University of Technology Sydney

96099 Genetic Counselling Clinical Placement 2

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health (GEM)
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 96104 Communication and Counselling AND 96103 Medical Genetics and Genomics in Practice AND 96102 Research Methods in Genetic Counselling AND 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

The application of theory and skills learned during the coursework subjects begins during the second clinical placement. Students undertake clinical placement alongside practicing genetic counsellors in a variety of settings and learn through guided practice. Students are expected to demonstrate early development of core skills in genetic counselling, including taking a family history and providing explanations of inheritance patterns. As they did during 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1, students engage in weekly reflective practice supervision to help transform their clinical experience into learning. Students continue to maintain an e-portfolio to record and reflect on their learning during this subject.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

005. Engage in client-centred genetic counselling practice
006. Use basic counselling skills including active listening, attending, reflecting, clarifying and summarising
007. Demonstrate empathic listening skills
008. Establish rapport with clients and families
010. Establish an environment conducive for effective communication
016. Respect, protect and maintain client confidentiality
028. Collect, draw and enter family history information to complete a family tree
031. Identify, synthesise, organise and summarise medical and genetic/genomic information for use in a clinical consultation
032. Use relevant databases and the genetics/genomics literature to inform practice
033. Facilitate clients’ understanding of risk
041. Engage in reflective practice
066. Adhere to laws, evidence-based guidelines, codes of conduct and policies that are relevant to genetic counselling practice
068. Organise and prioritise workload autonomously and as a team member
070. Implement strategies to continually improve own genetic counselling practice through ongoing learning
071. Identify own learning needs and direct own learning experiences
072. Take action to recognise own limitations and access help when needed
073. Develop and maintain respectful working relationships with colleagues at all levels
075. Work within the boundaries of the Scope of Practice for Genetic Counsellors
077. Work respectfully with professional/ administrative/ ancillary staff

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:

  • Apply evidence-based genetic and genomic health care to practice across a variety of settings and roles. (1.1)
  • Apply professional self-awareness through self-reflection to enhance their practice in genetic and genomic counselling to improve client outcomes. (1.2)
  • Demonstrate a critical awareness of cultural and societal diversity and disparity in health care into genetic counselling practice. (2.1)
  • Demonstrate appropriate and effective relationships with people from diverse communities. (3.1)
  • Demonstrate the core tenets of the genetic counselling profession, including professional and ethical behaviour and responding positively to changes in genetic and genomic healthcare. (5.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the following graduate attributes:

Practice ready:

Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are knowledgeable and literate healthcare practitioners, with well-developed workplace communication skills. They are skilled in providing evidence-based care to clients and their families in a variety of settings as autonomous and collaborative practitioners.

Culturally competent:

Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are self-reflective, culturally competent professionals who embrace cultural diversity. They work alongside Indigenous Australians, New Zealand Maori, Pacifica and other culturally and societally diverse groups to build equitable access to genetic and genomic healthcare.

Person-centred:

Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are empathic, person-centred practitioners who form and value partnerships with individuals, families and communities. They facilitate understanding and adaptation to information provided by genetic and genomic technology for individuals and families.

Professionally competent:

Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling embody professional and ethical practice, and uphold knowledge and competency standards both locally and globally. They embrace opportunities for leadership and contribute to shaping the future development of the genetic counselling profession.

Teaching and learning strategies

Preparation for Learning: A 10-day clinical placement and participation in a week-long Virtual Clinical Placement (VCP) forms the core work in this subject. While on placement, students will begin to use the core competencies required for HGSA Certification. Activities that assist in the preparation for placement and preparation for weekly reflective practice supervision will be undertaken on Canvas.

Live and online workshops: Weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision provides students with a weekly opportunity to engage with their supervisor and student colleagues throughout this subject. Supervision provides a rich environment for discussion and collaborative exploration of clinical placement experience, contributing to deep learning.

Reflective Learning: Students are encouraged to critically reflect on their learning and skill development throughout the subject, to identify areas where they may improve their performance, and to assist in the development of lifelong learning. Reflective learning will be encouraged through specific activities including weekly reflective practice supervision in small groups, and assessment tasks in which students will reflect on their emerging professional identity over the duration of the session.

