Practical assessments with on-campus clinic

Thursday, 12 September 2019

Our Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance students had the opportunity recently to put their new skills to practice with a practical assessment clinic. Their teacher put a call out across campus for staff to volunteer to support the students in this practical assessment by becoming a ‘client’ for the session.

The assessment was a practice rehab clinic that was set up in the teaching labs in our Community Services and Health building, which is equipped with a range of professional tools such as exercise steps, leg braces, walking frames, crutches and more; all real equipment and aids that an Allied Health Assistant would use in a real rehab clinic.

There were twenty-seven staff member volunteers who gave up 15 minutes of their time to assist the students with this assessment. All they had to do was be themselves, and be willing for one of the AHA students to implement a short Allied Health Assistance routine as determined by an Allied Health Professional.

Students and clients were given a scenario to take part in, and students were required to demonstrate professional communication as well as ensure the safety of their 'clients' during the implementation of the program.

Teacher of Allied Health Assistance at Wodonga TAFE, Tilly Waite, detailed the assessment.

“In the rehabilitation clinic on campus, our students were working on their focus on the clients whilst there were distractions around them, which would be what they would experience in normal practice.”

“As part of the rehabilitation clinic here, students had to reflect on what they needed to do with the clients, then introduce themselves and take the client through the required activities and repetitions, and then they had to complete progress notes on each client. The students then completed a reflection task on how they think they went themselves in their role as an allied health assistant.”

Routines given as possible scenarios during the clinic included the following:

- The student implementing three to four balance screening tests

- The student implementing two to three general flexibility tests for (older) adults

- The student implementing three to four stations of a general rehabilitation circuit

- The student implementing some general leg exercises in either supine, sit or stand

- The student measuring you up for a Zimmer-Knee splint or an ankle/foot/lower leg boot as well as crutches and teach you how to ambulate with the crutches - on the flat and stairs.

- The student explaining an educational brochure to you relating to post-operative instructions following a total hip operation.

And if you think you would like your own start in allied health assistance, then completing a qualification to become an Allied Health Assistant is the first step. Along with your qualification you will gain the skills and knowledge you need to become part of a healthcare team and help others maintain their health. If you are interested in healthy living, and like to help people, then working in the allied health industry may be for you. You will gain the skills you need to support allied health care professionals such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists as part of a healthcare team caring for patients and helping them maintain their independence.

The Certificate III and IV in Allied Health Assistance qualifications are on the FREE TAFE list for 2020! So now is the time to apply and secure your place in one of these courses.

Contact our friendly Customer Engagement team for more information on 1300 698 233, or visit our website https://www.wodongatafe.edu.au/Courses/Health-Community/Allied-Health-Assistance