(Col 1) remote units

This unit provides health leaders with an introduction to financial management in health and aged care settings as a basis for understanding the impact of leadership decision-making on financial outcomes and how financial decision-making impacts on clinical service delivery. Content includes an overview of health economics and economic evaluation, health care funding models, the principles, practices and tools for financial planning and management, basic accounting principles and financial terminology and using financial information and reporting for negotiating financial plans, tracking and evaluating financial performance and using financial information in decision-making within the clinical environment.

Planning occurs at all levels within all health organisations, government, non-government and in the private sector. There is a hierarchy in planning health services with some global overarching policy documents, national agreed priorities which affect corporate and regional plans as well as local services and projects. Planning focuses on future directions for health, is value based and resource allocation driven. The process of health planning will be outlined including how to conduct a needs analysis, develop an evidence based approach, consult with stakeholders including the community, document an implementation plan and evaluate outcomes.

This is a flexible learning unit looking at Human Resource Management as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health, welfare and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Most professions in the health sciences need to read and interpret statistics relating to individual health status, interpret health risks in communities, and engage in the evaluation of interventions, or impact of health policies or programs. Many public health practitioners are actively involved in surveillance, quantitative research and/or evaluation. This unit provides students with the fundamental skills they need to analyse and interpret results from quantitative data collections. Content includes descriptive statistics, undertaking comparisons between groups, quantifying associations between variables, and statistical power. The unit is highly applied with the main focus being on interpretation and appraisal of statistical results and conducting analyses using statistical software.

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease and other health-related conditions in populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems. Epidemiology encompasses a broad range of activities fundamental to the health sciences. The course is aimed to equip students with the ability to understand and critically appraise evidence from the health sciences used in the formulation of clinical interventions, assessments of population disease burden, and development of health policy. Students will be taught the fundamental concepts and principles of epidemiology and will be given the opportunities through exercises and tutorials to apply these concepts and principles to case studies from current epidemiological research and practice.

This unit will provide an understanding of the key elements of the National Health Reform in Australia. There will be a strong focus on the management of delivering public hospital services under the evolving reform. The unit will cover the establishment of service level agreements, outlining the purchaser – provider model and exploring its impacts and deliverables. The unit will also explore how performance should be monitored and reported. Finally, it will examine the clinical and business governance models that facilitate implementation of such major reforms. Links between quality and performance will also be explored.

This unit examines the nature of public health and develops a systemic understanding of various public health policy frameworks and issues. The unit provides the context and history for understanding public health approaches, explores the cultural and social dimensions of health and illness and the economic and political environment in which health policies and strategies are developed and implemented. The unit advocates a view of health that includes an implicit recognition of the physical, social and economic environment, affirms the importance of social justice and equity in health care, and emphasises the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration.

Evidence is mounting that the health of individuals, groups and whole populations is significantly determined by social factors – the social determinants. The related research has its origins in concern for the growing inequalities in health both within and between countries. This unit examines the framework of the social determinants of health in a global perspective and includes a reflection on the phenomenon of globalisation and its impact, both positive and negative on people’s health. Students will critically reflect on this relatively new and emerging body of knowledge and research which clearly situates the maintenance of health and healthy societies within their socioeconomic and socio-cultural contexts. They will also examine implications for policy, health systems and different groups within society.

This unit extends the basic principles of epidemiology introduced in 401076 ‘Introduction to Epidemiology’ and equips students with practical analytical skills to design and conduct epidemiological studies. The unit considers the principle models of causation and analytical approaches to epidemiological study design and analysis. Students will use causal diagrams and evidence from the literature to develop analytic strategies for specific study designs, develop practical skills in calculating and interpreting measures of association and effect modification, and be introduced to principles and strategies for quantitative bias analysis.

The concept, form and structure of health care organisations are explored. Organisational theory is used to analyse contemporary health care structures. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena considered through the application of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership is examined with emphasis on change management.

This unit will encompass clinical aspects, epidemiology, prevention and control of important communicable diseases, both in Australia, and globally. Specific topics covered include causative agents, routes of transmission, host responses, risk factors, environmental influences, vector- and food-borne diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, legislative requirements, surveillance, outbreak investigations, bioterrorism, strategies for prevention and control and emerging challenges.

This unit offers students an opportunity to synthesise theories and methodologies from epidemiology. It highlights current controversies and practices in epidemiology. Students attend weekly presentations on topics related to content area interests, and other relevant seminars. Students will convene with faculty to reflect on and critique components of research presentations relevant to the students’ interest and to the contemporaneous topics being covered in the core epidemiology curriculum. Course assignments involve critical appraisal of conceptual and methodological issues presented in the seminars, and related issues relevant to student’s own research.

