Inherent requirements for Physiotherapy


Introduction

Western Sydney University and the School of Science and Health (SSH) strongly supports the right of all people to pursue a Physiotherapy degree.


Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the abilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of the course or unit, while preserving the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment and accreditation processes. The inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete the course that must be met by all students.


Students with a disability or chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments made to enable them to meet these requirements.


The School is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional practice and other activities to enable students to participate in their course. Reasonable adjustments must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.


Throughout their chosen course of study, students may be exposed to situations which may include mixed gender, religious and culturally diverse environments. Further information regarding specific activities within individual courses can be found in the University handbook or by contacting the corresponding Director of Academic Program.


Relevant registration may be sought from the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, which is a partner board of the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Authority (AHPRA) (opens in a new window) upon successful completion of the associated course. Further information on accreditation for individual courses can be found in the University Handbook or by contacting the corresponding Director of Academic Program.


To support prospective and current students’ decision making, a series of inherent requirement statements have been developed. These statements specify the essential skills, knowledge and abilities required for Physiotherapy degrees. Students should use this information to make informed decisions about their chosen course of study. The statements are clustered under 8 domains consisting of ethical behaviour, behavioural stability, legal, communication, cognition, sensory abilities, strength and mobility, and sustainable performance.


The inherent requirements outlined below provide a guide to inform decision making for students and staff.

How to read the inherent requirement statements

If you are intending to enrol in a Physiotherapy degree in the School of Science and Health (SSH), you should look at these inherent requirement statements and think about whether you may experience challenges in meeting these requirements.

If you think you may experience challenges for any reason including a disability or chronic health condition, you should discuss your concerns with the SSH staff, such as the Director of Academic Program, Academic Course Advisor, School Disability Coordinator or campus Disability Advisor. These staff can work collaboratively with you to determine reasonable adjustments to assist you to meet the inherent requirements. In the case where it is determined that inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, the University staff can provide guidance regarding other study options.

These inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other course information and the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (opens in a new window) publications such as the Physiotherapy Code of Conduct, the Physiotherapy Guidelines for Mandatory notifications, and the Physiotherapy practice thresholds in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The inherent requirements are made up of the following five components and domains:

  • Level 1 - introduction to the inherent requirement
  • Level 2 - description of the inherent requirement
  • Level 3 - explanation of why this is an inherent requirement of the course
  • Level 4 - the nature of any adjustments that may be made to allow you to meet the requirement
  • Level 5 - examples of tasks that show you've met the requirement. These are examples only and are not a comprehensive list.

There are eight domains of inherent requirements in the Physiotherapy courses listed above. Some domains have a number of sub-domains.

  • Ethical behaviour
  • Behavioural stability
  • Legal
  • Communication
  • Cognition
  • Sensory abilities
  • Strength & mobility
  • Sustainable performance

Inherent requirement statements

Ethical behaviour

  Inherent requirement statements
1Physiotherapy is a profession that is governed by a code of conduct, standards, guidelines and policies, in which physiotherapists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring safe and professional behaviour in all contexts.
2Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Compliance with the codes, standards, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all
4Adjustments must ensure the codes and standards are not compromised or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Demonstrated ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour
  • Complying with requirements relating to informed consent, privacy and confidentiality with client information in academic and clinical environments

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Behavioural stability

  Inherent requirement statements
1Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in a program of study in physiotherapy.
2Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in diverse and changing academic and clinical environments, which may at times be challenging and unpredictable.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in diverse and changing environments. Physiotherapy students will be exposed to emergency situations and human suffering which are challenging and unpredictable, and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events
4Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and clinical environments. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Reflecting on practice and responding appropriately to constructive feedback
  • Coping with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals in the clinical environment

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Legal

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Communication

This area of study requires effective, verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills.

Verbal
  Inherent requirement statements
1 Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of care.
2

Student demonstrates:

  • Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences
  • Ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner
  • Ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation
  • Timely clear feedback and reporting
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others develops trusting relationships
  • Communication may be restricted to verbal because of limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions)
  • Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment
  • Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management
  • Interactive verbal communication is necessary to ensure effective assessment of symptoms to facilitate an accurate assessment
4Adjustments must meet the necessary standards of functional effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy to ensure safe and appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Provide clear verbal instructions to direct client into appropriate position for treatment
  • Establishing rapport, through verbal communication, with clients during physiotherapy management
  • Understanding verbal communication and responding appropriately to requests from supervisors and other health professionals in the clinical setting
Non-verbal
  Inherent requirement statements
1 Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to physiotherapy and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental.
2

Student demonstrates:

  • Capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues
  • Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours
  • Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships
  • Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships
  • Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences, displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships
  • The ability to observe and understand non -verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients
4Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues and activities in classroom situations
  • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the clinical environment
Written
  Inherent requirement statements
1Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental physiotherapy responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.
2Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Construction of written text based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice
  • Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes which meet legal requirements, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care
4Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical environments. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Constructing an essay to academic standards
  • Constructing patient notes, reports and information sheets in a timely manner that meets legal and professional standards

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Cognition

This area of study requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition, literacy (language) and numeracy.

