Cardiothoracic Interventions 2 (8979.3)

Required texts

Required text (same as CI1):

Main E and Denehy L (2016) Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy, Adults and Paediatrics (5th Edn). Elsevier

(available online and for short term loan from the University library)

Recommended readings:

Kenyon J and Kenyon K (2009) The Physiotherapist's Pocket Book: Essential Facts at Your Fingertips Churchill Livingstone ISBN 978-0-08-044984-5.

Other readings are directly available through Canvas.

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

The theory exam in Week 11 will be computer based. It will be made up of multiple choice type questions. Students are expected to be able to complete this task in a computer-based enviroment, as they will soon be going on clinical placements where computer-based communication is a required skill. 

To successfully complete this unit, students must attempt all items AND obtain a total score of at least 50% for the unit. 

Moderation of assessment

The University of Canberra’s policies on moderation apply to all physiotherapy units. 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 moderation policy can be provided by the Unit Convenor upon request.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

This Unit contains participatory elements which are vital to the Australian Physiotherapy Council professional learning outcomes for this Unit. Except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% attendance is expected at all lectures, and 100% participation is required in all tutorials, practicals and presentations.

It is expected that students unable to fulfil these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical by email.

The ICU visit is NOT compulsory, but previous students have found it a valuable experience to integrate their classroom learning in the real world. The ICU visit may be altered / amended / cancelled depending on the COVID situation, advice at the time, and operational requirements of the ICU. We appreciate students' understanding in this matter. Students not attending the ICU visit will still be required to ensure all pre-placement requirements are met in preparation for their clinical placements.

Required IT skills

Students should be conversant with searching for and accessing information via electronic means; the use of Canvas; and word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software. Students will be introduced to the ‘Voice Thread' platform. Further information on this program will be made available through Canvas.

Work placement, internships or practicums

Visiting clinical sites and work integrated learning is an essential part of the University of Canberra physiotherapy programs. This experience enables knowledge to be embedded in a clinical context with the assistance of trained clinical supervisors, and cannot be attained in any other setting. The control of access to work-integrated learning facilities derives from contractual arrangements with Canberra Health Services, NSW Health and other hospitals, centres and practices. University of Canberra is obliged to accept the rules and regulations that govern who they will accept into those premises.   

It is beyond University of Canberra's control to influence the health facilities to change their acceptability requirements.

a) UC pre-placement requirements – e.g. vaccines, police checks etc.

As part of this unit, students have to option to attend an observational visit to the Intensive Care Unit at Canberra Hospital. Students must complete their pre-placement requirements before being able to attend. Pre-placement requirements are to be uploaded to InPlace. Pre-placement requirements are located at: www.canberra.edu.au/placement. Further information can be obtained from the unit convener if required.

Student who have not met pre-placement requirements by the specified due date will not be able to attend the optional ICU observational visit.

b) Industry mandatory pre-placement requirements (e.g. ACT Health e-learning modules etc.)

ACT Health requires further mandatory pre-placement requirements such as learning packages, prior to attandance on site. Students will receive specific instructions on what pre-placement e-learnings are required to be completed and how to upload certificates of completion. 

Students who have not  completed the pre-placement requirements by the due date will not be able to attend the optional ICU observational visit.

Police Checks 

All of the external agencies require a police check prior to permitting a student to undertake work integrated learning (clinical) placement; and the results of the police check may be used as a basis to refuse access to a clinical placement at the external agency. This decision is solely at the discretion of the external agency.

Privacy and confidentiality

 As part of its partnership arrangements with Health Agencies, the Faculty of Health at the University of Canberra is aware of the issue of confidentiality of information gained from authentic field experiences. Students are expected to analyse their experiences from the field as part of their academic study. In order to support learning while protecting confidentiality of information, a privacy procedure has been developed. Please access at the WIL Canvas site.

Working with Vulnerable People  

Clinical placements, visits to children's facilities, children's sports, residential aged care and other aged care facilities, require the student to be carrying on their person a current and valid "Working with Vulnerable People Card". This can be obtained from Canberra Connect shopfronts. You can commence the application online, but must attend the shopfront to complete it. For students, this is free.

Apply for or renew a WWVP registration - Access Canberra (act.gov.au)

Additional information

Mandatory notification and physiotherapy student registration

Under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, physiotherapy practitioners (registered physiotherapists) and education providers have an obligation to report ‘notifiable conduct' to the Physiotherapy Board of Australia in order to prevent the public being placed at risk of harm.

Education providers are also required, under s.143 of the National Law, to make mandatory notifications in relation to students, if the provider reasonably believes:

1. a student enrolled with the provider has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm
2. a student for whom the provider has arranged clinical training has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking the clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

Practitioners are required to make a mandatory notification in relation to a student if the practitioner reasonably believes that a student has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

All concerns raised within the Discipline of Physiotherapy or by clinical supervisors or preceptors will be reviewed by the Head of Discipline and the Course Convener before any reporting action is taken.

These professional obligations are taken seriously by staff and the University.

Students should be aware of their obligations under student registration. For further information, please refer to the following websites:

1. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority

2. Physiotherapy Board of Australia, Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational Health and Safety

The following applies to all tutorial classes and practicums:

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 convenor or relevant teaching staff. Please also note the inherent requirements for physiotherapy

Manual handling

Physiotherapy 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 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 sustained 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

Students will be required to play the part of a patient and a therapist during practical classes. This may involve partially disrobing as appropriate. All professional courtesy and respect is to be provided. This includes consent, draping, and safety.

The student who is role-playing the patient should be given the full respect and courtesy that a patient would. 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 relevant body regions. Please ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing for the level of dress required during practical classes. Appropriate clothing reinforces a professional environment that fosters mutual respect, confidence and learning.

Recording devices

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 specific permission of other students and the unit convener. Any person taking a picture of another student without permission will be requested to leave the class and the images will be confiscated and deleted. They will then be asked to meet with the Head of Discipline.

Mobile phones must be switched to silent mode or left in lockers while on placement. No cameras or videos are to be used on wards.  Any person taking a picture of another student, a patient, a staff member, a member of the public, patient notes or other patient related material without permission will be requested to leave the placement and the images will be confiscated and deleted. They will also be suspended from placement and asked to meet with the ADE. 

Counselling

In the course of studying physiotherapy students may be exposed to clinical cases and situations that may be stressful. At UC a free Counselling Service is available for all students. All sessions are confidential. The UC Counselling Service is located in the UC Health and Counselling Centre on Level B in Building 1. For more information please go to Medical and Counselling Centre - University of Canberra

• Semester 1, 2024, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (221127)