Overview
Clinical Practice 3 builds on the prerequisite unit Clinical Practice 2 to provide you with advanced practice skills required for the professional competencies in clinical psychology specified by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and to prepare you for the Registrar Program to gain an Area of Practice Endorsement in Clinical Psychology with the Psychology Board of Australia. This includes the culturally-sensitive, evidence-based practice of clinical psychology, both autonomously and as a member of a multidisciplinary team. During your clinical practicum in a community-based setting, you will continue to develop your knowledge and skills to formulate and share case conceptualisations and intervention plans.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: PSYC21008.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Unit Comments Report, T1 2023
Clarify and streamline administrative responsibilities.
Collaborate with Clinical Psychology Placement Coordinator and HMAS WIL team to clarify and streamline administrative processes.
Feedback from Informal feedback
Students appreciated the weekly class session structure of discussion topic content, case presentation and group supervision.
Continue with the current class structure of learning activities with discussion topics, case presentations and group supervision of placements.
- Perform clinical psychology assessment, intervention and associated activities in a community-based clinical setting
- Apply ethical decision making in clinical psychological practice
- Communicate effectively and professionally with clients, specialist and nonspecialist audiences
- Critically reflect on knowledge, skills, and ability to provide psychological services in a community-based setting.
This unit forms part of the Master of Clinical Psychology course accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). These Learning Outcomes link with the Master of Clinical Psychology course Learning Outcomes: 1 ( Apply culturally-sensitive advanced knowledge of psychological theories of the aetiology, presentation, and progression of psychological disorders across the lifespan and relevant international taxonomies of classification of psychological disorders), 2 (Apply advanced knowledge of psychological developmental and biopsychosocial models of health), 3 (Conduct culturally responsive assessment of psychological disorders), and 4 (Implement culturally-responsive, evidence-based, clinical psychology interventions). These Learning Outcomes are based on the 2019 APAC accreditation guidelines for competencies in Clinical Psychology.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||
2 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 0% | ||||
3 - Presentation - 0% | ||||
4 - Case Study - 0% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||
2 - Communication | ||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
4 - Research | ||||
5 - Self-management | ||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
7 - Leadership | ||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Textbooks
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR)
Edition: 5-TR (2022)
Authors: APA
APA
ISBN: 978-0-89042-576-3
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.m.attwood@cqu.edu.au
h.g.madell@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Clinical Practice 3 Unit and format of lectures
Expectations and assessments
Presentation of a case study (Helen Madell)
Placement discussions and supervision
Chapter
Readings on Moodle:
1. Contracting for group supervision (Smith et al., 2014)
2. Reflective Article
3. Case Study
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 8th March 5.00 p.m. AEST
Signed Professional Practice Placement Agreement Due: Upload your Placement Agreement Form signed by yourself, your primary supervisor and the placement coordinator to Moodle by Friday 8th March 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: National Practice Standards for the mental health workforce (incl. clinical responsibilities with clients under orders)
1hr: Student case study presentation
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Readings on Moodle:
1. AHPRA web site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 15th March 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: Mental Health Act & Treatment Orders
1hr: Student case study presentation
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Readings on Moodle
1. Mental Health Act - Plain Language Guide
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 22nd March 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: Ethical considerations in practice
1hr: Student case study presentation
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Readings and links on Moodle:
1. APS Ethical Decision Making Model
2. APS code of ethics
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 29th March 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Two student case study presentations
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 5th April 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
There are no scheduled activities for this week
Chapter
None
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Two student case study presentations
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 19th April 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
There are no classes this week
Chapter
None
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 26th April 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Two student case study presentations
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 3rd May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Two student case study presentations
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 10th May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Two student case study presentations
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 17th May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1-2hrs: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group. Possibility of a guest lecturer
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 24th May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Case Report Due: Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Session Structure:
1hr: Topic Discussion: To be decided by the group
1hr: Group supervision sharing and discussing experiences on external WIL placement
1hr: Wrap up of the unit and general placement reflections
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for any additional readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflective Journal Due: Submit your reflective journal to Moodle by Friday 31st May 5.00 p.m. AEST
End of Placement Review Documentation Due: Once your end placement review is completed, upload the End-Placement review form to Moodle with three signatures (yours, primary supervisor and placement coordinator). End Placement Review form due Friday 31st May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Weekly Practice Logs and Supervision Forms Due: Submit your signed weekly logs and supervision forms to Moodle by Friday 31st May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Case Presentation Due: Friday 31st May 5.00 p.m. AEST
Professional Practice Placement Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Reflective Practice Assignment Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Case Presentation Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
1 Professional Practice Placement
This assessment item consists of all placement-related documents. All documents must be fully signed by the supervisor that provided supervision as indicated on the respective forms.
