Professional Practice I: Encountering clients and introduction to an occupational therapist’s work (7 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

The course lasts for two periods (3 credits for the first period and 4 credits for the second period)

Objective

Aim of the course:
The aim of the course is understanding the evolution of the occupational therapist's profession from historical times to present day and the wide range of opportunities for working in society that an occupational therapist’s competence offers. The course also aims to initiate the development of a professional therapeutic relationship in theory and practice towards professional expertise in a multi-actor society.

Course competences:
Learning to learn
Therapeutic relationship and interprofessionality
Expertise in theoretical basis of rehabilitation and occupational therapy

Learning outcomes:
You recognise the way the occupational therapist's profession has taken shape and evolved, and understand the significance of the key concepts of occupational science in the underlying thinking of the profession. You demonstrate an ability to take responsibility for your own and the group's interactive learning in different learning and group situations. You recognise the principles of person-centered work and start practising the establishment of a therapeutic interactive relationship based on a professional knowledge base. You recognise the importance of a multi-actor cooperative relationship in the delivery of occupational therapy.

Content

The core content of the course includes the key concepts of occupational science and the history of occupational therapy. Through theoretical models of occupational therapy, students understand the person-centered/client-centric approach based on encountering the client respectfully, therapeutic use of the self as a key area of successful occupational therapy, and key elements of therapeutic interaction. Students explore their personal interaction and start developing their professional interaction by means of concrete exercises. A precondition for developing your professional competence is adopting and reflecting on the ethical thinking of the vocational field.

Location and time

Learning situations take place in contact at the Rajakatu or Dynamo campus.

Materials

Hautala T., Hämäläinen T., Mäkelä L., Rusi-Pyykkönen M. 2019. Toiminnan voimaa. Toimintaterapia käytännössä. Edita: Helsinki.(any edition will do)

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Egan, M. & Restall, G (ed) (2020)Promoting occupational participation: collaborative relationship-focused occupational therapy. 10th Canadian Occupational Therapy Guidelines. CAOT.

Teaching methods

The course involves independent study and flipped learning, i.e. coming prepared for all learning situations. The learning situations are interactive and include active exercises (no possibility of absence). Students work individually and/or in small groups on learning tasks. The course will include independent tasks, preparation tasks, group tasks and a learning diary.

Employer connections

The course involves working with occupational therapists contacted by students from the world of work, as well as volunteering and students seeking out contacts from their own networks for a learning assignment.

Exam schedules

In the learning environment, the revision times for the tasks are defined in accordance with the examination regulations for the three different performance levels.

Student workload

Opiskelijan työmäärä 7op =189 h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Pass
You recognise the evolution of the occupational therapist's profession and the manifestation of occupational science in it. You demonstrate an ability to take responsibility for your own and the group's interactive learning in learning and group situations. You recognise the principles of person-centered and client-centric work and the basics of establishing a therapeutic interactive relationship based on the theoretical knowledge base in practical exercises and learning assignments. You demonstrate that you recognise factors related to creating a multi-actor cooperation relationship in the occupational therapist’s profession.

Qualifications

Toimijuuden, osallisuuden, terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin välisten suhteiden ymmärtäminen.

Further information

Open university: 2 places (flexible pathway).