HLTH510 Case scenario Weighted 50%

HLTH510 – Written Assignment: case scenario (2500 words) Weight 50%
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This case presents the issues of Peter, a man living with his wife, Gail on the edges of a regional town. Read the scenario then respond in your assignment to the
following questions.
Peter is a 35-year-old man who lives with his wife and two children, aged 10 and 7 years, on a small property just outside a large regional town. Peter grew up on a
farm three hours’ drive north but is now well established in the regional town. He works as a middle level manager in a construction business. He consults a local
general practitioner, Dr Mercedes, for a first visit because he has been experiencing insomnia and loss of energy. Peter adds that one of his workmates has recently
been diagnosed with leukaemia. Dr Mercedes has only ten minutes allocated to see Peter and performs a quick physical examination and takes some blood. She asks Peter
to return in one week. At the second visit to Dr Mercedes, Peter is told that no physical problem was found on his blood tests. The doctor is at pains to rule out the
possibility of leukaemia. Peter appears relieved. The doctor prescribes a short acting benzodiazepine, temazepam for his sleep. She asks Peter to return in a month if
things have not improved.
A fortnight later, Peter goes to see his old family GP, Dr Bill Holden, who practises in a town close to his parents’ farm, where Peter is staying for a visit. Peter
explains that he has felt much worse in the last fortnight. His sleep pattern has deteriorated considerably and although he gets off to sleep fairly easily, he wakes
every night staring at the clock at 2am and then can’t get back to sleep for hours. The mornings are his worst time but as the day goes on things gradually improve. In
the evenings Peter has felt tense as the time to go to bed comes closer and he knows his night will again be difficult. On questioning from Dr Holden, Peter says,
“life has always had its ups and downs’, but that he has never felt like this before. He says he has lost his taste for food and has lost 5kg in weight. His wife had
told him that he seemed to have lost interest in all his normal hobbies and appeared to get no pleasure from anything. After further questions from Dr Holden, Peter
went on to say that his sex drive had dropped away totally. Bill Holden also checks whether Peter has any significant suicidal thoughts and is relieved to find that
Peter has no active suicidal plans at present.
Peter went on to explain that lately his wife had tried to cheer him up. He was unable to react to her efforts and constantly felt down. Subsequently Peter’s wife,
Gail complained that he always rejected her and was spending more and more time at work. Peter had told her that he was under considerable pressure at work, as his
company was trying to secure more building contracts despite difficult economic times. Things had got really difficult between them and last Friday night she had
accused Peter of having an affair. He admitted to her that he has sought support from his secretary at work, but denied that a relationship has developed. Gail was
very upset and asked him to leave.
The next morning Peter packed his things and drove home to the family farm to stay with his parents. He decided he needed help and that is why he had come to see Dr
Holden, whom he had known all his life. After listening to Peter for twenty minutes, Dr Holden tells him he believes Peter is suffering from major depression and that
a combined approach of tablets and talking therapy is indicated. Dr Holden tries particularly hard to educate Peter about “depression as an illness” since there is a
particular stigma about mental illness in his local community. He informs Peter about the good chance of a recovery from this episode with appropriate treatment.
Peter talks over some family history with Dr Holden in two more sessions over the next week. He recalls that his uncle hanged himself on his property after suffering
years of “black moods”. Peter also reports how he felt unsupported by his father who was distant, tended to drink heavily and was often away. Peter’s mother was the
strength in the family and she brought up her three children almost single headedly. Since leaving home Peter and his two sisters have strived to be financially
successful in contrast to their own relatively impoverished upbringing. At one of their sessions, Peter tells Dr Holden that Dr Mercedes had prescribed temazepam for
him but they did not make him feel better and so he had stopped taking them.
