Junior Sophister placement 2.1
Students attend weekly clinics during term 1 where they are given increasing responsibilities for client management as the year progresses. Students will benefit from opportunities to plan, implement and evaluate therapy programmes appropriate to the needs of individual clients during placement 2.1.
Students on this placement are expected to be developing the knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to achieve a passing grade on the Student Clinical Competency Evaluation at Level 2 (Transition). Students at level 2 will require a moderate level of supervision, monitoring and feedback at the beginning of the placement. The level of supervision and support should gradually reduced during the placement During the placement students will benefit from Opportunities to assess, diagnose, plan and implement therapy programmes for clients with routine presentation of communication and feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing disabilities / disorders support to identify significant factors for clients with complex needs and to recognize the effects of general and clinical environmental factors on client management. guidance in the evaluation of therapy programmes and their impact on the clients and environments. reflection time, structured feedback and guidance to develop self monitoring of professional competencies Each student must take responsibility for at least one client on an ongoing basis during the placement. Students are expected to outline a profile of the clients communication system at the start of the therapy episode and maintain an appropriate record of the therapy in both the clinic file and in student files. Student files should contain
Summary of history and previous assessment/s and therapy (including therapy approach, focus and outcome) – 2 pages maximum (12 point font, 1.5 spacing) Relevant findings and evaluations from most recent qualitative and quantitative assessments (1 page - 12 point font, 1.5 spacing) student session plans and evaluations for each session student therapy episode summary sheet session plans for exam session (2 copies) Student files should be reviewed as part of the mid and end of placement evaluations.
Students are informed that they will need to spend time in self directed learning to ensure that they acquire the knowledge base needed for the placement. By the end of placement 2.1 students should have developed competency in:
CSLS TCD 2013-14 Ability to form appropriate professional relationship with clients, carers and co- workers. Diagnosis of communication and feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing disabilities / disorders Planning of therapy programmes both long and short term, with guidance. Therapy execution and evaluation of effectiveness. Report writing and record keeping. Self evaluation of developing professional competencies They should show knowledge of general principles underlying therapy in both theoretical and practical areas and should be able to identify their own learning needs in relation to clinical work in general and client specific issues.
Assessment of developing competencies
The placement is assessed by continuous assessment and a clinical examination.
Continuous Assessment
The continuous assessment mark awarded for this placement should be based on the student’s developing competencies. Developing competencies are evaluated using the Student Clinical Competency Evaluation Form and indicators (Level 2 Transition). Developing competencies should be evaluated and forms completed at the mid point and end of each placement by the key practice educator (in collaboration with other educators should there be others involved). It is recommended that the practice educator should formally observe and discuss a therapy session with the student at mid placement. Both practice educator and student should complete written Student Clinical Competency Evaluation Forms (level 2) before this session and discuss their ratings at a formal feedback session. Students should use the information provided by this review to identify developing competencies and set revised learning goals. If this evaluation indicates significant gaps in learning opportunities or in the ability of the student to avail of these the HEI should be notified. Both practice educator and student should sign each other’s copy of the SCCEF.
The final assessment mark should reflect the level of competency demonstrated by the student at the end of the placement. If opportunities have not arisen in the clinic to observe a student’s competency in a specific area this item may be scored based on responses to a hypothetical clinical scenario presented by the practice educator. Competencies rated in this manner should be noted in the comments section. The final evaluation should provide students with information on their current competency levels and this along with feedback from the practice educator should help the students to set new learning goals and develop a learning plan. Practice educators are required to assign the student with a grade and percentage mark for this placement. This mark may be derived from the ratings on the Student Clinical Competency Evaluation Forms (level 2) at the end of the placement.