- Placement Agreement
- Mid and End-placement Review. The End of Placement Review form must indicate that you have achieved 'Level 3 Competencies' to pass the placement
- Weekly Practice Logs
- Weekly Supervision Forms
1. Placement.
Professional Practice Placement is assessed through appraisal of practice competencies during clinical placements, and competencies must be reached as evidenced by mid-term and end-of-term placement review documents. These documents must be reviewed, approved and signed by on-site supervisors, the placement co-coordinator and the University supervisors. By the end of this unit, you will demonstrate Level 3 competence in nine core competencies that represent critical capabilities and attributes for effective psychological practice. Competencies 1 - 8 are specified by AHPRA and Competency 9 is a requirement of the Master of Clinical Psychology Course. Level 3 competence represents the competency expected to be reached before a supervisee can progress to their next external placement for Clinical Practice 4. Both your Clinical Psychologist/Board-Approved Supervisor (Primary Supervisor) and the Placement Coordinator must sign off on your competencies at Level 3 to pass. Your Placement Agreement, Mid-Placement Review, and End-of-Placement Review must be signed by yourself, your Primary Supervisor, and the Placement Coordinator and uploaded to Moodle. If you have not met all required competencies (including all nine core competencies and the APAC assessment requirements) by your End-of-Placement Review you may be provided with a further opportunity to meet these competencies with a Support Plan. However, this is up to the discretion of the Unit Coordinator in consultation with the Head of Course. It can be useful to discuss competencies with your Primary Supervisor before your Mid-Placement and End-of-Placement Reviews, to identify any areas where you are not demonstrating the expected level of competency and develop a Support Plan to address areas where you are 'not on track' before your End-of-Placement Review. To pass the unit and progress to Clinical Practice 4, all Level 3 competencies must be met.
2. Weekly Practice Logs and Supervision Forms.
You must submit your signed practice hours (Weekly Logs) signed weekly by your Primary Supervisor at the end of Clinical Practice 3 in chronological order. The Weekly Log must include the following; detailed total number of direct client activity hours, individual supervision hours, group supervision hours, and associated placement/practice activities. You are also required to complete supervision forms from individual and group supervision. All supervision entries in your Weekly Logs must have a corresponding supervision form signed by yourself and the supervisor who provided the supervision. Supervision forms must also be signed by your Primary Supervisor/supervisor that provided supervision and uploaded to Moodle in chronological order at the end of Clinical Practice 3.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Submit all forms on Moodle to the appropriate dropbox on the relevant due dates.
Exam Week Friday (14 June 2024)
Grades will be available on Moodle
The criteria are set out on the Placement Review forms and cover the core competency areas which define the critical capabilities and attributes deemed necessary to ensure that graduates are equipped to practice psychology safely and effectively subsequent to graduation. It is expected that across the entire Master of Clinical Psychology course students will demonstrate incremental development across these competency areas. It is therefore expected that there will be evidence of the development of competencies by the end of the Clinical Practice 3 placement, and that students will be rated at a 'Level 3' and achieved the level 3 competencies on the End of Placement Review form.
To pass this assessment task, all documents must be submitted.
1. Competencies for End of Placement Review (Pass/Fail)
1. Knowledge of the Discipline
2. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Matters
3. Psychological Assessment and Measurement
4. Intervention Strategies
5. Research and Evaluation
6. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
7. Working with People from Diverse Groups
8. Practice Across the Lifespan
9. Response to Supervision
2. Weekly Practice Logs and Supervision Forms (Pass/Fail)
Weekly Practice Logs must be signed weekly by your Primary Supervisor and uploaded to Moodle in chronological order at the end of Clinical Practice 3. Weekly Practice Logs should detail your total number of direct client activity hours, individual supervision hours, group supervision hours, and associated placement activities. Entries related to direct client activity hours must include the client's initials, age, gender, and description of the service provided in sufficient detail.
You are also required to submit all of your signed supervision forms from individual and group supervision, in chronological order to Moodle at the end of Clinical Practice 3. All supervision entries in your Weekly Practice Logs must have a corresponding supervision form signed by yourself and the supervisor who provided the supervision.
- Perform clinical psychology assessment, intervention and associated activities in a community-based clinical setting
2 Reflective Practice Assignment
Reflective journals are to be uploaded weekly. Reflections need to be no more than one page on average and should reflect personal and clinical learning from the lecture and/or from discussions of your clinical placements during Clinical Practice 3. Reflective journals should demonstrate the nexus of learning between placement activities, Clinical Practice lectures and professional reading. The journal should be utilised to reflect at a non-superficial level, the experiences and conversations during class that have stimulated your thinking and self reflection about your practice and development as a psychologist. Reflections should consider perspectives from the view of a clinical practitioner, scientific practitioner and or active practitioner level.
Each journal is to be submitted weekly to Moodle by 5.00 p.m. Fridays, to reflect on the week.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
All reflective diaries will be submitted to Moodle weekly with the final submission Friday 31st May at 5.00 p.m. AEST.
Exam Week Friday (14 June 2024)
Feedback and grades will be available on Moodle. Where possible, this will happen weekly. Students should look in Moodle each week for feedback.
