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Counselling Skills for Genomics

Module description

This is an introduction to counselling skills for genomics. You will be taught how to communicate and provide support to individuals and their families, at an appropriate level. You will develop basic counselling skills via theoretical and practical sessions. You will understand the importance of constructing a family history and communication of pathogenic and/or uncertain results. This is a skills based module and will only be offered if we are able to have face to face teaching on campus.

Module aims - intentions of the module

 The aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute appropriately to the diagnosis and management of patients whose care will be influenced by genomic investigations.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Develop skills to explain the importance of, and obtain informed consent from participants, in the field of genomic medicine generally and as applied to the ‘100,000 Genomes Project’.
• 2. Ascertain level of understanding and care wishes in patients with rare inherited diseases, cancer and infectious diseases.
• 3. Explain genomic results to patients and other health professionals in terms of diagnosis prediction and uncertainty.
• 4. Explain to patients the concepts of genetic and genomic predispositions to illnesses.
• 5. Discuss the consequences of genomic test results for the patient and the wider family, including incidental findings, drawing on the published evidence base and personal experiences of patients, carers and the wider family.
• 6. Use a range of communication skills to discuss and critically evaluate current and potential ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) of genome testing and whole genome sequencing with a patient.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Evaluate and develop counselling skills to engage and communicate effectively and compassionately with patients, their carers and the wider family.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Critically reflect on personal practice and make connections between known and unknown areas, to allow for personal development, adaptation and change.
• 9. Respond to innovation and new technologies and be able to evaluate these in the context of best practice and the need for improved service delivery.
• 10. Communicate accurately and effectively with peers, tutors and the public.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module's precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

• Core techniques for effective counselling and communication.

• Psychosocial impact of genomic testing and results for patients.

• Obtaining consent and what it means in relation to genetic and genomic sampling, testing and data storage.

• Conveying information that may be interpreted by patients as good or bad news.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

In the event of you failing a module, you will be given a chance to resubmit the failed components that led to the overall module failure. This will normally be within six weeks of the overall module result being known, except in the case of written and/or practical examinations which may take longer to reschedule. The module result will then be capped at 50.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Mearns, D., Thorne, B. and McLeod, J. (2013). Person-centred counselling in action. London: SAGE.

For further interest:  

• Stewart, I. and Joines, V. (2012). TA today: a new Introduction to Transactional Analysis. Melton Mowbray: Lifespace.

• Worden, J. (2010). Grief counselling and grief therapy. London: Routledge.

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6147

Key words search

Counselling, communication, informed consent, consequences, attitudes