CSLS TCD 2013-14 Clinical examination Students are examined with a client with whom they are familiar or who is from a client group they have worked with during the placement. The clinical examination can take place after 6-8 sessions and preferably towards the end of the placement. The examination is conducted by the practice educator and a colleague who may be a co therapist, practice tutor, regional placement facilitator or a therapist from the department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies. The examination has 4 components. The student file is examined for evidence that appropriate diagnostic and therapy competencies are developing, along with the ability to maintain clinical records. The students are required to give a brief oral summary of the client: relevant history, diagnosis and summary of therapy to date. The student is then observed working with the client by both examiners either separately or in turn. The clinical session is followed by a short viva.
Student file Junior Sophister students should develop and maintain summary case files for all clients seen. The file content should follow the appropriate professional guidelines for the placement/ client group and the requirements of the supervising therapist.1 This should include Summary of history and previous assessment and therapy (including therapy approach, focus and outcome) – 2 pages maximum (12 point font, 1.5 spacing) Relevant findings and evaluations from most recent qualitative and quantitative assessments (1 page - 12 point font, 1.5 spacing) Student therapy episode summary sheet Student session plans and evaluations Session plans for exam session (2 copies) These files must be made available to the examiners 24 hours before the examination. Student files should NOT contain any information that would enable the client or service to be identified
Case presentation The case presentation allows the student to demonstrate that he/she can identify analyse and synthesize the key client and clinical factors influencing case management. The case presentation may occur before or after the session and should not last longer than 5 minutes.
The student file and case presentation should allow the examiners to evaluate the following competencies
1 Collects and collates relevant client-related information systematically (e.g. case history, interviews and health records) 4 Analyses and interprets assessment findings using the professional knowledge base 5 Formulates appropriate diagnostic hypotheses 7 Establishes clear long and short term objectives for intervention 8 Demonstrates knowledge of the need for onward referral 9 Reports evaluation findings effectively orally and in writing
Clinic session The student is observed during the session by both examiners and by the external examiner if present. Both examiners may observe jointly in some instances but in the majority of cases, the examiners will observe parts of the session separately. The
1 Sample Forms can be downloaded and modified from the department website http://www.tcd.ie/slscs/csls/
CSLS TCD 2013-14 clinical examination should allow the student to demonstrate levels of competency in the following areas.
12 Implements therapy using appropriate therapy techniques, materials and . strategies
13 Continuously evaluates intervention and modifies programme as necessary .
14 Adapts service delivery/ therapeutic approach in response to . client/significant other needs
15 Evaluates intervention and contributes effectively to clients long term . management and discharge plan
16 Observes, listens and responds to client/ significant other communications .
17 Uses appropriate vocabulary, syntax, intonation, volume and rate for . context
18 Introduces, presents, closes and evaluates session components .
19 Facilitates client participation by using clear instructions, modelling etc . during intervention
20 Uses prompts and clarification requests appropriately .
21 Provides appropriate verbal and non-verbal feedback on client . performance
Viva
The clinical session, general principles of intervention and issues related to client group, disorder area and service delivery are explored during the viva. The viva should allow the student to demonstrate knowledge of general principles underlying diagnosis and therapy and the ability to use outcome measures to determine efficacy of intervention (23). The enclosed guidelines to questioning (Fowler 2006) may be of help to examiners in selecting questions to ensure that competencies are assessed at the appropriate levels
Practice educators may use form 2.1 E to record the examination or may record it on the student clinical competency evaluation form. The results should be summarized on form 2.1 for return to the department at the end of the placement.
CSLS TCD 2013-14 Junior Sophister Clinical practice 2.1 Schedule
Oct 3
10
17
24
31
Nov 7 Mid placement review
14
21
28
Dec 5
12
Jan 16
23
30
Students are expected to spend 5-6 hours on clinical work per day during placements with an average of 3 hours direct client management per day. Due to accommodation problems experienced by many practice educators the clinical preparation and research time in the JS weekly placement may be spent in College if this is fits best with the clinic schedules.
Starting and finishing times are set by the practice educator.
CSLS TCD 2013-14