Unit Outline

This professional experience placement unit brings together core foundational physiotherapy practice knowledge and skills and requires students to apply them to work in supervised practice with clients who are in aged care, are orthopaedic inpatients or who have lower limb problems. There is a focus on the application of core theoretical knowledge and threshold concepts related to person and client centredness, biopsychosocial models of practice, clinical reasoning, self-reflection, critical thinking, cultural safety and awareness, and evidence-based practice to direct client care. Students will develop knowledge and skills, to a foundation level, related to physiotherapy assessment and treatment skills for in the management of people with neuro-musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limb. Students will learn to evaluate, quantify and interpret participation and activity limitations and impairments in people with neuro-musculoskeletal conditions of the lower limb, and to provide appropriate interventions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Demonstrate professional conduct and consistent adherence to legal, professional, ethical standards, codes and guidelines in the delivery of person-centred physiotherapy practice for people with conditions of the lower limb.
2.	Demonstrate application of the principles that underpin assessment procedures used in physiotherapy to identify functional limitations and impairments.
3.	Select, conduct and interpret simulated and real client assessments and treatments of people with lower limb conditions.
4.	Collaborate interprofessionally and communicate clinical information to patients/clients, carers, other healthcare practitioners and other stakeholders.
5.	Justify the clinical reasoning rationale for assessment and selection and implementation of physiotherapy treatments used in the management of people with common lower limb conditions.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Co-requisite	CXA736 Foundations of Physiotherapy

Alterations as a result of student feedback

In addition to the update considered to 2023 offering, as reflected in the second cohort student feedback, further updates on the online asynchronous contents and face-to-face practical workbook contents.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Three online quizzes	Week 5	30 %	LO2, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Physiotherapy Skill Performance.	Week 8	0 %	LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice.	Week 15	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Applied Clinical Reasoning.	Week 15	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Three online quizzes

Task Description:

Short quizzes
Three online quizzes - each 30 minutes

Task Length:

Three quizzes, each lasting approximately 15 minutes

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify the appropriate components, procedures, and interpretation of assessments to use for people with lower limb problems.	LO2, LO5
2	Identify the appropriate components, procedures and interpretation of treatments to use for people with lower limb problems.	LO2, LO5

Assessment Task 2: Physiotherapy Skill Performance.

Task Description:

This is a skills-based hurdle assessment to assess your ability to meet the participation requirements for your placement. These participation requirements are based on professional standards, the course accreditation requirements and the College of Health and Medicine Mandatory Functional Requirements.
The tasks being assessed are what are necessary for your PEP. Specifically you will be required to 1) safely and effectively assess and treat a relevant patient and 2) communicate and justify the reasoning behind your decisions.

This hurdle task must be passed prior to commencing PEP. You will find the list of examinable skills in the MyLO site.

Task Length:

30 minutes

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Select appropriate techniques	LO3
2	Perform techniques effectively	LO3
3	Interpret findings appropriately	LO3
4	Communicate effectively	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice.

Task Description:

During your professional experience placement (PEP), you are required to demonstrate adequate performance in practice. The supervising physiotherapists will assess your performance at the end of each 2-week placement.
You will be assessed against a selection of items from the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool, which will include competencies in the following domains:
• Professional Behaviour
• Communication
• Assessment and Planning
• Intervention
• Evidence Based Practice

The assessments are to be uploaded to your Professional Portfolio to maintain a record of your professional development across all competency domains on multiple occasions.

The requirements for performance in PEP are stated in your Clinical Education Handbook. Whilst physiotherapy clinical educators report on your performance in practice, it is the UTAS School of Health Sciences that has the responsibility for determining your final assessment results in this unit.

This is a hurdle task that must be successfully completed to pass the unit.

Task Length:

Four weeks - PEP Rotation

Due Date:

Week 15

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Meet PEP requirements as outlined in the Clinical Education Handbook	LO1
2	Exhibits Professional Behaviour	LO1
3	Demonstrates effective Communication	LO4
4	Recognises evidence-based practice	LO2
5	Selects, conducts, and performs appropriate skills	LO3
6	Demonstrates safety and risk management	LO1

Assessment Task 4: Applied Clinical Reasoning.