Modern epidemiology deals with ever increasing volumes of data and complexity of analysis. This course is aimed at equipping students with effective practices for managing data and programme code and ensuring the security of their data. Students will be taught the fundamentals of managing code and data in a revision control system as well as good programming practices and techniques which can form a basis for a robust, repeatable and test-driven research methodology. Programming instruction and exercises will use the SAS and R languages, and SQL databases.

Environmental Epidemiology is the study of the environmental causes of ill-health and disease with a view to prevention. It is a discipline that has changed significantly over time, more recently becoming concerned with complex systemic change such as global warming. Environmental Epidemiology encompasses a broad range of activities, from exposure assessment to adaptation planning, implementation and evaluation. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand and critically appraise evidence from the relevant literature, to design a study suitable for exposure and vulnerability assessment, and to develop appropriate health policy.

This unit will document the fundamental concepts in epidemiology and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), common research methods used in NCD epidemiology, and unique applications of these methods in key NCD areas, including reproductive epidemiology, behavioural epidemiology, epidemiology of ageing and epidemiology of specific NCDs (including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal problems and mental health problems). The principal goals of this unit are to provide a broad overview of the field, and to develop the knowledge and skills needed to (i) critically evaluate published research in NCD epidemiology and (ii) design an epidemiological study to address an NCD topic.

This unit examines health and socio political issues in aged care within a social capital framework. Social constructs and contexts of ageing are explored and issues of social and economic disadvantage are examined. Equity and access to health care services and the experiences of older people within these services are also highlighted. The role of health professionals and managers in actively engaging in health and social policy debate for ethically just care and services for older people is addressed.

The unit explores contemporary examples of the role of economics in the organisation, funding and provision of health services. Case examples include, Australia, America, China, Hong Kong, Scandinavia, United Kingdom and India. Students use the principles of economics to assess funding of health with a focus on the interface between economics, ethics and equity in decision making. They also consider the tendency for health systems to be organised around economic principles in areas such as, contracting out, health insurance and pharmaceuticals. Students are encouraged to reflect on the challenges and future directions of their own health system in the context of the unit components.

This unit aims to impart the principles of population based (epidemiologic) evidence to the understanding of variations in the outcome of illness and the reasons thereof (Clinical Epidemiology) thereby providing the framework for finding the best answers to "real world" questions about clinical practice and health care. Individuals taking this course (who usually have a health care background) acquire the basic skills required to understand the fundamental questions about the effectiveness of clinical therapies, usefulness of screening and diagnostic tools, prognosis and disease causation and gain the skills required of effective EBM practitioners.

This unit examines the concept, form and structure of health care organisations. Organisational theory is explored and used to analyse a range of structures used in nursing and contemporary health care. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are explored and discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus in the unit is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena are considered through the application of a range of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership will be examined within the context of the unit with a particular emphasis on change management.

Increasingly clinical leaders, practitioners and health service managers are being held accountable for improving the quality and safety of patient care and for developing a culture of quality improvement within their teams. In this unit students learn about quality, patient safety and governance frameworks and strategies that they can employ within healthcare to improve system performance, patient safety and patient outcomes. The main approaches used to address quality of care and patient safety are examined and their applications critiqued. Students will explore leadership issues for developing systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that can be applied within their own sphere of practice.

This unit focuses on the practice of occupational health within national and international frameworks. It explores issues such as the physical, social and mental impact of the occupational environment on health and includes the human body's response to occupational health hazard exposure through toxicological and epidemiological principles. Strategies for the management of occupational health are examined, together with methods of monitoring and evaluating occupational health programs.

This unit enables students to gain an understanding of the political and social constructions that underpin health care services such as social determinants of health. It also provides students with the opportunity to explore and critically analyse issues related to the development, implementation and outcomes of health and aged care policies.

This unit prepares students to conduct qualitative research. The unit covers ontologies, epistemologies, methodologies, and research methods, particularly those that involve the collection, management and analysis of qualitative data, and how findings are communicated. It also addresses the ethics of research.

This unit provides a critical insight into the theory and practice of managing safety and health at the workplace with a dual focus on risk management and safety management. Students have the opportunity to develop a safety systems approach concentrating on hazard identification, risk assessment and devising control measures incorporating safety management principles. Safety culture and its influence on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) practice is also detailed. In addition, the unit addresses the legal underpinning of OHS requirements at the workplace. Labour market change and the role of government, unions and employer organisations are also examined. Global perspectives on OHS from various jurisdictions ranging from the USA, Hong Kong and China are also scrutinised.