Each journal submission must demonstrate self-reflection on your practice as a psychologist, including your reflections on what you are learning about your own practice through the placement experience, your emerging strengths, and areas for development. Journal submissions should include some self-reflection on both the tasks and process of working with clients and other stakeholders. If any journal submission is lacking in self-reflection on your practice, you may be required to resubmit to demonstrate self-reflection before the journal submission is passed.
- Apply ethical decision making in clinical psychological practice
- Critically reflect on knowledge, skills, and ability to provide psychological services in a community-based setting.
3 Presentation
This is a case presentation done in class during Group Supervision time. You will have a total of 20 minutes for your presentation, which should be around 10 minutes of you presenting your case study, followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion time. The case can be any client you have seen in your external placement. The presentation should include relevant referral information, details of presenting concerns, your domains of functioning assessment, completing a formulation with the group and discussing differential diagnosis (where relevant), presenting your initial formulation (written prior to the group formulation activity), and your plan for assessment or intervention.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Presentations will commence from week 2. You should upload your presentation to Moodle before class.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024)
Feedback will be given weekly after the presentation. Grades will be available on Moodle.
The Case Presentation is (Pass/Fail). Your case presentation will be assessed according to the following criteria, and each criteria needs to be passed to pass this assessment
- Relevant referral information (including client initials or pseudonym, gender, age, referral source, and the reason for referral)
- Completed Domains of Functioning Assessment (with sufficient information to complete a case formulation)
- Case formulation (completed with the group and facilitated by the student) / differential diagnosis (where relevant)
- Summary of assessment or intervention to date clearly linked to the case formulation
- Clarity and quality of presentation
- Questions and discussion
- Communicate effectively and professionally with clients, specialist and nonspecialist audiences
4 Case Study
This case report is the third of a series of four case studies you will write over the entire Master of Clinical Psychology course. This case report covers a core skill of a clinical psychologist: to write professional assessment reports. You will write a report on one of the clients you have seen during your external placement. The report should be deidentified by removing names, date of birth (but retain year/age) and any other identifying information such as place of work. The case report should be no more than 2000 words.
The report must be accompanied by the cover page template and follow the described format. The report will include a Comprehensive Needs Assessment, Opinions, Intervention Plan/Recommendations, Evaluation and Reflection sections, and be presented using appropriate Formatting and Referencing as described in the Assessment Criteria. The placement supervisor needs to sign off on the report (i.e. they acknowledge that the report has been de-identified, the case sufficiently meets the privacy requirements of the agency and that the case study does not include any inappropriate materials) to show that they have approved the use of the de-identified information provided in the case study.
Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Submit the de-identified Case Report to Moodle.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024)
Grades will be available on Moodle.
The report is a deidentified copy of a report that you have written in your external placement. As such, it will have been reviewed and signed by your Supervisor. Therefore, the report must be of a sufficiently high standard that your supervisor has signed it for it to be given to a client.
Whilst this assessment is Pass/Fail, to pass this assessment, the student must demonstrate that the report is of a high professional standard using the below format, passing each criteria.
1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment
- A clear reason for referral is provided
- Domains of Focus are described, based on Domains of Functioning
- Relevant assessments are selected (including a brief rationale) and clearly described
- Assessments results reported appropriately under the relevant Domain of Focus
- Risk Assessment and management of risk factors are clearly documented
- Relevant behavioural observations including current mental state are described
- The summary of strengths and limitations reflects the findings of the Comprehensive Needs Assessment
2. Opinions
A brief formulation based on 5P’s
- Formal diagnosis is clearly described using standard diagnostic/classification systems
- Diagnosis is logically discussed, well-justified, and integrated with the formulation
- Discussion about whether symptoms meet all diagnostic criteria using examples from the client's presentation
- Differential diagnoses are clearly described and include reasons for inclusion or exclusion
3. Intervention Plan / Recommendations
- A brief outline of the intervention plan with treatment goals or recommendations clearly aligned with opinions described in the previous section. This includes adjustments made for culturally appropriate practices
- Provides specific intervention strategies that will be used for achieving these goals/recommendations and plans for managing risk factors if these are indicated
- The intervention plan is realistic given the experience of the psychologist, the complexity of the issues, and the number of sessions available for treatment
4. Evaluation and Reflection
- A clear description of how you would evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, using person-centred and evidence-based measures of change
- A brief reflection on intervention including lessons learned and how practice might be modified in light of the experience
5. Formatting and Referencing
- Report and reference list in correct APA format, including references to tests used
- Appropriate and clear language has been used throughout without jargon or colloquialisms, and grammar and spelling are correct
- The report is within 10% of the word limit (2000 words)
- The report has been signed off by a supervisor from the placement
- A supervisor has signed the cover sheet to indicate that the report has been sufficiently deidentified to submit
- Apply ethical decision making in clinical psychological practice
- Communicate effectively and professionally with clients, specialist and nonspecialist audiences
- Critically reflect on knowledge, skills, and ability to provide psychological services in a community-based setting.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.