Course Title: Radiation Therapy Practice 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Radiation Therapy Practice 1

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

RADI1136

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

RADI1136

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Workplace

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

RADI1136

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020

Course Coordinator: Cathy Jager

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7973

Course Coordinator Email: cathy.jager@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 201.08.029-1

Course Coordinator Availability: Appointments arranged via email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

System Enforced Pre-requisites (Enforced by SAMS)

Required concurrent study (Co-requisites)

 

Work Integrated Learning:

Students enrolled in this course will be required to undertake placement as part of the assessment of the course.  A number of requirements must be met by students to ensure eligibility for placement.  Further details on each of these are available in Part B of the Course Guide and on MyRMIT.

  • National Police check
  • Working with Children Check
  • Immunisation Declaration Form
  • Hand Hygiene certificate
  • First Aid Certificate
  • CPR Certificate
  • Manual Handing certificate

 

There is no flexibility with these requirements.  It is your responsibility to ensure THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE COMPLETED.  Any student who has not provided this information will not be able to attend placement and will receive a fail grade for the placement course.

 


Course Description

Experience in clinical departments is vital to developing clinical competence and this course is designed to provide students not only with this experience but also tools to maximise learning during clinical placements. Further development with concepts of reflective practice will empower students to take ownership of their professional development and identify learning opportunities as well as development needs. After completion of this course students should be able to assist with routine clinical procedures and be prepared to organise their clinical learning in relation to their development needs for future clinical courses. This course is the first in a series of clinical courses that provide students with the opportunity to consolidate their academic learning in a clinical environment and aims to enable them to carry out the basic skills of a radiation therapist under supervision.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for BP321 Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Radiations) (aligned to the Accreditation Standards of the Medical Radiations Practice Board of Australia):

Standard 1.1

  • Practise in an ethical and professional manner, consistent with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements (1.1a)
  • Provide each patient/client with an appropriate level of dignity and care (1.1b)
  • Under supervision demonstrate the ability to assume responsibility, and accept accountability, for professional decisions (1.1c)
  • Under supervision demonstrate the ability to advocate on behalf of the patient/client, when appropriate, within the context of the practitioner’s particular division of registration (1.1d)

Standard 1.2

  • Communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patient/client and your family or carers (1.2a)
  • Collaborate with other health practitioners (1.2b)

Standard 1.3

  • Apply critical and reflective thinking to resolve clinical challenges (1.3a)
  • Identify ongoing professional learning needs and opportunities (1.3b)

Standard 1.4

  • Implement safe radiation practice appropriate to your division of registration (1.4a)
  • Protect and enhance patient/client safety (1.4b)
  • Confirm and operate equipment and instrumentation safely as appropriate to your division of registration (1.4c)
  • Maintain safety of self and others in the work environment appropriate to your division of registration (1.4d)
  • Safely manage radiation and radioactivity in the environment (1.4e)

Standard 1.5

  • Apply an understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathology that is appropriate to your division of registration (1.5a)
  • Use patient information management systems appropriately (1.5c)
  • Confirm the procedure according to clinical indicators (1.5d) • Assess patient/client’s capacity to receive care (1.5e)
  • Deliver patient/client care appropriate to your division of registration (1.5f)
  • Manage and manipulate 3D datasets for diagnostic image production (1.5g)
  • Apply knowledge of pharmaceuticals and contrast materials/media relevant to your division of registration (1.5h)

Standard 1.8 (BP321RT ONLY)

  • Apply knowledge of stabilisation devices related to radiation therapy (1.8.1a)
  • Apply treatment simulation techniques (1.8.1b)
  • Apply knowledge of treatment planning (1.8.1c)
  • Implement computed tomography (CT) imaging for oncologic treatment planning (1.8.1d)
  • Implement treatment techniques according to approved plans (1.8.1e)
  • Under supervision demonstrate the ability to alert the appropriate health professional when you observe significant findings of a medically urgent nature (1.8.2b)


On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Perform and discuss routine radiotherapy planning, simulation/CT and treatment techniques whilst adhering to radiation safety principles.
  2. Demonstrate professional behaviours and interpersonal and communications skills required in clinical practice to meet the standard of a student medical radiations practitioner within the multidisciplinary team.
  3. Demonstrate and discuss appropriate knowledge and skills in patient care, including psychosocial aspects.
  4. Demonstrate reflective practice by identifying and reflecting on your role in the team, strengths and development needs and key learning opportunities.
  5. Develop an action plan for future clinical placements.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will learn through a range of activities that will include participation in problem-based learning activities, self-directed study, development of a reflective learning journal and participation in a clinical placement in an approved clinical department. This course is supported by RMIT's online Learning Management System (LMS).

Teacher Guided Hours: 12

Learner Directed Hours: 60

40 hours per week clinical placement


Overview of Learning Resources

The main learning resource for the Radiation Therapy Practice Courses consists of the clinical department where you will be exposed to a huge range of learning opportunities. You will undertake supervised clinical experience in an approved clinical department on a full-time basis. You will have the opportunity to participate in a range of clinical procedures to help you work towards competent clinical practice. You will also be encouraged to interact with patients in order to develop your interpersonal and patient care skills. To really maximise the benefit of this environment you will be encouraged to develop independent and active learning strategies. You will be required to reflect on your progress and performance in the course as well as the rationale and outcomes of procedures. You should identify areas for development and develop strategies to address these with the aid of unit teaching staff where appropriate.

This course requires you to engage with your e-portfolio. You are required to document your reflections relating to your key learning experiences during your clinical placement and submit these to the course coordinator via Canvas and release of your e-portfolio

A key aspect of the Program is fostering a thriving learning community and for this course, the building blocks for this will utilise the Canvas discussion board tools. You will be expected to engage regularly with your peers and tutors and key learning will take place via online question and answer sessions.

The final approach to teaching and learning relates to assessment for learning. The assessments for this course are designed to ensure maximum understanding of the content and it is important that you recognise the role of assessment in your learning. You should view the assessments as part of your learning and ensure that you utilise the feedback to progress your learning and personal development.


Overview of Assessment

All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Placement (HURDLE Requirement)

Weighting 0%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3

You are required to demonstrate clinical skill and patient safety congruent to the level of a Year Two undergraduate medical radiations student practitioner. If you are deemed unsatisfactory at the interim assessment, remedial action using an at-risk learning contract will be undertaken before being allowed to continue the placement. If you are deemed unsatisfactory at the final assessment you will then be required to undertake a simulation assessment. If your performance in the simulation assessment demonstrates an unsatisfactory/unsafe level of practice you receive a NH fail grade for this course and be required to re-enrol in the course in the following year. If your performance in the simulation assessment demonstrates a satisfactory level and safe practice you will be offered an additional clinical placement as determined by the clinical coordinator

Assessment Task 2: Reflective Journal

Weighting 40%

This assessment task supports CLOs 4 & 5

Assessment Task 3: Case study

Weighting 30%

This assessment task supports CLO 3

Assessment Task 4: Clinical skills assessment

Weighting 30%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3