Assessment 1 Study Guide - Job Analysis and Work Participation in Occupational Therapy

Course and Assessment Overview

• Unit Context: Assessment 1 for HOB two (with foundations in HOB one) focuses on the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) within work rehabilitation, return-to-work, and transition-to-work spaces.

• Assessment Weighting: 10% of total course grade.

• Submission Deadline: Sunday at the end of Week 3 (30th of August / 30/08).

• File Format Requirement: Must be submitted strictly as a Microsoft Word document (.docx). Submissions in PDF format are strictly prohibited.

• Formatting Rules: 12-point font size throughout the document.

• Page and Word Limits:

  • Element 1 (Job Analysis Template): Maximum limit of two pages.

  • Element 2 (Barrier and OT Strategy): Maximum limit of 250 words.

• Core Purpose of Assessment: To build foundational competency in understanding work as a primary adult occupation. Work shapes identity, provides purpose, and directly influences health and well-being. The assessment evaluates the core demands, skills, and environments of specific jobs to support adult client participation.

• Target Learning Outcomes:

  • Evaluate the occupational needs of adults through in-depth analysis of target work occupations.

  • Formulate appropriate occupational therapy approaches to support occupational participation in work.

Step-by-Step Assessment Process

• Step 1: Select a Simulated Client Scenario

  • Option A (Transition to Work): Ben (noted in text as Ben, formerly referenced as Liam). A young man with Down syndrome who completed Year 12 with learning support. He is seeking workforce entry for the first time and expresses interest in working in a cafe or garden center alongside others.

  • Option B (Return to Work): Mayor (or Myer). An older adult with past workforce experience seeking re-entry while managing chronic back pain.

• Step 2: Conduct a Job Analysis

  • Role Selection: Choose a work role aligned with the selected client's strengths, capacity, and interests. Avoid roles requiring higher-education degrees not held by the client.

  • Contextual Specificity: Must specify a concrete context, business name, service, or organization (e.g., customer service at a Bunnings warehouse versus customer service at Kmart Belconnen Mall). Context dictates work environment parameters and physical demands.

  • Template Requirements: Complete the Job Analysis Template derived from Chapter 4 of the Willard and Spackman text.

  • Quantity of Detail: Aim for 4 to 5 core points per template section. Focus on clear, accessible functional demands rather than hyper-detailed joint angles or range-of-motion metrics.

  • Task Duration and Frequency: Document specific task durations and frequencies (e.g., prolonged sitting 6–7 hours per day, 12-hour shift structures, patient interaction 10 hours per shift).

  • Core Template Sections:

    • Job Description & Primary Tasks: Contextual description of the role and primary responsibilities.

    • Physical Demands: Functional movements linked directly to tasks (e.g., prolonged standing and walking around a ward to patient beds, lifting produce boxes or shopping bags at waist height).

    • Cognitive Demands: Processing and mental skills required.

    • Other Skills or Demands: Sensory performance demands, literacy/numeracy, basic certifications (e.g., food safety handling skills, WHS orientation).

    • Social / Interpersonal Demands: Required social interactions and communication skills.

    • Work Environment & Risk Factors: Detailed description of the setting, covering BOTH physical risk factors (e.g., manual handling, crush hazards, slips/trips) AND psychosocial risk factors (e.g., co-worker conflict, high-demand peak periods, fatigue).

• Step 3: Barrier Identification and OT Strategy Formulation

  • Word Count: Maximum 250 words.

  • Barrier Identification: Identify exactly one primary potential barrier to participation (e.g., environmental mismatch, physical demand exceeding capacity, or cognitive load mismatch).

  • OT Strategy Formulation: Detail exactly one relevant OT strategy or approach (e.g., graded transition-to-work program, assistive technology, task modification, or workplace environment adaptations).

  • Professional Reasoning: Provide explicit reasoning connecting the client's profile and job demands to the chosen strategy, avoiding a broad list of multiple interventions.

Generative AI Guidelines and Policy

• Permitted Scope of GenAI Use:

  • Allowed only during Step 2 to complete the Job Analysis Template.

  • May be used to generate preliminary lists of physical, cognitive, sensory, communication, or psychosocial demands, and potential environmental factors (noise, lighting, layout).

• Student Responsibilities for GenAI:

  • Output must be critically cross-checked and modified to fit the specific identified context.

  • GenAI is strictly prohibited in Step 3 (Barrier and OT Strategy), which must reflect original student clinical reasoning.

• Mandatory Documentation Requirements:

  • A GenAI acknowledgment statement must be included on the cover page for all submissions, whether GenAI was used or not.

  • If GenAI is used: Include inline citations in the job analysis template, a full GenAI reference in the reference list, and document all prompts used in an appendix or submission document.

• Penalty Policy for Non-Compliance:

  • Ethical use of GenAI is a formal rubric criterion.

  • Failure to meet ethical GenAI requirements (e.g., missing statement, incorrect statement, unreferenced GenAI use, or prohibited use in Step 3) results in a grade of Zero (0) for the entire assessment.

Marking Rubric Structure

• Criterion 1: Ethical Use of GenAI

  • Evaluated on a compliance basis. Non-compliance results in an overall mark of 0.

• Criterion 2: Job Analysis - Description and Core Tasks (2 Marks)

  • Requires proper template use, clear description of job role and main tasks, and inclusion of task duration and frequency parameters.

• Criterion 3: Job Analysis - Performance Demands, Environment, and Risk Factors (3 Marks)

  • Requires clear, accurate categorization of physical, cognitive, social, and other/sensory demands.

  • Requires nuanced environmental descriptions and inclusion of both physical and psychosocial risk factors.

• Criterion 4: Work Barrier and Occupational Therapy Strategy (5 Marks)

  • Requires identification of one clear barrier and formulation of one concise OT strategy supported by strong clinical reasoning and logical communication.

• Referencing Policy:

  • No specific rubric marks are allocated for standard academic references, but academic integrity standards apply.

  • If external sources or vacancy details (e.g., Bunnings job listing) are heavily relied upon, referencing is recommended.

  • GenAI usage MUST be cited and referenced.

Questions & Discussion

• Prompt Documentation Location: Prompts used for GenAI must be documented within the submission, preferably placed in a dedicated appendix.

• Framework Language Requirements: Use of formal Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF / AOTA) terminology is optional. Standard plain English that clearly conveys performance demands is fully acceptable.

• Sensory Demands Placement: Sensory performance demands should be categorized under the "Other skills or demands" section of the job analysis template.

• Personal and Observed Work Experience: Students may draw upon personal work history or direct observation of roles, provided the job analysis accurately reflects true occupational demands.

• Referencing Job Ads: Referencing commercial job listings is optional, but advised if the entry relies heavily on external vacancy details.

• Depth of Functional Metrics: Job analysis should focus on functional activity descriptions (e.g., lifting 15–20 kg produce boxes, bilateral hand tool use) rather than precise clinical joint range-of-motion degrees.

• Single Barrier and Strategy Alignment: While a single barrier can involve multiple client factors (e.g., sensory preferences and cognitive load in a busy space), the submission must stick to one overarching barrier and one cohesive OT strategy (e.g., a graded return-to-work plan).

• Target Population for Workplace Hazards: Environmental risk factors and hazards listed in the template must reflect general risks applicable to any employee in that role, rather than client-specific risks.

• Discussion Board Availability: The online discussion board for assessment queries remains open until 4:30 PM on the Friday preceding the Sunday due date.