Reimagining a speech pathology program embedded with compassion
Tracks
7
Evidence based practice
Innovative practice
Practice (clinical) education
Professional practice
Student
Wellbeing
Workforce
| Sunday, June 15, 2025 |
| 10:55 AM - 11:05 AM |
| Knowledge Hub | Halls MNO, Ground Level |
Overview
Assoc Professor Deborah James and Professor Bernice Mathisen
Details
⏫ Rapid impact
⏲️ 10.55am - 11.05am
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 10.55am - 11.05am
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Assoc Professor Deborah James
Retired And Adjunct Assoc Prof At University Of Southern Queensland
Reimagining a speech pathology program embedded with compassion
10:55 AM - 11:05 AMPresentation summary
Introduction/Aims
Compassionate care (CC) is an evidence-based science delivering high-quality care. Compassion underpins person-centred care and provider well-being, graduate attributes for Speech Pathology Australia. The inaugural Program Director of a new Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) initiated embedding compassion in an entire speech pathology program.
The first phase was the design and delivery of theoretical principles in Year 1, Trimester 1. The second phase includes reporting of compassion in action in Year 2 when staff reframed their support of a novice student demonstrating breaches of professional standards on placement using compassion.
Methods
From reflection, the team identified the steps taken and the outcomes, which will be outlined.
Results
Outcomes included: the pedagogy; the curriculum mapped to accreditation requirements, and staff reflections on implementing this initiative in years 1 and 2.
Discussion
The team noted students developed capability as well as ‘getting’ person-centred care, the Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.
Conclusion
The team are enthusiastic about the continued embedding of compassion in speech pathology education. This approach reinforced Haslam’s (2015, p. 3) exhortation that “Patient-centredness has to be more than a slogan…..It has to be real–involving patients, understanding their wants and needs and fears, their ideas, concerns and expectations”.
Compassionate care (CC) is an evidence-based science delivering high-quality care. Compassion underpins person-centred care and provider well-being, graduate attributes for Speech Pathology Australia. The inaugural Program Director of a new Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) initiated embedding compassion in an entire speech pathology program.
The first phase was the design and delivery of theoretical principles in Year 1, Trimester 1. The second phase includes reporting of compassion in action in Year 2 when staff reframed their support of a novice student demonstrating breaches of professional standards on placement using compassion.
Methods
From reflection, the team identified the steps taken and the outcomes, which will be outlined.
Results
Outcomes included: the pedagogy; the curriculum mapped to accreditation requirements, and staff reflections on implementing this initiative in years 1 and 2.
Discussion
The team noted students developed capability as well as ‘getting’ person-centred care, the Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.
Conclusion
The team are enthusiastic about the continued embedding of compassion in speech pathology education. This approach reinforced Haslam’s (2015, p. 3) exhortation that “Patient-centredness has to be more than a slogan…..It has to be real–involving patients, understanding their wants and needs and fears, their ideas, concerns and expectations”.
Refrences
Pavlova A, Paine SJ, Sinclair S, O'Callaghan A, Consedine NS. Working in value-discrepant environments inhibits clinicians' ability to provide compassion and reduces well-being: A cross-sectional study. J Intern Med. 2023 Jun;293(6):704-723. doi: 10.1111/joim.13615. Epub 2023 Feb 26. PMID: 36843313.
**********
Dr. Deb James is an Adjunct Associate Professor in Speech Pathology at the University of Sothern Queensland. Over her career, she specialised in children’s communication, speech, and language and worked as a practitioner, educator and researcher in school and health sectors and in universities. She worked in governance via memberships of Ministerial Advisory Panels, Directorships of not-for-profit organisations including those providing services for people with disabilities, and as an accreditor of Australian University Speech Pathology programs. More recently, she has been involved in establishing new Speech Pathology programs in Australia at Southern Cross University (Gold Coast campus), Victoria University (Melbourne) and now at the University of Southern Queensland. At the latter, her focus has been embedding compassionate care into the curriculum.
Professor Bernice Mathisen
Unisq
Reimagining a speech pathology program embedded with compassion
10:55 AM - 11:05 AM**********
Professor Bernice Mathisen, BSpThy, MSc, PhD, is the Inaugural Chair and Program Director in Speech Pathology at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) since her appointment in February 2022. From 2011-2018, Bernice was Discipline Lead in Speech Pathology, La Trobe Rural Health School (LRHS), Bendigo, Australia. Formerly at The University of Newcastle and Director of the Interdisciplinary Dysphagia Clinic (IDC) from 2001-2006, Bernice has 51 years’ experience in Australia and in the United Kingdom (University College, London) with a broad spectrum of research, teaching, clinical service and senior administrative roles. She has published widely in swallowing and disability and more recently in compassionate care, spirituality and palliative care. She continues to have a strong interest in speech pathology education and global citizenship in allied health professionals.
Session chair
Dai Pu
Monash University & Little Birds Allied Health
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
Disclaimer: © (2024) The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. All rights reserved.
Important Notice, please read: The views expressed in this presentation and reproduced in these materials are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited ("the Association"). The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content, currency or accuracy of any of the materials comprised in this presentation. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of these materials and the information contained within them. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this presentation including in any of the materials referred to or otherwise incorporated into this presentation.
.
