POPLHLTH 302 Health Services Placement - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

The placement with a health service organisation provides students with the opportunity for experiential learning and the development of competencies needed in the workplace. Theory and skills learned in previous courses are integrated and extended as students apply prior knowledge to a local health organisation and carry out tasks asked of them.

Course Overview

This unique culminating educational program provides the opportunity of a placement (also referred to as an internship) in a contemporary health service setting. During the placement you are supported to gain a critical understanding of the hosting organisation through day-to-day exposure to service provision. This will be achieved through carrying out an assigned project, undertaking observations, reviewing of service documents, shadowing staff members to gain an understanding of what they do, sitting in on meetings, asking questions and having discussions with staff members. This is all very valuable experiential learning that will help inform written assignments.

The placement gives you the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills reflecting the graduate profile for the BHSc. It is a chance to integrate and apply in real world practice the theory you have learnt so far in your degree. This course has the potential to be emotionally demanding as you explore issues of work readiness, employability and the transition out of university into the next phase of your career. By reflecting on, thinking about , writing and talking about what has occurred during placement your experiential learning will be extended and enhanced.

POPLHLTH302 is very different from most other university courses due to its strong experiential focus and it being a critical transition point. The value of making sense of these experiences in the classroom via reflective exercises and classroom discussions is key to your success. A willingness to take brave steps, to talk about what you are noticing during placement and to share and unpack these experiences will not only enhance your learning, but will also have a positive influence on others.

The placement provides you with an opportunity to 'try out' a specific organisational context, to extend your professional networks and to have challenging and rewarding work experiences that will help you to make better informed choices about your future career. Be prepared for a challenging course, previous students tell us that 302 is a hard course to juggle so excellent time management and planning skills will be essential to your success.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: HLTHPSYC 122, MAORIHTH 201, POPLHLTH 101, 102, 111, 202, 204, 210, 216

Course Contacts

Dr Linda Haultain

Course Coordinator

l.haultain@auckland.ac.nz

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate a critical understanding of a specific health organisation or service and the broad influences on its development of health systems, economic, societal and political contexts. (Capability 1.1, 2.2 and 3.1)
Develop skills in influencing health service decisions through carrying out assigned work, communication and report writing. (Capability 1.2, 3.1 and 4.1)
Develop skills in communication, working in teams, reflective practice and life-long learning related to the placement. (Capability 2.3, 4.2 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Participation	10%	Individual Coursework
Organisational report and placement plan	25%	Individual Coursework
Professional BLOG on professional practice	10%	Individual Coursework
Professional BLOG and video	20%	Individual Coursework
Organisational project report	35%	Individual Coursework
Supervisor feedback		Individual Coursework
6 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3
Participation
Organisational report and placement plan
Professional BLOG on professional practice
Professional BLOG and video
Organisational project report
Supervisor feedback

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 14 hours of induction and seminar content, a 1 hour optional tutorial, 75 hours of self-directed learning including assessment preparation, and 60 hours of placement activity.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including seminars to help you to complete and receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars will not be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including group discussions and seminars if there are Covid 19 restrictions in place.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

There are some new texts for the course but these are not compulsory. You are also encouraged to access and draw on relevant material from previous courses to help you with your assignment work. It would be helpful to read and access local health news to help you to contextualise your assignment work. Most of the reading requirements for this course involves you accessing the literature in relation to the placement project you are undertaking and to provide sound and contemporary evidence to support your course assignment work.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Previous students have asked for more information about the placement options, and how placements are selected. This is one of the reasons for the pre-placement interview and questionnaire in 2020
Extensive work has also occurred to help ensure all written and verbal instructions associated with the assignment work is consistent
The links between seminar content, and your placement success has also been made more intentional and purposeful

Other Information

You are required to complete a Ministry of Justice check for all District Health Board placements, and a placement questionnaire - both of which your course Coordinator will make available via and announcement. Students will also be required to meet with the Coordinator prior to the semester start to discuss your placement preferences and any other issues that may impact your success in 302. You are welcome to bring someone with you if you would like support during this meeting. It is possible that the Coordinator may telephone you from time to time associated with the placement allocation process.

There are 2 induction workshops in the first 2 weeks of the semester, then seminars held every other week. Participation marks will be allocated for specific activities associated with seminar work.

Please let the paper Coordinator know early if you require a particular time for the seminar so that she can arrange it. Your placements will be allocated at the first induction.

Office hours also occur regularly, these forum provide an opportunity for individual support with assignment work and are strongly encouraged for any student with a GPA of less that 4 or 5.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

It is possible to receive individual support in 302 if you are struggling with your academic work. Please ask for support early to ensure your success in 302.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

At the beginning of each seminar series a classroom charter (group contract) will be developed by students with the Coordinators support. It will be a shared, collective responsibility to ensure all agreements made in the finalized classroom charter are honored by those present.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement

POPLHLTH 302 : Health Services Placement

Medical and Health Sciences

2023 Semester One (1233) (15 POINTS)