Unit Outline

This professional experience placement unit brings together core foundational physiotherapy practice knowledge and skills and requires you to apply them to work in supervised practice with clients who present with musculoskeletal conditions. There is a retained focus on the application of core theoretical knowledge and threshold concepts related to person centredness, clinical reasoning, self-reflection, critical thinking, cultural safety and awareness, and evidence-based practice to direct client care. You will further develop knowledge and skills, to a new graduate level, related to physiotherapy assessment and treatment skills for in the management of neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. You will learn to evaluate, quantify and interpret participation and activity limitations and impairments in people with neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, 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 adherence to the legal and professional code of conduct for physiotherapy practice as outlined by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia.
2	Conduct a safe, culturally sensitive, and effective physiotherapy examination and assessment of neuro-musculoskeletal dysfunction and apply physiotherapy interventions to clients with neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.
3	Apply a structured evidence-informed clinical reasoning process to the planning and implementation of the examination and intervention for clients with neuro-musculoskeletal disorders.
4	Critically reflect on the performance of musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice in clients with neuro-musculoskeletal presentations in accordance with the relevant physiotherapy threshold standard.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	CXA752 Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice CXA753 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy 1 CXA754 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy 2

Alterations as a result of student feedback

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:	Clinical Reasoning & Reflective Evidence Portfolio	See the MyLO site for the due date	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice	Week 13	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Clinical Reasoning & Reflective Evidence Portfolio

Task Description:

This assessment tracks your clinical development in real-time throughout the placement. It focuses on clinical calibration: your ability to accurately judge your readiness for practice and integrate evidence and feedback into clinical work.

Each week, you must document one complete cycle (max 400 words) in your portfolio to guide your planning meeting with your Clinical Educator. This includes:
• A self-rating of your readiness, compared against your educator’s rating.
• Analysis of any agreement gaps between your self-assessment and educator feedback.
• A deconstructed clinical case.
• Documentation of specific feedback received, and the subsequent clinical actions taken to improve.

The portfolio concludes with a 500-word synthesis. You will analyse your agreement gaps, reflect on your values and assumptions using Driscoll’s Model, and map your progress to the Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds.

Task Length:

2000 words (Part A: 1500; Part B: 500)

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate the ability to deconstruct clinical encounters, formulate hypotheses, and adapt management plans through the weekly Reasoning Artefacts.	LO3
2	Justify clinical decision-making by integrating high-quality evidence into the weekly management of specific patient cases.	LO1, LO3
3	Critically reflect on clinical performance, professional values, and the calibration of self-perception against external standards using structured reflective models.	LO2, LO4
4	Demonstrate person-centred communication and interprofessional collaboration through consistent feedback integration and rapport building within the clinical environment.	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice

Task Description:

During your professional experience placement (PEP), you are required to demonstrate adequate performance in practice. Your performance will be assessed twice over the duration of the five-week placement (first formatively at mid-placement and summatively at the end, both times using the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice [APP] tool).

This is a hurdle assessment task and you must pass to be eligible for a pass in the unit.

Task Length:

5 weeks

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

50 %

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.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

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.