Leadership in Professional Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Approximately 120 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

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 programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The key aim of this capstone subject is to prepare students for evolving physiotherapy practices. Building upon previous learning and the graduate attributes, the subject provides opportunities to extend, deepen and apply knowledge, skills and attributes in the context of physiotherapy professional practice.

Emphasis will be placed on investigating, analysing and synthesizing complex information, evidence-based practice and professional ethics, academic writing, critiquing, debating and weighing priorities relating to collaborative professional practice. To further build and enhance skills, knowledge and attributes necessary for advanced practice as physiotherapists, students will be given opportunities to be reflective, critical and creative in addressing identified needs in their own professional practice and in a professional practice setting. This will include development of their leadership skills through knowledge of leadership theory and the study of leaders in physiotherapy, health practice, health education and other professional domains. It will encourage students to explore and understand leadership styles including personality and emotional intelligence and how these impact on leadership and management. Students will analyse how power influences health and educational institutions and settings, how decisions are made and synthesize strategies to influence resource allocation. Skills required to manage allied health assistants and teaching students, mentoring junior staff, project management skills to facilitate coordination of activities such as quality assurance and in-service programs and advocating for physiotherapy will be developed. Management skills include skills in negotiation, mentoring, team building, conflict management, and advocacy. In addition, this subject will enhance private practice business skills, marketing and strategic management, and developing business plans, finance skills such as budgeting, engaging with Medicare and other compensable bodies, and facilitating and managing change within a variety of contexts. Additionally, they will draw on their previous learning in the application of evidence based physiotherapy to professional practice contexts and an ability to identify practice gaps, synthesize physiotherapy research evidence and critique this evidence.

The subject will culminate in the opportunity to conduct a professional capstone project to apply their knowledge and skill in a professional context. Selecting a priority area in collaboration with a mentor, they will design, justify and present a program, service or resource, including a business case, to address the identified needs of the professional context

• Debate the applicability of contemporary theories of leadership and management in different physiotherapy contexts, including hospital, private prcatice, academic and community contexts
• Demonstrate skills in team building, employment interview technique, curriculum vitae presentation, conflict management, negotiation, advocacy, mentoring and project management
• Adapt principles of business leadership and management including marketing, finance, strategy and relationship building for use within the physiotherapy context
• Analyse current management practices relating to workplace behaviour, occupational health and safety and risk management
• Hypothesise how evidence of physiotherapy practice could be used to influence policy and decision making across public, private and government sectors
• Synthesise research and evidence principles to evaluate quality of service delivery
• Reflect on and demonstrate development of personal leadership and management style that supports best practice in healthcare contexts
• Probe, explore, analyse and synthesise leadership approaches that affects positive change within a healthcare context

Individual Reflection (Quiz) - 1 Hour (mid semester) 15%

Group Capstone Project - 3000 words per student (end of semester) 60%

Oral Presentation on application of theory to a professional context - 15 mins (end of semester) 25%

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportuntiy to develop skills associated with the graduate attributes including:

• have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline
• an understanding of organisational governance, the ability to be an active participant on professional organisations, and an appreciation of the benefits of this participation
• have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
• have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
• an understanding of the principles of mentorship and the abiltiy to apply them with colleagues
• an understanding of the princples of team work and the ability to work effectively in a team, including as a leader an understanding of the principles of efficient annd equitable allocation and use of finite resources in health care systems, locally and globally