Bill Holden has practised in the country for many years and knows only too well the link between suicide and depressive illness. He has a standard approach to asking
about suicidal thinking. He suggests that things may have seemed so bleak for Peter that he might have had thoughts of not waking up or disappearing, that is ‘passive’
suicidal ideas. Then he directly inquires if Peter has had thoughts of outright ending his life, even fleeting thoughts across the back of his mind about ending his
life. Dr Holden goes on to ask specifically about any concrete plans such as using a firearm or medications to self-harm. Peter admits that there are half a dozen
rifles on the family property. At the next session Peter admits to Dr Holden that he has been having an affair with his work colleague for a year. He has felt
overwhelmingly guilty and eventually began to think that his only option was to end his life to escape the situation. Peter indicates that he wants to talk through his
issues more extensively but he feels he can return to work in the city next week.

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Suggested structure
1. Introduction: state briefly what you intend to do in the assignment (150 words)
2. Body: Explore the nature of Peter’s problem in depth? Consider what he would like to work on and identify concurrent issues that directly impact on this issue.
Back this up through current literature (350 words)
3. In a regional area such as the one Peter lives, what are the barriers to mental health care? Provide a critique of regional health services as they pertain to
mental health at primary, secondary and tertiary prevention levels. Provide comparisons between urban and regional settings in Australia and extend your discussion to
include initiatives worldwide which may help challenge some of the current practices facing Peter (500 words)
4. What do you think are his most pressing concerns? Identify at least one issue for both Peter and Gail, give an in-depth account of each concern and examine the
evidence-based interventions that are available. Ensure you identify and critically analyse the level of evidence of the interventions and provide examples from the
literature of research that has demonstrated this evidence. Using Peter’s existing strengths, determine what resources Peter may already possess, to help overcome his
problem. (800 words)
5. Using an inter-professional team approach provide examples of care that can work harmoniously across discipline groups in order to provide Peter and Gail the
best possible interventions (400 words)
6. Conclusion: Tie all of your finding together and give a concise summary of what you have found (300 words)

HLTH510 Case study marking grid
(1) KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Fail
<40%
<4 marks Borderline fail
41-49%
4-4.5 marks Pass
50-65%
5-6.5 marks Credit
66-75%
6.5-7.5 marks Distinction
76-85%
7.5-8.5 marks High distinction
> 85%
8.5-10 marks
Evidence of ability to examine and systematically present information and ideas from a range of sources
Knowledge base: Demonstrates deep and systematic understanding of knowledge in the area and comprises of knowledge at the forefront of the discipline. Insufficient
depth or understanding with significant gaps. Inclusion of some relevant material but with major omissions &/or factual errors. Acceptable depth of
understanding of current theory / research but with some omissions. Comprehensive understanding with evidence of current theory / research. Detailed, with depth of
understanding and evidence of current theory / research. Exceptional depth and understanding.
Ethical issues: Demonstrates awareness and ability to engage with the implications of ethical issues raised in the case.
Insufficient awareness and ability. Little or no discussion. Evidence of awareness and ability but limited discussion. Evidence of awareness and
ability to manage implications with evidence of active debate. Comprehensive awareness and ability to manage implications and debate. Fully aware and able to manage
implications and debate. Exceptional awareness and ability to manage implications and debate.
Disciplinary methodologies: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of methodologies applicable to the case.
Insufficient understanding with minimal application. Evidence of understanding with limited application. Acceptable understanding and application to own
work. Comprehensive understanding and application to own work. Demonstrates detailed understanding and application to own work. Exceptional
understanding and application to own work.
Total /6
(2) COGNITIVE AND INTELLECTUAL SKILLS Fail
<40%
<5.5 marks Borderline fail
41-49%
5.5-7 marks Pass
50-65%
7-9 marks Credit
66-75%
9-10.5 marks Distinction
76-85%
10.5-12 marks High distinction
> 80%
> 12 marks
Evidence of ability to critically appraise information and ideas in order to develop and sustain an original and coherent argument
Analysis: Demonstrates critical awareness and analysis of complex, incomplete or contradictory areas of knowledge applicable to their essay.
Superficial awareness, lack of evidence of engagement with complex and contradictory areas. Evidence of awareness but lacks evidence of engagement with
complex and contradictory areas. Acceptable with relevant evidence of analysis and understanding of the complexity of the areas studied. Limited communication
of outcome. Comprehensive analysis involving complex areas of knowledge. Outcome clearly communicated. Extensive analysis of complexities and contradictions.
