| The main aim of this module is to introduce students to the optometric investigation and management of patients in a clinical primary health care setting and to enable the transfer of technical skills and knowledge to clinical situations. Students will participate in the clinical practice of optometry by the examination of |
| patients in the primary care setting of the TU Dublin Optometry Clinic, under the guidance of a registered optometrist. As the module progresses, students will take more responsibility for the examination of the patient. Clinical decision-making and problem-solving skills will be developed, and students will develop clinical management skills in routine eye care and in the prescription of spectacle frames and lenses. |
• Organisation and ergonomics of optometric consultations;
• Clinical investigative techniques;
• Clinical problem solving;
• Patient care clinical;
• Case management;
• Development of clinical management skills;
• Optical dispensing: counselling, frame and lens selection, ordering and verification communication with patients in a clinical setting
• Before being allowed to see real patients, students must view an online presentation on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Having viewed this, they must attain 100% in an online assessment on the topic. They may repeat this assessment as often as required until they attain 100%.
• CORU Optical Registration Board Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics
• The CORU standards of proficiency for optometrists covered, wholly or in part, in this module are as follows:
• Be aware of current guidelines and legislation relating to candour and disclosure
• Understand and be able to apply the limits of the concept of confidentiality particularly in relation to child protection, vulnerable adults and elder abuse
• Be able to recognise and manage the potential conflict that can arise between confidentiality and whistle-blowing
• Recognise personal responsibility and professional accountability for one’s actions and be able to justify professional decisions made
• Be able to communicate diagnosis/assessment and/or treatment/management options in a way that can be understood by the service user
• Be able to express professional, informed and considered opinions to service users, health professionals and others e.g. carers, relatives in varied practice settings and contexts and within the boundaries of confidentiality
• Understand and be able to discuss the principles of effective conflict management
• Be able to justify the selection of and implement appropriate assessment techniques and be able to undertake and record a thorough, sensitive and detailed assessment
• Be able to determine the appropriate tests/assessments required and undertake/arrange these tests
• Be able to analyse and critically evaluate the information collected in the assessment process
• Be able to demonstrate sound logical reasoning and problem solving skills to determine appropriate problem lists, action plans and goals
• Be able to evaluate and reflect critically on own professional practice to identify learning and development needs; be able to select appropriate learning activities to achieve professional development goals and be able to integrate new knowledge and skills into professional practice
• Be able to diagnose and manage visual conditions such as ametropia, heterophoria, heteroptropia and other anomalies of binocular vision
• Demonstrate safe and effective implementation of practical, technical and clinical skills
Clinical practice under supervision of qualified and registered practitioners, tutorials in clinical examination structure, case analysis and patient management. Each student will deal with at least 20 primary care patient episodes which will be recorded as part of their log.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |