Dysphagia - Work-Integrated Learning, 6 credits

For admission to semester 6, students may lack no more than 15 credits from preceding semesters within the Study Programme in Speech and Language Pathology. For admission to course Dysphagia - Work-Integrated Learning, a passed result is required on the course Speech and Language Disorders in Adults - Work-Integrated Learning in semester 5.

On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• assess, analyse and diagnose dysphagia in individuals in different ages
• plan, carry out and evaluate treatment of individuals with dysphagia
• adequately document the assessment, investigation and treatment of patients with dysphagia
• give clear and correct written and oral information and advice to patients, families and staff in different care settings
• describe eating and deglutition in feeding situations with children and adults, and describe how communication in feeding situations influences eating (learning objective related to Professional Skills)
• reflect independently over one's own and others' role as active participant and observer in meetings with patients, relatives and staff (learning objective related to Professional Skills)
• evaluate the need of teamwork and discuss its importance for patient safety
• reflect on ethical issues related to treatment of patients with dysphagia

The clinical training takes place within speech and language pathology settings for patients with dysphagia and includes investigation, assessment, analysis and treatment of patients in different age groups. The course also includes how to motivate methods based on current theory and evidence and with regard to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In the course, it is also discussed how communicative support can facilitate counselling and improve patient safety.

The course includes activities in Professional Skills (Child Observations, Professional Attitude, and Ethics, Law, and External Analysis).

The course includes seminars, clinical observations, work with patients under supervision in small groups of students. Group work and seminars are also part of training of Professional Skills.

All activitites are compulsory unless stated otherwise in the course timetable. After a short absence, students are responsible for contacting their supervisor. After a long absence, students must contact the course coordinator. The course coordinator decides if and how absence from compulsory education activitites can be compensated. Study results cannot be reported before students have participated in all compulsory educational activities or compensated for absence in accordance with the instructions of course coordinator. Absence from a compulsory educational activity can result in students having to complete the activity the next time the course is given.

The examination consists of a summative assessment of achieved learning outcomes in the clinical training (according to a specific assessment instrument), an oral examination seminar in groups, as well as passed compulsory activities. In the assessment, professional attitude in meetings with patients relatives and staff is evaluated.

Students who fail clinical placement have the right to retake the course once. After two failed placement periods in the same course, students can apply for an exemption from the educational board at the department to complete the course once more.

The examiner may with immediate effect interrupt a student's clinical rotation, or the equivalent, if the student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills or attitudes that patient safety or patient confidence in healthcare is at risk. When a clinical placement is interrupted, this implies that the student has failed on that part of the course and that the placement period is exhausted. In such cases, an individual action plan should be set up, where it is made clear which activities and examinations are required before the student is given the possibility to participate in a new placement on this course.

Examination can be carried out according to an earlier literature list during a period of one year after the date of a renewal of the literature list. Examination will be provided during a period of one year after a possible closing of the course.

Course evaluation will be carried out according to the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.