Course Outline
HLT320 Clinical Foundations in Prosthetics
Course Coordinator:Adam Holden (aholden@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health
2026Trimester 2
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course introduces the clinical aspects of Prosthetics related to the assessment of people with amputations, implementation of an intervention strategy, and evaluating the evidence related to common aspects of care. Students learn about the design of socket interfaces and suspensions, prosthetic foot types, and learn to evaluate the fit and function of a prosthesis for an individual. The projects in the trimester introduce students to working directly with individuals with amputations. Students continue to enhance psychomotor skills working on these projects.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Independent structured learning materials | 4hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Workshop | 3hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Laboratory 1 – Laboratory | 3hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
Course Topics
Module 1: Amputation incidence, aetiology and healthcare frameworks
Module 2: Transtibial prostheses
Module 3: Prosthetic gait
What level is this course?
300 Level (Graduate)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * The Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association | |
| 1 | Critical analysis of current evidence relating to prosthetic provision, client management, and healthcare services |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
1.2.1, 1.2.4, 1.3.1, 2.2.1, 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.2.1 |
| 2 | Demonstration of knowledge regarding the optimal alignment and fitting of a prosthetic device |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged Problem solving |
1.1.5, 1.1.6, 1.3.2, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.4, 2.4.5, 3.1.3, 3.2.1, 5.2.1, 5.2.4 |
| 3 | Application of and reflection on clinical skills relating to prosthetic provision | Empowered |
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.1.5, 1.1.6, 1.1.7, 2.1.3, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 3.1.1, 3.1.3, 3.2.2, 5.2.1 |
| 4 | Demonstrate Safe technical skills in the provision of prosthetic devices | Empowered |
3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.2.2, 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 5.3.2 |
| 5 | Effective communication with clients and professional colleagues. |
Empowered Communication |
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.1.5, 1.1.6, 1.1.7, 5.3.1 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| The Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association | |
| 1.2.1 | Receives and develops client referrals, professional handovers health professional team reports and care plans |
| 1.2.4 | Actively participates within the health professional team and seeks opportunities to demonstrate professional excellence |
| 1.3.1 | Provides clinical justification for prescribed orthotic/prosthetic client treatment |
| 1.1.5 | Listens effectively to the client and/or carer |
| 1.1.6 | Encourages the client and/or carer to participate and provide feedback |
| 1.3.2 | Provides relevant information in order to facilitate client access to care |
| 1.1.1 | Ensures all interactions with the client and/or carer demonstrate respect, honesty, empathy and dignity and are conducted in a culturally appropriate manner |
| 1.1.2 | Ensures the client is the focus of the care pathway |
| 1.1.3 | Ensures the client and/or carer is aware of their rights and responsibilities |
| 1.1.4 | Obtains informed consent from the client and/or carer prior to the provision of care |
| 1.1.7 | Provides prompt, accurate and comprehensive information in clear terms to enable the client and/or carer to make an informed decision |
| 2.2.1 | Accesses and utilises evidence to guide clinical decisions |
| 2.4.1 | Considers all relevant characteristics of the client during orthosis/prosthesis fitting and review processes |
| 2.4.2 | Uses appropriate techniques to ensure optimal fit and function of the orthosis/prosthesis |
| 2.4.4 | Evaluates and monitors treatment outcomes using patient feedback and/or outcome measures |
| 2.4.5 | Modifies treatment to ensure best possible outcomes are maintained |
| 2.1.3 | Performs assessment professionally, safely and effectively |
| 3.1.3 | Performs and/or coordinates requires modifications of orthoses/prostheses |
| 3.2.1 | Assesses the orthosis/prosthesis for structural safety at appropriate intervals |
| 3.1.1 | Utilises appropriate casting, measuring and/or cast modification techniques to facilitate fabrication |
| 3.2.2 | Ensures the orthosis/prosthesis is compliant with manufacturer guidelines and standards |
| 3.1.2 | Fabricates and/or coordinates the optimal fabrication of orthoses/prostheses |
| 5.2.1 | Recognises the responsibility to do no harm |
| 5.2.4 | Recognises and responds appropriately if client is at risk |
| 5.1.1 | Adheres to legislation and workplace guidelines relating to safety |
| 5.1.2 | Identifies workplace hazards and acts to eliminate or reduce risks |
| 5.2.2 | Complies with relevant laws, regulations, policies and guidelines |
| 5.3.2 | Seeks assistance or refers on when beyond own level of competence |
| 5.3.1 | Works within professional scope of practice, consent of client and/or carer and authority of employer |
| 6.1.1 | Undertakes independent learning to further own knowledge and skills on a continuous basis |
| 6.1.2 | Shares skills and knowledge with health professional colleagues and students |
| 6.2.1 | Assesses and critically analyses sources of evidence |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
HLT204 and enrolled in either SC307 or SC367 with a Prosthetics & Orthotics Extended Major.
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Familiarity with lab procedures and tool usage
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
In week 4, you will submit your first activity for formative feedback that will reflect your performance to assist in preparing for course tasks.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Written Piece | Individual | 20% | 1000-words (+/- 10%) |
Week 6 | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Portfolio | Individual | 40% | 2000 words + 3 minute video reflection |
Week 11 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 40% | 12 minutes oral presentation to be held during exam period. |
Exam Period | Exam Venue |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Report | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to introduce you to areas of clinical practice and allow you to explore the key concepts and literature relating to a topic in prosthetics. This task will be useful in establishing the relevance of literature use in everyday practice. |
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| Product: | Written Piece | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | 1000-word written piece |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Skills portfolio | |||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this portfolio is for you to demonstrate your developing competence and theory connection in the key clinical and theoretical skill areas in the provision of prosthetic intervention over the client journey |
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| Product: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Completed in Canvas, there will be submissions throughout the trimester to build your portfolio |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Prosthetic interactive oral discussion | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this interactive oral is to demonstrate the knowledge you have accrued over the trimester, in an authentic simulated clinical scenario. This oral discussion will involve questions and answers with a tutor in regards to prosthetic scenario and theories. |
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| Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | A 1:1 interactive discussion with an assessor |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Required | Kevin C. Chui,Sheng-Che Yen,Milagros Jorge,Michelle M. Lusardi | 2019 | Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation | n/a | Saunders |
Specific requirements
You may be required to purchase some tools to use. The list will be provided to you at the beginning of the trimester. These tools would be used throughout the program and can be used in clinical practice after graduation. You may also be required to wear Program shirt, Student ID, approved pants, and closed toe shoes during client encounters.
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.
For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: