HLTH 499: Professional Practice in Health Sciences



HLTH 499: Professional Practice in Health Sciences

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 24502

Professor: Beverly S. Mahoney, PhD, RN, CHES

122 Schilling

Dept. of Health Sciences and Kinesiology (434) 582-7447

Liberty University (434) 582-2330 (Main office)

1971 University Boulevard bmahoney@liberty.edu

Lynchburg, VA 24502

Course Description: This course provides practical work experiences in an approved health agency or organization, supervised by a qualified health specialist.

Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor, cumulative GPA of 2.35 and CPR/ First Aid Certification.

Rationale: The purpose of the course is to provide students with a real world experience for the application of adult health education knowledge and skills learned in the Health Sciences Major. EACH credit hour represents a total of 60 work hours. Therefore, 180 total contact hours [i.e. 3 credit hours] are required of every health promotion, CHES track student prior to graduation. Students may take this course in credit hour increments from 1-12 hours with a maximum of 6 credit hours in any one semester.

Materials/Resources: None specified

Course Objectives/Requirements: Students have the opportunity to select the timing, location, and type of professional internship. Once prerequisite courses are completed, students may schedule the internship. The earliest it is usually done is the summer before the senior year, but it can also be done during either of the last two semesters. The internship experience should represent a career interest of the student. For these reasons, the department allows students to pursue their own connections for internship selection in cooperation with the University Internship Office, subject to the Instructor’s final approval. The student work plan for completion of the course is as follows:

a. The student identifies the internship site of interest and files ALL appropriate forms, adhering to deadline dates, as stipulated by the Liberty University Internship Office (housed within CASAS);

b. As part of the above process, the student meets with the instructor [prior to final signing of all CASAS documents] to receive approval of the site, his or her internship activities, AND the site supervisor;

c. Students file weekly reports to the instructor documenting their work, via Blackboard.

d. Students engage in dialogue about their internship experience via the Blackboard (each student is required to enter at least two observations.

e. The site Supervisor provides the instructor with his or her evaluation of the student’s performance, including a recommended grade. This report MUST be received prior to the issuance of a grade.

f. The student prepares a five to ten page paper summarizing the following:

SECTION 1

1. The major skills you have learned and practiced during your internship

2. An outline of the opportunities you have had to practice the 7 areas of responsibility for health educators (see documentation at end of this syllabus).

3. Any recommendations you would make for future internship experiences.

SECTION 2

4. A review of how your experience at Liberty University has contributed to your Christian growth overall. What experiences at Liberty have guided your Christian walk?

5. How do you envision that the values, knowledge, and skills you have developed for your Health Promotion career will impact tomorrow’s world for Christ and for health in all dimensions?

This paper is due no later than May 1 for spring semester interns, August 1 for summer session interns, and December 1 for fall semester interns. Winter-session students see Dr. Mahoney for due date.

Grading Policies: The student’s final grade will be a combination of the Site Supervisor’s recommendation [60%] and Instructor’s assessment [40%].

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend every scheduled work day during their internship. The site Supervisor is expected to comment on attendance in the grade recommendation report.

Disability Policy: Students with a documented disability may contact the Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) in TE 127 for arrangements for academic accommodations.

Instructions for submitting weekly reports: Weekly reports should be submitted to Dr. Mahoney via the Blackboard. Under Course Content there is a section for reports.

Revised 03/18/2008 B Mahoney

National Commission for

Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

The Seven Areas of Responsibility are a comprehensive set of Competencies and Sub-competencies defining the role of an entry-level health educator. These Responsibilities were verified through the Competencies Update Project (CUP), conducted from 1998 to 2004, and serve as the basis of the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam.

© Copyright 2006 NCHEC

Area I: Assess Individual and Community Needs for Health Education

Competency A: Access existing health-related data

Competency B: Collect health-related data

Competency C: Distinguish between behaviors that foster and hinder well-being

Sub-competencies:

Competency D: Determine factors that influence learning

Competency E: Identify factors that foster or hinder the process of health education

Competency F: Infer needs for health education from obtained data

Area II: Plan Health Education Strategies, Interventions, and Programs

Competency A: Involve people and organizations in program planning

Competency B: Incorporate data analysis and principles of community organization

Competency C: Formulate appropriate and measurable program objectives

Competency D: Develop a logical scope and sequence plan for health education practice

Competency E: Design strategies, interventions, and programs consistent with specified objectives

Competency F: Select appropriate strategies to meet objectives

Competency G: Assess factors that affect implementation

Area III: Implement Health Education Strategies, Interventions, and Programs

Competency A: Initiate a plan of action

Competency B: Demonstrate a variety of skills in delivering strategies, interventions, and programs

Competency C: Use a variety of methods to implement strategies, interventions, and programs

Competency D: Conduct training programs

Area IV: Conduct Evaluation and Research Related to Health Education

Competency A: Develop plans for evaluation and research

Competency B: Review research and evaluation procedures

Competency C: Design data collection instruments

Competency D: Carry out evaluation and research plans

Competency E: Interpret results from evaluation and research

Competency F: Infer implications from findings for future health-related activities

Area V: Administer Health Education Strategies, Interventions, and Programs

Competency A: Exercise organizational leadership

Competency B: Secure fiscal resources

Competency C: Manage human resources

Competency D: Obtain acceptance and support for programs

Area VI: Serve as a Health Education Resource Person

Competency A: Use health-related information resources

Competency B: Respond to requests for health information

Competency C: Select resource materials for dissemination

Competency D: Establish consultative relationships

Area VII: Communicate and Advocate for Health and Health Education

Competency A: Analyze and respond to current and future needs in health education

Competency B: Apply a variety of communication methods and techniques

Competency C: Promote the health education profession individually and collectively

Competency D: Influence health policy to promote health

© Copyright 2006 NCHEC

Students should refer to the entire document as some competencies listed above are only applicable at the advanced level.

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