subject. Supervision provides a rich environment for discussion and collaborative exploration of clinical placement experience, contributing to deep learning.
Reflective Learning: Students are encouraged to critically reflect on their learning and skill development throughout the subject, to identify areas where they may improve their performance, and to assist in the development of lifelong learning. Reflective learning will be encouraged through specific activities including weekly reflective practice supervision in small groups, and assessment tasks in which students will reflect on their emerging professional identity over the duration of the session.
Ongoing feedback: Verbal feedback will be provided throughout the subject during reflective practice supervision. Opportunities for verbal formative feedback on assessment tasks are available prior to the due date and summative feedback is provided following final submission. Students will engage in feedback conversations with clinical placement supervisors throughout the placement. Written feedback will be available as part of the clinical placement supervisor’s report and as part of the online journal club.
Content (topics)
Students complete their first clinical placement during this subject.
Students are required to complete a minimum of four weeks (20 days) of placement in a clinical genetic service. The timing of the placement during the semester will depend on availability of clinical placement supervisors at UTS Genetic Counselling approved sites.
Placements will take place between week 1 and week 8, or between week 10 and week 14. There may be an opportunity to commence the placement during the mid-year break. Weekly live and online classes for other subjects in spring session are scheduled for Friday afternoon to allow students to be present at their placement site for the majority of each week.
Students will participate in weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision throughout the session.
Students will participate in a weekly collaborative online journal club, contributing to the development of skills to enhance lifelong learning. Regular participation in a journal club is an accreditation requirement of the HGSA (HGSA, 2010, pp. 27).
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Online Journal Club
| Intent: | Familiarity and ongoing engagement with genetic, genomic and genetic counselling literature is a core aspect of evidence-based practice. This assessment task engages students and academic staff in collaborative online (written, in Canvas) discussion of current literature through participation in an online journal club. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 032 and 070 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 600 words per journal article, diagrams and tables may be included to summarise result findings |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
The subject coordinator and teaching staff will provide feedback through their participation in the discussion forum each week. Formal written feedback will be provided 2 weeks after each presentation is posted. Final feedback and marks will be available 2 weeks after the final presentation is posted (UTS exam period). Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. |
Assessment task 2: Process Record
| Intent: | This assessment task requires students to look deeply at a single interaction with a client to facilitate the development of reflective practice. Students are encouraged to use this task to assist the development of a framework for situated noticing of their clinical work including listening, observing body language and the feelings both they and their clients are experiencing. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 041 and 075 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | Verbatim recollection AND 500 word reflection |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. |
Assessment task 3: Clinical Placement Supervisor's Report
| Intent: | In order to be a deliberative professional, genetic counsellors learn to reflect on current practice to identify strengths and areas for further learning. The clinical placement supervisors report forms the platform for identification of goals for each placement and formal, written feedback at the end of the clinical placement. This, in turn, assists with the identification of learning goals for future placements, contributing to development of lifelong learning. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033, 041, 066, 068, 071, 072, 073, 075 and 077 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | A report template will be provided to the student and the clinical placement supervisor prior to the start of the placement. |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. The clinical placement supervisor’s report provides the written feedback for this assessment task. |
Assessment task 4: Logbook
| Intent: | This task begins to prepare students for completion of HGSA Certification following graduation. Students are required to establish and maintain a log book of cases while on clinical placement, using the same template as they will use when undertaking certification following graduation. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033 and 041 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Portfolio |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | A template will be provided for the logbook. Word limits will apply to each section of the logbook, in accordance with HGSA guidelines. A 500 word reflection will be submitted with the logbook. |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass this Subject, students are required to attend a minimum of 85% of classes and 100% of placement activities, and submit all assessment tasks.
A minimum grade of 50% must be achieved for each assessment task.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures