Consumer Perspective: Theory & Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

In addition to the subject contact hours, students are expected to devote approximately 6 hours a week to this subject.

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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 think their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

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.

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.

1. Consumer perspective (simulated) assessment equivalent to 1500 words (35%) - Due week 6
2. Written assignment of 3000 words (65%) - Due end of semester

Roper, C. (Ed.). (2003). Sight unseen, conversations between service receiverson mental health nursing and the acute psychiatric service system. CPNRP, University of Melbourne.

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.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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.