Introduction to occupational therapy

Communication, ethics, health work, occupational therapy

The purpose of this course is to give an introduction to occupational therapy, nationally and internationally, and to present and discuss ethical and philosophical issues concerning the science of health. Further to introduce a scientific attitude to the compilation of and processing of data.

Knowledge: The student will
-Render the tasks and function of health care as well as the challenges and the development of the welfare state.
-Explain the structure and composition of written papers in higher education.
-Reproduce basic knowledge about ethics and communication relevant in connection with patients and next-of-kin who have varied backgrounds, traditions and culture.

Skills: The student will
-Make use of the programmes pedagogical methods, and learn to use appropriate learning strategies.
-Reflect on ones own and the occupational therapist code of ethics when approaching patients/users/clients.
-Become familiar with and use different methods for compiling and processing data, through use of library and searching for literature in databases.

General competence: The student will
-Know the history of occupational therapy and describe the occupational function of occupational therapists and their areas of responsibility globally and nationally.
-Understand the role played by occupational therapists in interdisciplinary cooperation.
-Recognise and value the values and principles of the professional code of ethics and comply with the duties that follow the pledge of secrecy.

The course uses student active methods like PBL, peer evaluations, lectures, seminars, writing papers and self-study. During this course students take a weeks observation practice, where they experience different sides of occupational therapeutic activities.

Approved obligatory attendance in the course. Details are described in the curriculum and in the schedules.
Approved mandatory basic unit guidance and basic unit work.