Allied Health

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• compare and contrast the role and influence of morality, ethics, laws, and regulations on professional practice.
• describe personal values that influence ethical decision making.
• define the following principles related to professional ethics: nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, autonomy, veracity, justice.
• cite common examples of ethical and legal problems or dilemmas in the health professions.
• list and apply the steps in the process of making sound ethical decisions.
• recognize the importance of patients' rights, including confidentiality of patient information (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
• recognize behavior that may result from stereotypes, biases, and prejudices.
• discuss the purpose and enforcement of laws such as those under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• recognize the responsibility to act as a patient advocate with respect to addressing patient needs resulting from cultural and/or individual differences.
• discuss common bioethical issues such as access to health care, end-of-life care, and physician assisted suicide.
• compare and contrast characteristics, and legal and ethical responsibilities, of professionals and para-professionals in the field of health care.
• recognize the ethical and legal responsibility to submit accurate documentation to substantiate billing.
• describe the role of judicial, disciplinary, and ethics committees.
• describe the health care provider's responsibility to protect the public and the profession by reporting unethical, incompetent, or illegal acts.
• recognize the ethical and professional responsibility to regularly engage in self-assessment and personal goal setting.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• define the role and practice of a community health worker.
• identify findings, patterns, habits, and behaviors that prevent the development and progression of common diseases/disorders and reduce utilization of unnecessary healthcare services.
• explain the different health concerns across a person’s lifespan.
• demonstrate how to conduct home visitations to monitor health needs and reinforce treatment regimens.
• identify accepted terminology to describe findings, patterns, habits, and behaviors of clients.
• identify self-care practices and self-improvement goals.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• describe the role of the health care provider as an educator.
• explain the major teaching and learning theories and their application to health care.
• recognize various sources of patient education materials and evaluate them for bias, language, and cost.
• select appropriate sources of patient education materials for a variety of patient populations.
• differentiate between goals and objectives and write effective behavioral objectives.
• prepare a lesson plan for teaching a patient and/or the patient's family; implement the plan and critically evaluate whether or not the objectives were fulfilled.
• prepare and deliver a lesson plan for teaching a group of patients who have similar problems.
• evaluate other students' lesson plan presentations and provide feedback regarding the attainment of objectives and style of presentation.
• accept feedback from instructors and other students regarding attainment of objectives and style of presentation to improve teaching style.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• explain the major components of the current and potential healthcare delivery systems in the United States.
• describe the aspects of the “Triple Aim” of the U.S. healthcare system.
• compare and contrast aspects of the U.S. healthcare system to those of other countries.
• anticipate the interaction of healthcare providers and diverse patients and families with the various components of the U.S. healthcare system.
• describe the theories and models of leadership and management most effective in the current and potential U.S. healthcare systems.
• discuss the impact of selected cultures on the ability of healthcare providers and the U.S. healthcare system to meet the healthcare needs of patients, families and communities.
• describe the communication styles of the primary U.S. healthcare providers, e.g., administrators, financial officers, managers, physicians, nurses, and patients from low, moderate and high socioeconomic status.
• identify entry points into the various U.S. healthcare delivery systems.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• identify the major socioeconomic characteristics of the older population, including ethnic, economic, education, family, religious, cultural, and residential factors.
• discuss the influence of demographic and economic factors on health and dental care.
• demonstrate understanding of basic mental health and cognitive function of the older adult.
• describe key health promoting and disease prevention activities appropriate for older people.
• identify age-related physiological changes.
• interact with other health care professionals and community resources in order to provide coordinated care to older adults.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• compile a database of community resources.
• identify the available community resources in the Greater Sacramento service area, including health and social services.
• apply accepted terminology to describe findings, patterns, habits, and behaviors of clients.
• communicate with community partners and medical personnel.
• demonstrate proficiency with technology, including web-based applications, MS Office, and electronic health record systems.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• describe and demonstrate verbal and nonverbal communication skills intended to facilitate effective interactions with patients, families, health care providers, staff, and other team members.
• conduct an effective helping interview.
• demonstrate active listening skills that reveal understanding of content and feeling.
• utilize communication techniques for resolving conflict and increasing rapport.
• differentiate between non-assertive, assertive, and aggressive behaviors in interactions with others.
• identify communication strategies for interactions that are confused or emotion laden.
• discuss the impact of culture on the delivery of health care services.
• adjust communication approaches with sensitivity to differences in ethnicity, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, sexuality, disability, and health status.
• describe the negative effects of labeling people with disabilities.
• list and demonstrate principles of effective patient education for individuals and groups.
• demonstrate openness and responsiveness to constructive feedback.
• be able to communicate concepts of patient confidentiality and patient's rights including informed consent and right to refuse treatment.
