1st year MOT Prac Co-ordinator Qualifications BAppSc(OT) (Sth Aust), MMedSc (Clin Epi) (Uni of Newcastle ), OT (C) About Susan Clinically, Susan has worked as an occupational therapist in the area of injury prevention and occupational rehabilitation. Her Masters thesis was on factors influencing heavy industry workers to use back protection behaviour. She spent several years working in Canada in the clinical area of medico-legal assessment of work capacity. She was also involved with McMaster University where she tutored and supervised students in their problem based learning occupational therapy program. Susan has been at LaTrobe University since 2000 and has been involved in teaching in the undergraduate Bachelor of OT program, the post graduate occupational health and safety program, and she is currently the first year coordinator of the problem based learning Master of Occupational Therapy Practice (MOTPrac) program. Faculty of Health Sciences Research Priority Area Prevention and Rehabilitation Specific Research Interests •  Occupational health and safety •  Injury prevention •  Occupational rehabilitation •  Work capacity assessment •  Graduate Entry Masters Educational Outcomes

Peer Reviewed Publications

Kunelius, A., Darzins, S., Cromie, J. (2007). Development of normative data for hand strength and anthropometric dimensions in a population of automotive workers, Work: a Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitatio,. 28(3) 267-278 .

Darzins, P., Fone, S. Darzins, S. (2006). Viewpoint: The international classification of functioning, disability and health can help to structure and evaluate therapy. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal , 53, 127-131.

Mason, R., Darzins, S., Cromie, J (2005). Workers' compensation insurance agents' satisfaction with occupational therapy activities of daily living assessments, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal , 52, 225-231.

Quirk, M., Best, M., Darzins, S. (2004) An evaluation of the Victorian code of practice (manual handling) risk assessment worksheet, Occupational Health and Safety – Australia and New Zealand , 20(4):359-369

Darzins, S.W., Higginbotham, H.N. Factors that influence heavy industry workers to use back protection behaviour in Newcastle, Australia . Proceedings of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress , April, 1994.

Darzins, S.W., Reardon, R., Stock, S.R. The Neck and Upper Limb Index: A new measure of functional status of injured workers with neck and upper limb soft tissue disorders . Proceedings of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress , April, 1994.

Stock, SR., Streiner, D., Reardon, R., Darzins, S., Dilworth, P., Tugwell, P., Lolsel, P. (1995) The impact of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders on the lives of affected workers: development of a new functional status index. Quality of Life Research, 4 (491).

Selected Conference Presentations

Vetere, M., Darzins, S ., Robinson, J., (2006). Occupational Therapy enabling management of the chronic pain experience. 14 th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists . (poster presentation)

Kunelius, A., Darzins, S ., Cromie, J., (2006). Development of normative data for hand strength and anthropometric measurements for a population of automotive workers in Melbourne , Australia . 14 th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists . (poster presentation)

Steeves, L., Ross, M., Darzins, S. (1997). Not your Traditional Work Hardening Program. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy Conference - “Navigating Unchartered Waters”, Halifax , Nova Scotia ,.

Darzins, S.W. , Reardon, R., Stock, S.R. (1994). The Neck and Upper Limb Index: A new measure of functional status of injured workers with neck and upper limb soft tissue disorders. 10 th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists

Darzins, S.W. , Higginbotham, H.N. (1994). Factors that influence heavy industry workers to use back protection behaviour, in Newcastle , Australia . 10 th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Learning and Teaching Areas

• Problem Based Learning
• Evidence Based Practice
• Research methodology
• Occupational therapy theory and concepts,
• Adult rehabilitation,
• Occupational health and safety,
• Injury prevention and Rehabilitation.

Professional Activities

Member of the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists - Victoria Inc.

Member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.