Statistical ideas are integral to the conceptual basis of epidemiology and provide the tools needed to interpret epidemiological information and conduct epidemiological studies. Most professions in the health sciences need to be able to read and interpret statistics relating to individual and population health status and health risks, and to identify appropriate statistical methods to evaluate interventions, health policies and programs. Many public health practitioners are actively involved in surveillance, quantitative research and/or evaluation. This unit aims to support students to reach a level of proficiency in the selection of appropriate statistical methods to address specific research questions with a given dataset, conduct the selected analysis, interpret the results appropriately and draw valid and insightful conclusions about the research question.

As the world responds to climate change and increased globalisation, the human population is becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural and human disasters. This unit equips students with skills in disaster preparedness and public health surveillance. It addresses the psychosocial and mental health aspects of disaster management, the systems of disaster response and how these aspects are relevant across the all-hazard approach to Prevention, Preparation, Response and Recovery (PPRR). Using current evidence and understanding of this field, students will gain knowledge, skills and experience in leadership and management across the PPRR spectrum and the public health, clinical and other coordination in terms of impact and outcome. Australian requirements and systems in relation to surveillance and disaster planning will be analysed as will international and Australian roles in the region.

By investigating and addressing the multilevel determinants of health outcomes and inequalities, health promotion initiatives aim to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and societies. In this unit, we will nurture an understanding of concepts and models of health promotion, evaluate the relative successes of recent and classic initiatives within Australia and overseas, and critically engage with debates concerned with the most appropriate strategies for tackling health inequalities in the context of major societal challenges (e.g. population ageing, urbanisation and climate change). Core competencies are nurtured (e.g. Plan and evaluate an intervention) to prepare students for practicing and further study in the field of health promotion.

This unit is designed to allow high achieving students to comprehensively explore a relevant topic of interest to them, either through a minor supervised research project or industry-based project. This unit’s flexible delivery offers a unique experience specific to each project and student. Students in this unit will develop extensive skills through project-based learning essential for employment and/or higher degree studies.

In this unit postgraduate students develop a proposal for a research study in an area of interest, drawing upon their knowledge and experiences from other units in their program of study. Students learn how to apply research methods to a variety of research situations and questions; to understand how research questions are developed and answered empirically through suitable choice of research methodology, design and method; and how research findings are validated and communicated.

This unit requires students to complete a substantial piece of independent research, including research planning, study design, data collection and analysis, and interpretation. Research projects are developed in consultation with staff who possess similar research interests and relevant research experience. Results and conclusions are expected to be of a publishable standard, and students may wish to submit their work for examination in a form suitable for publication in the peer-reviewed literature (with supplementary material as appropriate). Students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops where they will practice defining a clear research question, preparing a formal research proposal, conducting a review of a body of scientific literature and formal writing at a professional standard. Students will also learn about ethical standards when conducting research.

This unit requires students to complete a substantial piece of independent research. Dissertations will involve the in-depth examination of a particular topic/question, and should demonstrate evidence of ability to undertake sustained critical analysis. The dissertation provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they can consolidate knowledge acquired throughout their course of study, understand how existing evidence/information relates to research topics, and how their own work adds to this body of knowledge. Independent thinking is required, including the ability to critique one’s own work and that of others, as well as articulating the implications of their own research and support their findings through their written dissertation. Students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops where they will gain skills in defining a clear research question, preparing a formal research proposal, conducting a literature review, ethics and research, and formal writing at a professional standard. Findings of student work with be presented at an end of semester research seminar. This unit can also be taken over two semesters (see 401282 Dissertation (Part-Time)).

This unit requires students to complete a substantial piece of independent research. Dissertations will involve the in-depth examination of a particular topic/question, and should demonstrate evidence of ability to undertake sustained critical analysis. The dissertation provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they can consolidate knowledge acquired throughout their course of study and understand how existing evidence/information relates to research topics, and how their own work adds to this body of knowledge. Independent thinking is required, including the ability to critique one’s own work and that of others, as well as articulating the implications of their own research and support their findings through their written dissertation. Students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops where they will gain skills in defining a clear research question, preparing a formal research proposal, conducting a literature review, ethics and research, and formal writing at a professional standard. Findings of student work with be presented at an end of semester research seminar. This unit can also be taken over one semester (see 401079 Dissertation (Full Time)).