Ongoing feedback: Verbal feedback will be provided throughout the subject during reflective practice supervision. Opportunities for verbal formative feedback on assessment tasks are available prior to the due date and summative feedback is provided following final submission. Students will engage in feedback conversations with clinical placement supervisors throughout the placement. Written feedback will be available as part of the clinical placement supervisor’s report and as part of the online journal club.

Content (topics)

Students complete their first clinical placement during this subject.

Students are required to complete 15 days of placement in a clinical genetic service. The timing of the placement during the semester will depend on the availability of clinical placement supervisors at UTS Genetic Counselling approved sites.

Placements will take place between week 1 and week 8, or between week 10 and week 14. There may be an opportunity to commence the placement during the mid-year break or during the UTS exam period. Weekly live and online classes for other subjects in the spring session are scheduled for Thursday to allow students to be present at their placement site for the majority of each week.

Students will participate in weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision throughout the session.

Students will participate in a weekly collaborative online journal club, contributing to the development of skills to enhance lifelong learning. Regular participation in a journal club is a recommendation of the HGSA accreditation policy (HGSA, 2019, pp. 15).

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Attendance

Intent:

To ensure that students fully engage with the subject matter, meaningfully contribute to the learning process, and gauge their development through reflective practice. This assessment also reflects the level of engagement with peers and supervisors.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

070, 071 and 073

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

1.1, 1.2 and 5.2

Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 10%
Length:

Throughout the length of the session

Criteria:

You will be assessed on attendance as well as participation and involvement in discussion. See canvas for further details.

Assessment task 2: Process Record

Intent:

This assessment task requires students to look deeply at a single interaction with a client to facilitate the development of reflective practice. Students are encouraged to use this task to assist the development of a framework for situated noticing of their clinical work including listening, observing body language and the feelings both they and their clients are experiencing.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 041 and 075

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2

Type: Reflection
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%
Length:

Verbatim recollection AND 500 word reflection

Criteria:

You will be assessed on:

  • Your description of the consultation including the setting and purpose of the consultation
  • Your observation of the verbal and non-verbal communication that occurred
  • Your reflection of what happened during the consultation, including the skills you used, the skills you observed the genetic counsellor using, any ethical issues that arose, and your own thoughts and feelings about the consultation. Evidence that you have reflected on the consultation during supervision is encouraged.

Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas.

Assessment task 3: Clinical Placement Supervisor's Report

Intent:

In order to be a deliberative professional, genetic counsellors learn to reflect on current practice to identify strengths and areas for further learning. The clinical placement supervisors report forms the platform for identification of goals for each placement and formal, written feedback at the end of the clinical placement. This, in turn, assists with the identification of learning goals for future placements, contributing to development of lifelong learning.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033, 041, 066, 068, 071, 072, 073, 075 and 077

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Length:

A report template will be provided to the student and the clinical placement supervisor prior to the start of the placement.

Criteria:

You will be assessed on:

  • The identification of individual goals suitable for the placement
  • Your participation in weekly reflective practice supervision
  • Your participation in the placement as confirmed by receipt of a clinical placement report

Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas.

The clinical placement supervisor’s report provides the written feedback for this assessment task.

Assessment task 4: Logbook - This is a 'must-pass' assessment

Intent:

This task begins to prepare students for completion of HGSA Certification following graduation. Students are required to establish and maintain a log book of cases while on clinical placement, using the same template as they will use when undertaking certification following graduation.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

005, 006, 007, 008, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033 and 041

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2

Type: Portfolio
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%
Length:

A template will be provided for the logbook. Word limits will apply to each section of the logbook, in accordance with HGSA guidelines.

A 500 word reflection will be submitted with the logbook.

Criteria:

You will be assessed on:

  • Completion of a logbook providing clear and succinct descriptions of the clients you have worked with while on clinical placement
  • The written reflection synthesising your learning
  • Identification of possible goals for your next clinical placement

Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas.

Minimum requirements

In order to pass this Subject, a minimum grade of 50% must be achieved and students must submit all assessment tasks. This subject includes a ‘must-pass’ assessment (log book AT4) in which a minimum grade of 50% must be achieved.

Students are required to attend a minimum of 85% classes.

Required texts

Coursework Assessments Policy

Coursework Assessments Procedures

Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures