Admission and Unit Information - Master of Physiotherapy

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills developed in the first two years of physiotherapy study. It focuses on client assessment and evidence-based management in acute cardiorespiratory physiotherapy contexts. This will require strong communication skills, ethical and professional behaviour and an appreciation of interprofessional care. Professional competencies addressed in this unit include introductory skills in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy assessment, interpretation and prioritisation of findings along with the implementation and evaluation of appropriate treatment strategies.

This unit introduces the scope of physiotherapy practice in Australia and around the world as well as ethical and professional behaviours and communication skills required by physiotherapists. Students will develop skills in conducting simple subjective and objective examinations of posture, range of movement, muscle strength and length and providing gait rehabilitation. These knowledge and skills will be applied to the physiotherapy management of clients with acute neurological disorders. physiotherapy contexts. Neurological competencies addressed in this unit include introductory skills in neurological physiotherapy assessment, interpretation and prioritisation of findings along with the selection and implementation and evaluation of appropriate treatment strategies.

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills developed in the first 2 years of physiotherapy study. It focuses on client assessment and evidence-based management in acute orthopaedic physiotherapy contexts. This will require strong communication skills, ethical and professional behaviour and an appreciation of interprofessional care. Professional competencies addressed in this unit include introductory skills in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy assessment, interpretation and prioritisation of findings along with the implementation and evaluation of appropriate treatment strategies.

This unit focuses on the core competencies of physiotherapy professional practice in acute care settings. These competencies will be developed through a supervised, community-based clinical education placement. Professional competencies addressed in this unit include communication, documentation, reflection, professional and ethical behaviour. In addition, students will develop skills in physiotherapy assessment and treatment in acute care settings which may span the musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory domains.

Exercise Rehabilitation focuses on client management with exercise in a variety of settings across the lifespan. This will require effective communication skills, ethical and professional behaviour and an appreciation of interprofessional care. Professional competencies addressed in this unit include an understanding of the normal physiological responses to exercise, the implications of pathology and exercise and the integration of exercise based interventions with other physiotherapy modalities.

This unit focuses on client assessment and evidence-based physiotherapy management in neurological rehabilitation. This will require strong communication skills, ethical and professional behaviour and an appreciation of interprofessional care. Professional competencies addressed in this unit include clinical reasoning in neurological physiotherapy assessment and treatment, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based interventions and management of complex conditions.

In this unit, students incorporate previous research and biostatistics knowledge to develop new skills for using evidence to inform all aspects of their professional practice. Evidence-based practice uses an enquiry led approach to manage expanding and uncertain knowledge by formulating answerable questions, effectively searching literature, critically appraising evidence validity and results, and to assess its significance in clinical practice and healthcare decision-making.

This unit focuses on client assessment and treatment using manual physiotherapy techniques. An emphasis is placed on diagnostic reasoning and evaluation, understanding the implications of pathology in a physiotherapy context, prioritising problems and integrating manual therapy with other physiotherapy treatments. This requires strong communication skills, ethical and professional behaviour and an appreciation of interprofessional care.

This unit aims to prepare the student as a competent entry-level practitioner in paediatric physiotherapy. It focuses on understanding the changes which occur from infancy to maturity and the impact of congenital or acquired conditions, or lifestyle diseases causing dysfunction. Clinical and ethical reasoning and family-centred practice are both stressed. The approach will also emphasise the role of physiotherapy within inter-professional teams to prepare for different work settings (acute care, rehabilitation and/or community). The unit integrates prior learning from previous years (especially units related to neurology musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary physiotherapy and exercise rehabilitation).

This unit focuses on the role of physiotherapy in chronic disease management. A problem based learning approach will be undertaken to provide students with the theory, research and practice which underpins the assessment and treatment of people with chronic disease. The role of lifestyle factors in the development of chronic disease will be explored, along with health promotion and preventative strategies. The importance of client-centred care, which respects culture and diversity, and the multidisciplinary team approach will also be investigated in the context of frequently occurring chronic conditions.

In this unit, students will further develop their clinical reasoning with respect to clients with complex presentations. A framework will be presented, which synthesises complex information such as the theory, research and skills in musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological physiotherapy across the lifespan, and theories related to professionalism, ethics, safety and communication. This framework will be applied to the area of Intensive Care, where students will develop further knowledge and skills in specific cardiorespiratory techniques such as manual hyperinflation and suctioning. This unit also contains the discussion of a range of recent professional developments in physiotherapy, which are relevant to entry level practitioners. These include registration as a physiotherapist, continuing education, workload control strategies, duty of care responsibilities and quality improvement processes (including critical reflection), employment strategies and career pathways.

In this unit, students will further develop their evidence based practice skills and knowledge by applying it in practice settings. This will involve applying the academic knowledge and skills from three prior evidence based practice and research units by synthesising it with client goals and values, and experience gained during an advanced level clinical placement. Students will be allocated a topic area from which they will identify a clinical “problem” or health-related issue. Students will then plan and execute a clinical evidence based research investigation. This will involve the formulation of a clinical question, identification and appraisal of best available research evidence, and synthesis of this information to develop a client-group specific, evidence-based management strategy. Students will be expected to reflect on the barriers and facilitators of evidence based practice, and present the outcomes of their research at a student conference. This unit also involves students developing leadership skills by facilitating and participating in a journal club.

This clinical education placement will operationalise the theoretical and research knowledge and skills learnt in 400997 Exercise Rehabilitation and 400998 Neurological Rehabilitation. Students will be required to assess and treat clients in rehabilitation settings. Treatments will be focused on improving client mobility and function that is altered by illness, injury, chronic disease or a disability. This will assist in preparation for client discharge home or to an appropriate residential facility, as well as enhance functioning at home or in the community. Assessment and treatments will tend to have a neurological physiotherapy focus, but clients may also present with cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions which require intervention. Students will, therefore, be expected to integrate knowledge and skills learnt across all physiotherapy-specific units in their provision of client-centred care as well as draw on their more general knowledge from earlier stages of the course.

This clinical education placement will operationalise the theoretical and research knowledge and skills learnt in 400983 Orthopaedic Physiotherapy, 400999 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and 400997 Exercise Rehabilitation. Students will be required to assess and treat clients who present in hospital outpatient departments, community settings and private practices. This involves the assessment of the client’s impairments, function and disability within their home and community environment. Interventions may include manual and exercise therapy; use of electrophysical agents, taping and bracing; and education regarding both prevention and management of conditions. Assessment and treatment will tend to have a musculoskeletal physiotherapy focus, however, clients may also present with neurological and cardiorespiratory conditions that require intervention. Students will therefore integrate knowledge and skills learnt across all physiotherapy-specific units in their provision of client-centred care as well as draw on their more general knowledge from earlier stages of the course.

This clinical education placement will operationalise the knowledge (theory and research) and skills learnt in Paediatric Physiotherapy. Students will also apply the knowledge and skills learnt in musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological physiotherapy units to provide appropriate and holistic care to paediatric clients. Students will be required to assess and treat paediatric clients in acute hospital, rehabilitation or community settings. This involves the consideration of a child’s age, development, and diagnosis during assessment and treatment. Advanced communication skills are required to educate parents and children on the prevention and management of the conditions. Students will therefore be expected to integrate knowledge and skills learnt all physiotherapy-specific units in their provision of client-centred care as well as draw on their more general knowledge from earlier stages of the course.

This clinical unit involves the integration of musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy assessment and treatment skills in an advanced physiotherapy care environment. Advanced problem-solving skills will be required to manage complicated client presentations in various clinical environments. Advanced care environments may include speciality areas such as burns, spinal, emergency, intensive care and aged care units within a hospital, or private practice and community-based services where the physiotherapist is the primary care practitioner. Student preferences and prior clinical placement experience will be considered in the clinical placement allocation process. This will help to ensure all students are given the opportunity to explore the breadth of practice of physiotherapy in different environments.