Handbook

Collaborative partnerships. Charles Sturt University occupational therapy graduates will be confident in understanding their role as professionals. They will have a strong sense of their professional identity that will enable them to work effectively, both independently and as part of an interprofessional team. They will be competent practitioners who demonstrate the knowledge, capabilities, practices, attitudes, ethics and dispositions of the occupational therapy profession. Graduates will be able to work as occupation-focused therapists within diverse contexts, in a range of positions with different individuals, groups, communities and populations. They will use their understanding of diversity and the common good to work constructively, respectfully and effectively with local and global communities and workplaces. They will ethically, legally, safely and critically use technology to select, create and share information and participate in online learning, professional and social communities. • To develop occupational therapy graduates who are able to form partnerships and work collaboratively • To develop graduates who are confident in their professional identity and competent in their occupational therapy practice • To develop graduates who are able to work as occupation-focused therapists within diverse contexts in a range of positions, partnering with different individuals, groups, communities and populations • To develop graduates who participate actively in interprofessional learning and who work confidently in an interprofessional manner • To develop occupational therapy graduates who are confident to work in a changing environment • To develop graduates who maintain an occupation focus in their practice • To develop graduates who have effective communication and digital literacy skills

Professional practitioner. Charles Sturt University occupational therapy graduates will be reflective and reflexive professionals, with a self-awareness of their strengths, limitations and capability. They will be critical thinkers who question practice and exhibit ethical decision making and reasoning to identify creative solutions when working on the occupational performance of individuals, groups, communities and populations. Graduates will have a commitment to evidence based practice and lifelong learning, will critically appraise their personal and professional capabilities, and continue the habits of self-directed learning. They will demonstrate capability as inquirers to locate, evaluate, manage and use information and research to develop and guide their own, and contribute to, occupational therapy knowledge, learning, and practice. • To develop occupational therapy graduates who are reflective and reflexive practitioners • To develop graduates who are proud to be an occupational therapist, are critical thinkers and challenge accepted practice • To develop graduates who are self-aware of their strengths, limitations and capacity, able to identify a need for change and able to change their behaviour • To develop graduates who exhibit ethical decision making and reasoning • To develop occupational therapy graduates who have a commitment to continue learning • To develop graduates who have the habits required for self-directed learning • To develop graduates who have a commitment to evidence based practice • To develop graduates who maintain contemporary occupational therapy practice by means of continuing professional development, literature review and research

Self-valuing practitioner. Charles Sturt University occupational therapy graduates will demonstrate resilience and self-care. They will critically reflect on, discuss and challenge the values intrinsic to their occupational therapy practice. They will demonstrate pride in their profession and will practice in ways that show a commitment to social and occupational justice. They will actively engage in the processes of reconciliation based on an understanding of the culture, experiences, histories and contemporary issues of Indigenous Australian communities. • To develop occupational therapy graduates who value themselves and the people they work with • To develop graduates who demonstrate resilience and self-care • To develop graduates who are proud to be an occupational therapist and challenge accepted practice • To develop occupational therapy graduates who practice in a culturally respectful manner • To develop graduates who show a commitment to social and occupational justice • To develop graduates who understand the culture, experiences, histories and contemporary issues of Indigenous Australian communities • To develop graduates who work to ensure cultural safety and improve professional practice to enhance the lived experience and longevity of Indigenous Australian peoples

Occupation-focused practitioner. Charles Sturt University occupational therapy graduates will be occupation-focused. Their practice will be person-centred, strengths based and solution-focused. They will engage with ethical and sustainable practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and those of the environment. Graduates will have effective communication skills to promote health and wellbeing in their communities. They will demonstrate the literacy and numeracy skills necessary to understand and interpret information and communicate according to the context. A strong grounding in occupational practice and occupational justice will enable graduates to consider the context, purpose, and audience when gathering, interpreting, constructing, and presenting information. • To develop occupational therapy graduates who engage in occupation-focused, ethical and sustainable practice • To develop graduates whose practice is person-centred, strengths based, occupation-focused and solution-focused • To develop graduates who ensure sustainable practice • To develop graduates who have strong foundational knowledge and skills • To develop occupational therapy graduates who are effective in promoting health and wellbeing • To develop graduates who have a solution-focused approach to practice to ensure occupational justice • To develop graduates who demonstrate the literacy and numeracy skills necessary to understand and interpret information and communicate according to the context