Essential Physiotherapy Skills (11540.1)

Required texts

Recommended Text

1.         Shumway-Cook A, Woollacott MH. Motor control: translating research into clinical practice: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007.

2.         Clarkson HM. Musculoskeletal assessment: joint motion and muscle testing: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health; 2013.

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

Students must attempt all assessment items and must gain 50% overall in this unit.

Supplementary assessment

There is no supplementary assessment offered for this unit.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Unable to attend an examination

If unable to attend an examination for any valid reason, it is the Divisional and University policy that you inform the convener beforehand.

For all exams in this unit, if you are unwell or if there are other extenuating circumstances on the day of the examination, it is crucial that you inform the unit convener within 24 hours of the reason for your absence. Medical certificates or other forms of evidence (such as a letter from a counselor) will not be accepted after an examination as the basis for a deferred exam, without having advised the unit convener that there was a problem.

Deferred examinations

Deferred examinations will only be granted for good reasons (e.g. illness).  Students should consult the University's policy in regards to acceptable grounds and the procedures in regard to deferred examinations for a deferred examination http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services/examinations/alternative-exams.

Moderation of assessment

The Discipline of Physiotherapy adheres to the University of Canberra’s policies on moderation. The standard of assessment in this unit will be equivalent wherever and however the unit is delivered.

Assessment will be moderated to ensure that judgments of students’ performance are consistent, transparent, reliable, and valid. The Discipline of Physiotherapy moderation policy can be provided by the Unit Convenor upon request.

Participation requirements

This unit contains participatory elements that are vital to the Australian Physiotherapy Council's professional learning outcomes. Except in the case of extenuating circumstances 100% participation is required in all lectures and practical classes. It is expected that students unable to fulfill these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, by email. Consideration will be given for illness; however evidence such as a medical certificate will be required.

Required IT skills

Syudents are expected to have a computer to take the online quizzes. This unit may involve online meetings in real-time using the Virtual Room in your UCLearn teaching site. The Virtual Room allows you to communicate in real-time with your lecturer and other students. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset. For more information and to test your computer, go to the Virtual Room in your UCLearn site and 'Join Course Room'. This will trigger a tutorial to help familiarise you with the functionality of the virtual room.

Work placement, internships or practicums

While there is no clinical placement attached to this unit, this unit content is assessable in future clinical placements.

Additional information

The following applies to all practical classes:

Pre-­existing conditions

Students are advised that the same warnings given to patients apply to students undertaking this course e.g. where a pre-existing condition(s) may be affected by any activity in the unit, the student is responsible to advise the unit coordinator or relevant teaching staff.

Manual handling

Rehabilitation work requires manual handling.  You will be taught the correct way to perform manual handling and should use the principles at all times to prevent injury to yourself or your client.  If you have any injury that may affect your capacity to perform manual handling skills you are required to notify the unit convener at the commencement of the semester.  If you obtain a new injury during the course of the semester that may affect your capacity to perform manual handling skills you are required to notify the unit convener prior to the next practical class.  In the event of an injury being obtained during the practice of skills in class, you are required to notify the unit convener within 24 hours of the event and complete a UC incident form.

Respect and consent.

The student who is role-playing the patient should be given the full respect and courtesy that you would a patient.  This includes giving warnings, obtaining informed consent before a manual technique is performed, covering body areas that do not need to be exposed for the practice of the technique, and not making any inappropriate verbal comments.

As a ‘patient', you will be expected to partially disrobe to allow the ‘therapist' to see the appropriate body part.  Appropriate clothing reinforces a professional environment that fosters mutual respect, confidence, and learning.

As a therapist, your clothing should not prohibit your movements or present in any way as a safety hazard.  Hair should be kept short or tied back off your face, and out of the patient's way.  Fingernails should be trimmed so that the white of the nail cannot be seen when looking at the hand from the palm.

Students are required to wear their full clinical uniform and their name badge on visits to off-site locations, for practical classes involving visitors, and for presentations.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones must be switched to silent mode prior to the commencement of class.

No cameras or videos are to be used in practical classes without the permission of other students and the unit convener.  Any person taking a picture of another student without permission will be brought to the Head of Discipline.

Privacy and confidentiality the University of Canberra requires all staff and students to be aware of the requirements of privacy of students and patients.

Counselling.

In the course of studying physiotherapy students may find classroom or clinical situations stressful. At UC a free Counselling Service is available for all students located in the UC Health and Counselling Centre on Level B in Building 1. For more information please go to http://www.canberra.edu.au/health­counselling

• Semester 2, 2022, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (208762)
• Semester 2, 2021, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (197464)