Optometrist as a Health Care Professional and the Work PlacementLaajuus (15 cr)

Objective

After work placement (9 op) students are able to perform independently standard eye examination and contact lens fitting also to children and elderly people and describe vision correction if needed. She/he is able to use diagnostic drugs safely manner and is able to perform cyclorefraction. She/he is able to exam eyes to detect possible eye diseases, injuries and disorders and refer for further investigations and care if needed. She/he is able to communicate with clients and is able to understand client´s needs and expectations but is able to handle also situations where expectations are not filled.
Clinical exam:
The ability to manage a patient presenting with an incomitant deviation (i.e., an anomaly of the extra-ocular muscles).
The ability to manage an adult patient with heterotropia.
The ability to manage children at risk of developing an anomaly of binocular vision.

The ability to properly advise on refractive surgery options and possible outcomes.
The ability to identify corneal ectasia and dystrophies and other contraindications to refractive surgery.
The ability to perform the techniques used in the pre-operative assessments.
The ability to manage the aftercare of patients having undergone refractive surgery.
The ability to identify post-operative complications.
The ability to manage refractive surgery patients in a safe, ethical, and confidential fashion.
The ability to create and keep clear, accurate, and contemporaneous patient records.
The ability to interpret and respond appropriately to existing records.
The ability to make a judgement regarding referral and an understanding of referral pathways.
The ability to demonstrate an understanding of the legal, professional, and ethical obligations of an optician / optometrist.
The ability to identify external pathology and offer appropriate information and advice to patients not needing referral.
The ability to manage a patient presenting with a red eye.
The ability to evaluate glaucoma risk factors, to detect glaucoma and refer accordingly.
The ability to manage a patient presenting with macular degeneration or other macular disease.
The ability to recognise, evaluate and manage diabetic eye disease and refer accordingly.
The ability to evaluate and manage a patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of retinal detachment.
The ability to recognise manifestations of systemic disease.
The ability to assess symptoms and signs of neurological significance.
The ability to manage patients presenting with sight-threatening eye disease.
An ability to recognise adverse ocular reactions to medication.
The ability to recognise, evaluate and manage optic nerve and optic nerve head disease and refer accordingly.

Portfolio:
The ability to manage non-tolerance cases (i.e., the ability to handle cases when the optical appliance due to lens design, lens fitting or frame fitting cannot be tolerated by the patient).
The ability to advise, prescribe and dispense spectacles, or fit contact lenses, for VDU users and other vocational purposes.
The ability to advise, prescribe and dispense spectacles for eye protective use.
The ability to use appropriate ocular diagnostic drugs to aid refraction if and when needed.
The ability to manage patients presenting with an anomaly of binocular vision.
The ability to fit soft contact lenses.
The ability to manage the aftercare of patients wearing soft contact lenses.
The ability to advise on contact lens materials and care regimes.
The ability to fit rigid gas permeable contact lenses.
The ability to fit contact lenses to patients with astigmatism.
The ability to fit contact lenses to patients with presbyopia.
The ability to use diagnostic drugs to aid ocular examination.
The ability to obtain and interpret information on patient’s general health, medication, school work, sports, hobbies, lifestyle, and special needs pertinent to children and infants.
The ability to assess children’s (not infants) visual function using appropriate techniques.
The ability to interpret and investigate the presenting symptoms and concerns of the patient.
The ability to develop a management plan for the investigation of the patient.
The ability to recognise common ocular abnormalities and to refer when appropriate.
The ability to manage a patient presenting with reduced vision.
The ability to manage a patient presenting with cataract.
Low vision:
The ability to take an accurate history from patients with a range of low vision conditions.
The ability to obtain and interpret information on significant symptoms pertinent to low vision conditions and patient’s concerns.
The ability to obtain and interpret information on relevant family history pertinent to low vision conditions.
The ability to assess patients with impaired visual function.
The ability to advise visually impaired patients about their impairment, disability or handicap.
The ability to advise on the use of, and to dispense simple low vision aids including: hand and stand magnifiers, typoscopes and hand held telescopes.
The ability to advise on the use of and to dispense complex spectacle lens forms, including: multifocals, high corrections, and their applications to specific patient needs.
The ability to advise on the use of optical and non-optical aids to achieve object enlargement types of magnification (e.g., CCTV or digital tablets).
The ability to manage non-tolerance cases (i.e., the ability to handle cases when the optical appliance due to lens design, lens fitting or frame fitting cannot be tolerated by the patient).
The ability to advise, prescribe and dispense spectacles, or fit contact lenses, for VDU users and other vocational purposes.
The ability to advise, prescribe and dispense spectacles for eye protective use.

Content

Professional development and quality
Career planning
The importance and obligation of continuing education
- Various options for maintaining knowledge
Professional and interest associations that run and represent the professional interests of an optometrist at national and international level
- Developing quality standards.
- Membership of trade unions and clubs
Authorities that supervise and regulate optometrist profession
Intolerance cases
Work placement in hospital - surgery, eye examinations

Qualifications

Work Placement in Optometric Practice, Pediatric Eye Diseases and Vision and Low Vision Patient and Elderly People

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student is able to:

- apply professional knowledge in the field appropriately
- use concepts and information in his field systematically
- argue a course of action on the basis of research information and findings
- find information and argue the use of his sources
- work in various duties depending on the assignment
- define the principles of and requirements for his actions
- show that he has achieved the targets for core competence
- find out the safety instructions concerning a word assignments and to act accordingly
- act according to the relevant professional ethical principles
- plan and guide the operation of multidisciplinary groups
- communicate about professional issues

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student is able to:

- use concepts and knowledge in his field fluently and comprehensively
- assess and use information sources and research information with a critical eye
- apply research information to professional assignments
- operate in a range of work situations, also in international contexts
- act in a client- and customer-oriented way and as an entrepreneur
- act responsibly in work duties, taking safety issues into consideration
- evaluate actions from the viewpoint of professional ethics
- represent his professional field in multidisciplinary and international groups and projects

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student is able to:

- display a good understanding of professional information
- use theoretical and professional concepts and knowledge like an expert and combine them into larger entities
- create and communicate new information
- develop innovative and alternative solutions to professional assignments and problems
- apply professional expertise in new situations - take responsibility for a professional process in its entirety
- develop the community's safety and responsibility
- apply professional ethics in various situations
- manage the professional development of individuals/groups
- act purposefully and to develop himself and working life

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The student is able to:

- apply professional knowledge in the field appropriately
- use concepts and information in his field systematically
- argue a course of action on the basis of research information and findings
- find information and argue the use of his sources
- work in various duties depending on the assignment
- define the principles of and requirements for his actions
- show that he has achieved the targets for core competence
- find out the safety instructions concerning a word assignments and to act accordingly
- act according to the relevant professional ethical principles
- plan and guide the operation of multidisciplinary groups
- communicate about professional issues