Effective communication of outcome. Exceptional analysis of complexities and contradictions with matching communication of outcome.
Synthesis: Demonstrates ability to critically synthesize information in an innovative manner.
Insufficient critical awareness and/or significant gaps in knowledge base. Some synthesis evident but inadequate critical awareness and/or inappropriate
knowledge base. Satisfactory evidence of synthesis and innovation. Evidence of synthesis and innovation that on occasion moves beyond a predictable format.
Evidence of synthesis and innovation that consistently moves beyond a predictable format. Wide ranging evidence of innovation and creativity.
Evaluation: Demonstrates a level of conceptual understanding and critical evaluation of research and methodologies.
Insufficient evaluation with significant gaps in conceptual understanding. Some evaluation evident but not consistent. Consistent evidence of
evaluation. Comprehensive evaluation of relevance and significance. Detailed and extensive evaluation. Exceptional evidence of evaluation.
Application: Demonstrates initiative and originality in problem solving.
Insufficient evidence of application with significant gaps. Some evidence of application but at an unacceptable level. Satisfactory application and
problem solving ability. Awareness of complexity of context. Able to identify and define complex problems / solutions. Confident and flexible in identifying
and defining problems / solutions. Demonstrates innovation and creativity. Exceptional approach to application and problem solving.
Total /14
(3) TRANSFERABLE SKILLS Fail
<40%
<8 marks Borderline fail
41-49%
8-9 marks Pass
50-65%
10-13 marks Credit
66-75%
13-155 marks Distinction
76-85%
15-17 marks High distinction
> 85%
17-20 marks
Evidence of ability to integrate skills developed previously within current work and the development of new skills which may be used in other contexts
Self evaluation: Demonstrates reflection of own and others’ functioning (in order to improve practice).
Insufficient evaluation of own and others functioning Limited evaluation of own and others functioning Satisfactory evaluation of own and others
functioning Comprehensive evaluation of own and others functioning Advanced evaluation of own and others functioning Excellent evaluation of own and others
functioning
Management of information: Competently undertakes tasks with minimum guidance.
Inadequate with insufficient ability to undertake research. Can undertake research tasks but with considerable guidance. Demonstrates ability to
undertake some independent research activity. Sound ability to undertake research tasks independently. Excellent ability to undertake research tasks
independently Exceptional ability to undertake research independently.
Autonomy: Independent and self critical learner.
Insufficient self critical ability Limited self critical ability Satisfactory self critical ability Comprehensive self critical ability
Advanced self critical ability Exceptional self critical ability
Communications: Engage confidently in academic communication, reporting on action clearly, autonomously and competently.
Ineffective and / or unclear expression. Evidence of a lack of confidence in communication. Acceptable with clear structure and direction. Clear,
concise and professional with effective signposting of ideas. Excellent communication and presentation. Exceptional ability to communicate and structure
effectively.
Problem solving: Has independent learning ability required for continuing professional study, making professional use of others where appropriate
Insufficient evidence of ability to solve problems. Evidence of limited ability to solve problems. Evidence of satisfactory ability to solve problems.
Evidence of comprehensive ability to solve problems. Evidence of advanced ability to solve problems. Evidence of excellent ability to solve problems.
Total /20
(4) PRACTICAL SKILLS Fail
<40%
1 mark Borderline fail
41-49%
2 marks Pass
50-65%
3 marks Credit
66-75%
4 marks Distinction
76-85%
5 marks High distinction
> 85%
6 marks
Evidence of ability to associate information and ideas within different contexts
Technical expertise: Can perform with precision and effectiveness, and can adapt or develop new skills/procedures for new situations.
Insufficient evidence of technical expertise. Limited evidence of technical expertise. Satisfactory evidence of technical expertise. Comprehensive
evidence of technical expertise. Advanced evidence of technical expertise. Excellent evidence of technical expertise.
Total /6
Final grade /50

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