Knowledge and cognitive skills
  Inherent requirement statements
1 Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
2

Student demonstrates:

  • Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information
  • Ability to process information relevant to practice
  • Ability to integrate and implement knowledge into practice in a timely manner
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Safe and effective delivery of physiotherapy management is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately
4Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items
  • Ensuring patient safety and effective healthcare provision by appropriately applying knowledge of theory, research evidence, policies and procedures in the clinical environment
Literacy (language)
  Inherent requirement statements
1Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
2

Student demonstrates:

  • Ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages
  • Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information
  • Capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of care
  • The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of care
4Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Conveying spoken instructions accurately and effectively in a clinical setting
  • Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments
  • Producing accurate, concise and clear patient medical records and written communication with other healthcare providers which meet legal requirements
Numeracy
  Inherent requirement statements
1Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
2Student demonstrates the ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in physiotherapy to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of physiotherapy care
4Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Administering accurate electrotherapy dosages
  • Accurately recording measurements in patient notes

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Sensory abilities

This area of study requires adequate visual, auditory and tactile abilities.

Visual
  Inherent requirement statements
1Adequate Visual acuity is required for safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
2Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of tasks.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care of self and to others
  • Visual observations, examinations and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice
4Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Observing and detecting subtle changes in posture, movement and the ability to perform functional activities during assessment and treatment
  • Safely operating electrotherapy equipment
Auditory
  Inherent requirement statements
1Adequate auditory ability is required for safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
2Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of tasks.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage an individual's health needs consistently and accurately
  • Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice
4Adjustments must address the need to perform the range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment of safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Performing accurately cardiopulmonary assessment by auscultation
  • Detecting care requests by calls for help or activation of a call bell
Tactile
  Inherent requirement statements
1Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe physiotherapy practice.
2Student demonstrates sufficient tactile function to undertake the required range of skills and assessments.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess and detect patients' physical characteristics and act on any abnormalities detected to provide appropriate physiotherapy practice
  • Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice
4Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Detecting changes in skin temperature e.g. assessment for inflammation in soft tissues
  • Palpating joints, muscles, and soft tissues to detect anatomical or movement abnormalities

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Strength & mobility

This area of study requires gross and fine motor skills.

Gross motor
  Inherent requirement statements
1Physiotherapy is a profession that involves physical demands and requires gross motor function.
2Student demonstrates the ability to perform gross motor skills to function within the scope of practice.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others
  • Ability to appropriately position, self, equipment and patient so as to perform tasks reliably with a range of movement is required to reduce risk of harm to self and others
4Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provided appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Maintaining own and patient’s balance, while providing patient support, when transferring and mobilising individuals in a safe manner
  • Evaluating patient’s in a safe and effective manner, who have varying physical capacity, when positioning on plinths and hospital beds, mats on the floor, on chairs and when standing
Fine motor
  Inherent requirement statements
1Physiotherapy is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
2Student demonstrated ability to use fine motor skills to function within scope of practice.
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects and individuals. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others
4Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Performing assessment techniques, e.g. evaluation of hand sensation and joint movement
  • Performing treatment techniques, e.g. suctioning, joint mobilisation and soft tissue massage

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Sustainable performance

  Inherent requirement statements
1Physiotherapy practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level.
2

Student demonstrates:

  • Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time
  • The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately
  • The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time
3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care
4Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the campus Disability Advisor.
5

Exemplars:

  • Providing consistent physiotherapy management over a negotiated time frame
  • Maintaining appropriate time management to provide healthcare services to the expected number of patients in a given time frame

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*Developed from: Johnson, A., Allan,T., Phillips,K., Azzopardi,T., Dickson,C., Goldsmith,M & Hengstberger-Sims, C. (2011). Inherent Requirements of Nursing Education (IRONE), Western Sydney University School of Nursing & Midwifery and Student Equity & Disability Services

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