ERGOB2000 Rehabilitation, Habilitation and Intervention, Part 1 Course description

The occupational therapist’s interventions in rehabilitation, habilitation and treatment are based on the limitations people experience in relation to occupation and participation. These limitations may be due to individual factors such as illness, injuries or functional impairment, or factors at a system level such as exclusion, marginalisation or other social conditions. The term ‘disability’ is normally used in Norway about the gap between a person’s preconditions and what their environment requires. Occupational therapists contribute to reducing this gap, among others by training and guiding people, adapting and grading activities and adapting the environment. In this course, examples are provided of occupational therapy with children, adolescents, adults and the elderly.

The student must have passed the first year of the programme or equivalent.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:;

Knowledge;

The student is capable of;

• describing occupational therapists' approach, theory, models, work tasks and processes in rehabilitation, habilitation and intervention
• describing the most common mental disorders and explaining their consequences for occupation and participation
• describing the most common diagnoses in neurology, orthopaedics, rheumatology and internal medicine and explain the consequences for occupation and participation
• describing developmental disorders, concurrent illnesses and age-related illnesses, and explaining the consequences for occupation and participation

Skills;

The student is capable of

• showing initiative and skills in therapeutic communication
• mapping and assessing physical and cognitive functions and motor, processes, communication and interaction skills to set goals and explain the choice of intervention
• applying activity analysis, activity-based tools and therapeutic use of activity in mapping, assessment and intervention
• applying a client-focus and systematic work process model in mapping and intervention
• adapting and applying creative and expressive activities for individuals and groups
• planning and facilitating the participation of people with functional impairments in meaningful and valuable occupations

General competence

The student is capable of

• presenting, discussing and reflecting on choices of intervention, both in writing and in the teaching of fellow students
• identifying and reflecting on ethical dilemmas encountered when working with people with challenges in relation to occupation and participation

Work and teaching methods comprise seminars with case-based teaching, skills training, activity analysis and lectures. The students work individually and in groups and with student-driven teaching.

In order to be permitted to sit the exam, the following must have been approved:;

• a minimum of 80 per cent attendance in scheduled teaching;

Combined assessment:

1. Supervised individual written exam with a combination of multiple choice and free text assignments, 2 hours.
2. Individual practical exam that can include fictional users, up to 45 minutes.

One overall grade is awarded based on the following weighting of the parts of the exam: written exam - 40%, practical exam - 60%. Students must be awarded a pass grade A-E for both parts of the exam in order for a student to pass the course.

Resit exam: If the student is awarded an F in one part of the exam, this part of the exam must be retaken.

Students can appeal the grade awarded for the written exam.

Passed first and second year of the programme or equivalent.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student 

• is capable of reflecting on how activity analyses can be applied in the development of services in an innovative manner
• is capable of explaining organisational and structural factors that affect professional practice at the practical training establishment
• has knowledge of human rights and ethics and can relate this to the current practical training establishment and its position in the society locally and globally
• can choose and describe relevant strategies for supervision and management in relation to users, colleagues and other partners

Skills 

The student is capable of 

• carrying out systematic activity analyses at individual, group and/or system level, and develop measures that enable participation
• working in an evidence-based and independent manner on work tasks that are relevant at the practical training establishment, for example mapping, assessment, intervention and evaluation at individual, group and/or system level
• applying therapeutic and ethical competence in an independent manner in relation to people who are in a learning, coping or change process
• searching for and assessing scientific literature of relevance for his/her own professional practice
• using clinical reasoning to develop his/her own professionalism
• leading groups and meetings with users or colleagues
• identifying needs for development or new knowledge in occupational therapy related to the practical training establishment, and contributing to academic dissemination of knowledge in relation to this

General competence

The student is capable of 

• taking responsibility for, showing initiative and cooperation skills, flexibility and independence
• discussing and critically reflecting on ethical dilemmas and practise in accordance with professional ethical guidelines
• taking the initiative to and contribute to interprofessional cooperation and disseminating occupational therapy competence in this context
• disseminating and documenting occupational therapy professional practice in writing and orally in the forms and procedures relevant to the practical training establishment
• assessing and preventing the risk of undesirable incidents and is familiar with methods for following this up in a systematic manner

The practical training period takes place over twelve weeks and starts with a week’s preparation as part of the programme. During the practical training weeks, the students spend 30 hours at the practical training establishment and the rest on teaching activities in the programme. The students will be assigned a supervisor at the practical training establishment and a contact lecturer at the university. Students who apply to take their practical training as part of a project can have a supervisor with a background other than in occupational therapy. In such case, the contact lecturer will offer closer follow up.