Health Communication Skills 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Taught at the Royal Children's Hospital

170 hours

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, 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/

Exploration of the impact of grief, ethics and decision making with specific reference to prenatal genetic counselling. Issues of disability in the community with reference to one model of practice will be explored. The ompace of ethics, grief, loss and culture will be discussed. The means of study will be tutorials and small group reflective supervision sessions to discuss issues arising from the community placements which may be concurrent with this subject.

This subject is designed to enable students to:

• Articulate and critically examine the theories of grief and loss with reference to prenatal genetic counselling;
• Identify and critically reflect on ethical issues in the practice of genetic counselling, with particular reference to disability and culture; and
• Reflect on and consider ethical and other issues as they arise within a counselling interview in the community.

• Class Presentation – 30% (end of semester)
• 2 case studies minimum 2000 words each – 70%
• Due date – November 4 (can be submitted electronically)

A reading pack of selected readings will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject it is expected that students will be able to:

• Critically reflect on their own ethical framework and how this impacts on the issues arising in genetic counselling;
• Critically reflect and articulate the ethical issues in prenatal genetic counselling and how these impact on the process of decision making, grief and loss;
• Evaluate the issues and impact individuals who have a disability, and their families;
• Understand the relevant genetic support organisations and how these can be incorporated into genetic counselling to offer a continuum of care to families and individuals;
• Continue to develop skills at working within a multi-disciplinary team and to articulate the specific role of the genetic counsellor; and
• Locate, critically evaluate and use relevant literature and professional information to inform genetic counselling practice.