Course Outline Report: HLT103

What is this course about?

Description

This course introduces you to the theory and practice of communication, with direct application to professional practice in Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine. You will learn about effective communication in all forms, including the importance of evidence-based and collaborative practice, culturally safe and respectful communication, and professional integrity. You will develop your capacity as a student in Nursing, Midwifery or Paramedicine and you will develop your identity as an emerging health practitioner and a lifelong learner.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity	Hours	Beginning Week	Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online asynchronous learning and teaching materials.	1hr	Week 1	13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial	2hrs	Week 1	13 times

Course Topics

Academic Communication

Professional Communication

Communication in Professional Practice

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to...		Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...	Professional Standard Mapping * Competencies from multiple Professional Bodies (see below) *
1	Explain and use key values, principles and strategies underpinning effective communication and collaboration in academic and healthcare settings.	Knowledgeable Empowered	1.1, 1.2, 1.2, 1.4, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 5.3.e, 5.3.f, 5.6.b
2	Recognise the importance of effective communication in healthcare.	Knowledgeable Empowered	1.1, 2.1.f, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.3.f, 5.6.c
3	Use discipline relevant databases to research and identify evidenced based literature.	Knowledgeable	1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 3.4.b, 3.3, 5.3.e, 5.6.b, 5.6.c
4	Apply principles and practices of academic writing and referencing.	Ethical	1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 3.4
5	Apply ethical use of intellectual property.	Ethical

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE	COMPETENCY
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
1.1	The RN accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice
1.2	The midwife accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings, for safe, quality midwifery practice
1.4	The midwife undertakes ongoing processes of reflection to ensure professional judgements acknowledge how personal culture impacts on practice
1.5	The RN uses ethical frameworks when making decisions
1.6	The RN maintains accurate, comprehensive and timely documentation of assessments, planning, decision- making, actions and evaluations
2.1	The midwife supports the choices of the woman, with respect for families and communities in relation to maternity care
2.2	The RN communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights
2.4	The midwife practises without the discrimination that may be associated with race, age, disability, sexuality, gender identity, relationship status, power relations and/or social disadvantage
2.7	The midwife develops, maintains and concludes professional relationships in a way that differentiates the boundaries between professional and personal relationships
3.1	The RN considers and responds in a timely manner to the health and well being of self and others in relation to the capability for practice
3.2	The RN provides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health
3.3	The RN uses a lifelong learning approach for continuing professional development of self and others
3.4	The midwife contributes to a culture that supports learning, teaching, knowledge transfer and critical reflection
3.6	The RN actively engages with the profession
Paramedicine Board of Australia
2.1.f	Identify and effectively manage communication barriers, including anxiety and stress, specific to individual patients and/or carers.
3.4.b	Critically reflect on personal strengths and limitations to identify learning and development required to improve and adapt professional practice.
5.3.e	Understand psychological and social factors, including intergenerational trauma that impact and influence an individual in health and illness.
5.3.f	Understand the clinical sciences underpinning paramedic practice, including physiological, pharmacological, behavioural and functional.
5.6.b	Demonstrate sensitivity to the factors which shape lifestyle that may impact on the individual’s health and affect the interaction between the patient and registered paramedic.
5.6.c	Utilise knowledge, reasoning and problem-solving skills to determine appropriate judgements and actions.

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Must be enrolled in SC391, SC393, SC395, SC306 or SC017

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

You will receive feedback during week 2 by undertaking the formative online quiz. During the course you will receive feedback by engaging in online activities that are embedded in the learning materials.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode	Task No.	Assessment Product	Individual or Group	Weighting %	What is the duration / length?	When should I submit?	Where should I submit it?
All	1	Quiz/zes	Individual	0%	This quiz is un-timed and can be repeated as many times as you like.	Week 2	Online Test (Quiz)
All	2	Quiz/zes	Individual	15%	30 minutes each	Refer to Format	Online Test (Quiz)
All	3	Written Piece	Individual	35%	800 words	Week 5	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All	4	Written Piece	Individual	50%	1500 words	Week 11	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check

All - Assessment Task 1:Formative Quiz
Goal:	The quiz will allow you to test your knowledge and understanding of the principles and practices of academic integrity and referencing at an introductory level.
Product:	Quiz/zes
Format:	This quiz has 10 questions drawn for the APA 7 interactive presentation. There is no rubric for the formative, ungraded quiz.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Application of the principles and practices of academic writing and referencing	4
2	Ethical use of intellectual property.	5

All - Assessment Task 2:Online quiz/zes
Goal:	Successful academic communication requires an understanding of the principles and practices of academic writing and referencing and the ethical use of intellectual property. This knowledge is required by students who are emerging health professionals in careers that require sustained academic engagement.
Product:	Quiz/zes
Format:	This task is a series of online quizzes in weeks 3, 4, 6, 8, 10. In each quiz, you will be required to complete 8 questions related to the content learned in earlier weeks, in 30 minutes. Completing these quizzes requires engagement with course readings and pre-tutorial material. These quizzes are summative and count towards your final grade. You will receive your result immediately after completion of each quiz.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Application of the principles and practices of academic writing and referencing	4
2	Ethical use of intellectual property	5

All - Assessment Task 3:Reflection on groupwork behaviour against the UniSC Student Charter
Goal:	The ability to work and communicate effectively in groups is a required attribute of students who are emerging health professionals. The goal of this task is to describe your group-work behaviours (communication and collaboration) and reflect on them against the expectations of the UniSC Student Charter.
Product:	Written Piece
Format:	You will write a 800-word essay where you explore groupwork behaviours related to communication and collaboration in the academic context, and link this to evidence-based literature and the expectations of the USC Student Charter. Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, critically reflect on one groupwork situation you have experienced in the HLT103 class related to communication and collaboration and discuss whether such behaviours demonstrate the expectations of the USC Student Charter. Use contemporary and academically credible sources to support your writing, through appropriate referencing and citation.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Reflection on a groupwork situation using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle.	1
2	Use of discipline relevant databases and evidence-based literature.	3
3	Application of the principles and practices of academic writing and referencing	4
4	Ethical use of intellectual property.	5

All - Assessment Task 4:Effective professional communication in practice
Goal:	The goal of this task is to demonstrate an understanding of the key principles that underpin effective communication in healthcare, the potential barriers and mitigating strategies to effective communication, and the impact of interprofessional communication and collaboration on patient safety in healthcare.
Product:	Written Piece
Format:	You will write a 1500-word essay in which you discuss the key principles that underpin effective communication in healthcare settings; examine potential barriers to effective communication with a focus on cultural diversity and patient safety and discuss potential strategies to mitigate such barriers; and explore the importance of interprofessional communication in healthcare and integrate the professional standards/capabilities of your chosen profession and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Criteria:


Explanation and use of key values, principles and strategies of effective communication and collaboration in academic and healthcare settings
Recognition of the importance of effective communication in healthcare.
Use of discipline relevant databases and evidence-based literature.
Application of the principles and practices of academic writing and referencing.
Ethical use of intellectual property.

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate:

5% (of the assessment task’s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task
10% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the third day
20% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task
A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task.
Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late.

To request an extension, you must contact your Course Coordinator and supply the required documentation to negotiate an outcome.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
Review of Assessment and Final Grades
Supplementary Assessment
Central Examinations
Deferred Examinations
Student Conduct
Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au