• evaluate their personal strengths and areas needing improvement with respect to communication style as a health care provider.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• assess the importance of the history of medicine and evolution of the health care system.
• differentiate between the various health care agencies and facilities, their delivery systems, organizational structure, and major services provided.
• compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities, scope of practice, educational requirements, personal characteristics, and employment opportunities for different health care careers.
• evaluate their interests, values, and abilities and use occupational resources to match these to potential health care careers.
• demonstrate usage of reference materials in public and medical libraries (hard copy and Internet) to research health occupations.
• identify and apply legal, ethical, and professional principles to common situations encountered in the health occupations.
• identify the personal and professional characteristics, attitudes, and rules of appearance that apply to all health care professionals.
• recognize the importance of cultural sensitivity and humility required of health care providers.
• understand the basic principles and procedures for controlling the spread of infections and promoting safety in the health care setting.
• accurately spell and pronounce common medical terms and abbreviations used in health occupations.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the models of disease causation theories.
• describe conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems that shape the conditions of daily life and health.
• identify economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, and political systems that have an impact on social determinants of health.
• describe key policies and programs in the United States aimed at improving health.
• conduct community needs assessments using data collection methods.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• define chronic conditions and factors that contribute to chronic conditions.
• locate acceptable online resources for information on chronic conditions including causes, data, prevention and management.
• explain the structure of medical language and introductory terms.
• identify and describe the most common chronic conditions in the U.S. including the causes, symptoms, and treatments for each of them.
• compare and contrast the medical and the public health treatment models of chronic conditions, and ways to integrate medical and public health models.
• describe the concept of patient self-management of chronic conditions and the application of client-centered concepts and skills to patients.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• describe how individuals react differently to sensory stimuli common in daily life situations.
• describe how illness or impairment influences one's sensory reactions.
• state his or her personal reactions to a range of sensory experiences common in daily life.
• identify strategies for modifying or adapting to distracting stimuli and enhance or increase positive stimuli in academic and workplace settings.
• distinguish between calming and alerting sensory reactions and how these influence performance in daily life tasks.
• use calming and alerting reactions for positive outcomes in academic and workplace settings.
• discuss how differences in sensory reactions might affect interpersonal communication in academic and workplace settings.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• apply the chapter outlining strategy to their own allied health text.
• construct paraphrases for concepts presented in allied health textbooks or in their class notes.
• prepare notes for their allied health class via a note-taking method such as the Cornell Method.
• interpret various types of graphs and diagrams from their allied health textbook.
• create concept maps in order to see relationships between ideas presented in their allied health textbook.
• assess various test taking strategies appropriate for their allied health class.
• demonstrate ability to read "actively" in their allied health textbook.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• actively engage in intellectual inquiry beyond that required in order to pass a course of study.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• identify and describe the responsibilities of a project manager in the healthcare industry.
• compare and contrast theories of leadership and motivation.
• examine and analyze case examples and justify solutions for healthcare systems.
• define and apply project management processes and work products.
• demonstrate using project control techniques during planning, and implement the techniques during the execution of a project.
• identify and integrate into a project plan the ten knowledge areas of project management: integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, procurement, and stakeholder management.
• describe and incorporate the characteristics of a project life cycle and health system workflow process.
• develop a class project using project management software.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• analyze how cultural background and worldview may influence their role as a health care provider.
• describe cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competency as related to health care service delivery.
• summarize multiple cultural factors influencing an individual's perception of health and illness.
• compare a variety of health traditions practiced within a specific culture.
• select strategies for culturally competent health care service delivery.
• state strategies to prevent the negative effects of cultural bias and discrimination as they relate to health care settings.
• demonstrate the use of resources that support culturally sensitive health care delivery.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of a fundamental medical vocabulary and related reference materials.
• analyze, build, and translate medical terms.
• spell and pronounce medical terms.
• apply and interpret medical terms, abbreviations, and symbols as applied to systems of the human body, disease, diagnosis, and treatment.
• identify medical documentation formats, related abbreviations, and legal considerations.
• translate health care reports into common English usage.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate the Spanish pronunciation of the five vowels and apply to common words in Spanish.
• demonstrate the ability to correctly pronounce el alfabeto.
• describe the use of and demonstrate pronunciation of common verbs and pronouns in Spanish.
• apply appropriate common expressions in Spanish during role play.
• correctly state colors, numbers, hours, and days of the week.
• correctly pronounce and label parts of the body in Spanish.
• correctly pronounce common medical terms.
• state phrases and questions commonly used in health care in Spanish.
• investigate the cultural norms and practices of the Hispanic culture and how these guide thinking, decisions, and actions related to health care.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• produce work independently on allied health related topics.