Consumer Perspective and Participation

Subject 514-851 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.500
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Semester 2, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

On campus

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 36 hours on-campus lectures and tutorials.
Total Time Commitment: Students are expected to devote approximately 6-10 hours per week to this subject.
Prerequisites: n/a
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's courses. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

Coordinator

Cath Roper
Subject Overview: This subject aims to extend participants foundational knowledge to support the development of clinical skills and expertise related to consumer participation in treatment and consumer involvement in mental health service delivery and review. The subject focuses on current State and Commonwealth directives supporting consumer participation in treatment and in service reform activities; consumer rights, and explores models of care that can enhance the consumer's involvement in treatment. The subject would be relevant for healthcare practitioners from nursing and allied health disciplines interested in consumer perspectives and participation in health and health services.
Assessment: Consumer perspective (simulated) assessment equivalent to 1500 words due mid-semester (35%); Written assignment of 3000 words due end of semester (65%).
Prescribed Texts: Roper, C. (Ed.). (2003). Sight unseen, conversations between service receiverson mental health nursing and the acute psychiatric service system. CPNRP, University of Melbourne.
Recommended Texts:

Read, J., Mosher, L., Bentall, R., (2004) Models of Madness, Brunner Routledge, New York.

Specific readings selected by the subject coordinator will also be made available to the students and extra materials will be made available online throughout the semester.

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: Students will be expected to be able to demonstrate their proficiency in specialty nursing practice through:
  • a broad understanding of consumer perspective, the consumer movement, its origins, development and concerns;
  • identifying and applying the policy and standards relevant to consumer participation in treatment;
  • identifying the policy and standards relevant to consumer involvement in service delivery;
  • an understanding of the principles and practices required for working collaboratively with consumers;
  • an understanding of the principles and practices of various models of care that seek to place the consumer of mental health services at the centre of care;
  • an understanding of the skills and expertise required for providing recovery based care and facilitating the self determination of the consumer;
  • the ability to critically analyse the nursing role, work environment, and nature of medical psychiatry as potential barriers to effective consumer participation;
  • the ability to critically analyse the role that mental health legislation plays in the consumer's experience of service provision;
  • an understanding of the value of first person data and apply this knowledge to use first person data by undertaking a project relevant to the assessment topic.

On completion of the subject students should have developed the following generic skills of the Melbourne graduate and postgraduate coursework student:

  • problem-solving skills by involvement in classroom discussions and activities;
  • critical thinking skills by reflecting on perspectives that are not easily synthesised into a biomedical tradition;
  • analytic skills by your critical appraisal of the literature and development of arguments within the set assignment;
  • ability to work as a team member by your involvement in discussions and activities with your fellow students;
  • writing skills by completion of the assessment tasks;
  • time management skills by planning their work and submitting information by the required deadlines.
Links to further information: http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au
Notes: Level: 4th year

This subject has a multi-media tutorial component delivered via the University's on-line Learning Management System (LMS). Students must have access to appropriate computer facilities and the Internet.

The minimum computer hardware and software specifications for the subject are consistent with the University's guidelines on the expected standard of computer equipment (http://www.unimelb.edu.au/student/CompStd.htm)

No special computer skills are required. Students are required to have skills consistent with the University's Statement of "Basic Expectations of Student Computer Skills" : http://www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/stuskills.html which includes basic knowledge of computer operating systems, word-processing skills, email use, and the internet. Specifically students need to be able to write, edit and save an essay on the computer and be competent in the use of standard WWW browsers and should be able to use information searching techniques.

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