Electrophysical Agents (8980.2)

Required texts

Required Text:

Belanger A-Y (2015) Therapeutic Electrophysical Agents: Evidence Behind Practice, Third Edition Wolters Kluwer, ISBN 978-1-4511-8274-3.

Additional Reading:

Electrotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice. 12^th Ed, Watson T Ed, Churchill Livingstone (2008), RM871.C63 2008, Available on 3 hour loan.

Guidelines for the Clinical use of Electrophysical Agents. Robertson V et al. Australian Physiotherapy Association (2001). Accessible from the APA website. www.physiotherapy.asn.au/

http://www.electrotherapy.org/ (Electrotherapy home page)

http://www.pedro.fhs.usyd.edu.au/index.html (Physiotherapy Evidence Database)

http://acc.cochrane.org/cochrane-library (The Australian Cochrane Collaboration)

http://www.journalofphysiotherapy.com/ (Journal of the Australian Physiotherapy Association)

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

You are required to pass the following pieces of assessment to pass this Unit.

• The Safety Assessment
• Practical Assessment Electrophysical
• Critically Appraised Paper

Should you fail to pass any of these nominated assessment items, you will fail 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. In the case of clinical placements, fieldwork, or other forms of practicums, moderation processes will be outlined on Canvas.

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 clinical placements, externships, tutorials, practicals and presentations.  Consideration will be given for illness; however evidence such as a medical certificate will be required.

Required IT skills

The use of Canvas, library searching skills, word processing and electronic presentation skills are necessary for this unit. It is recomended that the Canvas quizes are completed on a desktop computer. The formatting may not be suited to tablets or other devices. 

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

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 http://www.canberra.edu.au/health-counselling

• Physio Non Standard Period 1, 2019, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (191762)
• Trimester 1, 2018, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (180877)
• Flexible Period 2, 2017, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (169933)