Task Description:

The assessment task requires you to describe a situation from your placement experience in which you undertook a client assessment and formulated a physiotherapy intervention plan and critically reflect on your performance.

Part A. Application of Clinical Reasoning (2000 words)
The description must outline your approach to client assessment and depict how you applied a systematic clinical reasoning approach to the design and evaluation of an intervention/treatment program. The clinical reasoning approach must be person centred and evidence based.

Part B. Critical Self-Reflection (500 words)
In this part you will write a critical reflection about your performance in the application of clinical reasoning with a real client.

The critical reflection must be uploaded to your Professional Portfolio and used to update your professional development plan.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

Week 15

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply a structured clinical reasoning process to devise, implement and evaluate client-centred physiotherapy initiatives.	LO2
2	Use evidence-based practice to inform clinical decision making.	LO5
3	Use person-centred professional interaction that is respectful and ensures dignity and consent.	LO4
4	Critically reflect on performance.	LO1
5	Relate reflection back to key areas of professional development.	LO1

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

You will be able to access the topic-specific reading list via the Readings List section on the MyLO homepage. You will be directed to topic-specific readings to complete related activities on each topic

Recommended reading materials

In addition to the topic specific reading lists, you will have access to the following books that will be useful developing your knowledge and understanding of the contents in this unit. When seeking sources of evidence to support your assignments you will find these textbooks as a useful starting point. These textbooks are available for a limited loan period from the University Library collections.
•   Biel, A. and Dorn, R., 2014. Trail guide to the body: How to locate muscles, bones, and more, 5th Ed. Andrew Biel.
•   David, M. and Robert, M., 2018. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 7th Ed. Elsevier.
•   David, M., James, Z., William, Q., Robert, M., 2016. Pathology and Intervention in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. 2nd Ed. Elsevier.
•   Jull, G., Moore, A., Falla, D., Lewis, J., McCarthy, C. and Sterling, M., 2015. Grieve's Modern Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, 4th edition. Elsevier.
•   Elly H. and Kevin A., 2013. Maitland’s Peripheral Manipulations. Management of Musculoskeletal disorders – Vol 2. 5th Ed. Elsevier.
•   Brukner, P., Clarsen, B., Cook, J., Cools, A., Crossley, K., Hutchinson, M., McCrory, P., Bhar, R. and Khan, K., 2017. Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine: Injuries, Volume 1. 5th Ed. McGraw Hill.
•   Butler, D.S. and Moseley, G.L., 2013. Explain Pain. 2nd Ed. Noigroup publications.
•   Kisner, C., Colby, L. and Borstad, JC., 2018. Therapeutic Exercise: Foundation and Techniques. 7th Ed. McGraw Hill.
•   Kim D. and Amy K.S., 2018. Therapeutic Exercise Prescription. 1st Ed. Elsevier.
•   Kate Woolf-May., 2006. Exercise Prescription – The Physiological Foundation: A guide for health, sports, and exercise professionals. 1st Ed. Elsevier.
•   John, D., Stanley, M., Erwin, G., 2013. The Physiological Basis of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2nd Ed. Butterworth-Heinemann.
•   Leon, C. and Judith, D., 2011. Clinical Application of Neuromuscular Techniques: Volume 2 The Lower Body, 2nd Ed. Churchill Livingstone. Elsevier.
•   Thuy, B. and Clint, B. Length, Strength, and Kinesio Tape., 2016. Muscle testing and Taping interventions, 1st Ed. Elsevier.
•   Tim Watson., 2008. Electrotherapy: Evidence-based practice. 12th Ed. Churchill Livingstone. Elsevier.

Other required resources

UTAS students are eligible to use Office 365 free of charge. It is a software package built around the Microsoft Office platform that includes Outlook (email and calendars), Word (word processor), Excel (spreadsheet), and PowerPoint (presentation). These are available on and off campus. For further information and instructions to install Office 365 on your desktop and/or mobile device, please visit http://www.utas.edu.au/students/starting-uni/first-steps/prepare
Zoom is available for video conference. Visit https://www.utas.edu.au/zoom/getting-started to find tutorials and help getting started.