Course Outline
PTY400 Physiotherapy Practicum A
Course Coordinator:Cherie Wells (cwells@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Physiotherapy
2027Trimester 3
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
In this course you will undertake your first 5-week full time physiotherapy clinical placement after participation in clinical simulations and orientation activities. You will assess and treat clients under the supervision of a registered physiotherapist and will be given the opportunity to develop and demonstrate graduate capabilities within a practice area. You will be expected to apply knowledge and skills across musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiorespiratory domains of practice, and assess and treat clients of any age.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Seminar – Cohort briefing at start and end of simulation week | 2hrs | Week 1 | 4 times |
| Learning materials – Online learning to prepare for simulations | 2hrs | Week 1 | 3 times |
| Laboratory 1 – Clinical simulation on campus as per allocation on CANVAS - 3 X 4 hour sessions (Week before clinical placement in block 9 or 1) | 12hrs | Week 1 | 2 times |
| Placement – 5 week full time clinical placement as allocated in SONIA within clinical block 9, or block 1 | 180hrs | Not applicable | Once Only |
Course Topics
Students will undertake online and face-to-face classes including compulsory clinical simulations in the week before their clinical placement. Students will be supported in their review and orientation to:
- Expectations, roles and responsibilties of students, clinical educators, and the university with respect to clinical placements
- Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice tool, Clinical Experience Log, and other assessment items within physiotherapy practicum courses
- How to prepare and revise effectively for clinical placement, and communicate in a professional and effective manner with their clinical educator
- Review of support services and procedures if students are unwell, injured, or encounter difficulties on clinical placement
Clinical simulations at the university and the subsequent clinical placements in an acute, rehabilitation, ambulatory care or community settting will require students to:
- Demonstrate safe, ethical, legal and professional behaviour and risk management in clinical practice
- Communicate in a respectful, culturally safe and effective manner with clients and other health professionals
- Prioritise the provision of client-centred and evidence based physiotherapy services
- Plan and conduct safe, valid, reliable and relevant physiotherapy assessments and reassessments
- Undertake clinical reasoning to interpret assessment findings, prioritise problems, and set treatment goals
- Plan and implement safe, effective and efficient physiotherapy treatments and education which align with client goals
- Work within personal and professional limitations under supervision and in collaboration with other health professionals
- Monitor client response to assessment/treatment and modify approach and/or progress/regress treatment as indicated
- Complete clincial documentation in a timely and accurate manner, and refer clients to other health professionals when required
- Critically reflect on learning and clinical encounters, and engage in continuing education and research to improve knowledge and skills
What level is this course?
400 Level (Graduate)
Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.
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 * Physiotherapy Board of Australia | |
| 1 | Plan and implement safe, effective, and client-centred physiotherapy assessments and treatments, seeking help from others as required |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Sustainability-focussed |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 4.5, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1 |
| 2 | Apply critical thinking and reasoning to plan assessments, interpret clinical findings and generate treatment plans in collaboration with the client |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 7.1 |
| 3 | Comply with ethical, legal and professional requirements, and provide safe, respectful and evidence-based client care |
Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 |
| 4 | Demonstrate culturally sensitive and effective communication with others and complete clinical documentation in a timely and accurate manner |
Empowered Ethical |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 7.1 |
| 5 | Critically reflect on current capabilities, work within scope and limitations and engage in quality improvement and professional development |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered Engaged |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 6.1, 7.1 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Physiotherapy Board of Australia | |
| 1.1 | Plan and implement an efficient, effective, culturally responsive and client-centred physiotherapy assessment |
| 1.2 | Involve the client and relevant others in the planning and implementation of safe and effective physiotherapy using evidence-based practice to inform decision-making |
| 1.3 | Review the continuation of physiotherapy and facilitate the client’s optimal participation in their everyday life |
| 1.4 | Advocate for clients and their rights to health care |
| 2.1 | Comply with legal, professional, ethical and other relevant standards, codes and guidelines |
| 2.2 | Make and act on informed and appropriate decisions about acceptable professional and ethical behaviours |
| 2.3 | Recognise the need for, and implement, appropriate strategies to manage their physical and mental health and resilience |
| 3.1 | Use clear, accurate, sensitive and effective communication to support the development of trust and rapport in professional relationships with the client and relevant others |
| 3.2 | Record and effectively communicate physiotherapy assessment findings, outcomes and decisions |
| 4.1 | Assess their practice against relevant professional benchmarks and take action to continually improve their practice |
| 4.2 | Evaluate their learning needs, engage in relevant continuing professional development and recognise when to seek professional support, including peer review |
| 4.3 | Efficiently consume and effectively apply research and commit to practice informed by best available research evidence and new knowledge |
| 4.4 | Proactively apply principles of quality improvement and risk management to practice |
| 4.5 | Recognise situations that are outside their scope of expertise or competence and take appropriate and timely action |
| 5.1 | Engage in an inclusive, collaborative, consultative, culturally responsive and client-centred model of practice |
| 5.2 | Engage in safe, effective and collaborative interprofessional practice |
| 6.1 | Use education to empower themselves and others |
| 7.1 | Organise and prioritise their workload and resources to provide safe, effective and efficient physiotherapy autonomously and, where relevant, as a team member |
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
PTY303 and PTY304 and PTY305 and enrolled in program BH001
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Limited Grading (PNP)
Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are
required to be passed for successful completion of the course.
Details of early feedback on progress
Students will receive peer and tutor feedback on their performance during clinical simulations in the week before clinical placement. Students will also receive regular feedback from their clinical educator(s) during clinical placement, which includes a formalised mid-way clinical assessment with the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool. Students will also receive notification if they are at risk of failing their clinical placement, and will need to discuss their performance with the physiotherapy clinical coordinator and clinical educator and develop a learning plan with clear goals and actions for improvement for the remainder of the placement. It is possible that the student may still fail their placement, however, the student needs to demonstrate some improvement within 5 days of the meeting with the clinical coordinator and educator to warrant continuation of their clinical placement.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1a | Written Piece | Individual | Students will be required to participate in a structured, intensive, clinical simulation week prior to their first 5 week full time clinical placement (see schedule on CANVAS). Students will need to submit a copy of a self and peer evaluation of their performance during a clinical simulation using the APP tool (20 items scored on scale of 0 to 4). |
Refer to Format | Online Self and Peer Assessment |
| All | 1b | Placement performance | Individual | The APP is used to evaluate student performance across the 5 week full time clinical placement. Students will be required to assess and treat physiotherapy clients under supervision in clinical practice, and demonstrate competency across 7 domains of clinical practice: Professional behaviour, communication, assessment, analysis and planning, intervention, evidence-based practice, and risk management. |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Written Piece | Individual | The Clinical Experience Log will be of variable length (depends on the number of clients that students see/consult with on clinical placement). |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All | 3 | Quiz/zes | Individual | The Reflective Survey is a 10 minute survey undertaken by students within one week of completing their placement and receiving their final APP from their clinical educator. |
Refer to Format | Online Test (Quiz) |
| All - Assessment Task 1a:Clinical Simulation Assessment | |||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To assist student preparation and revision for their first graduate level clinical placement, and to increase familiarisation with the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool which will be used to evaluate their performance on clinical placement. |
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| Product: | Written Piece | ||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | In the week prior to clinical placement, students will need to participate in clinical simulations and associated learning at university. Clinical simulations will require students to assess and treat peers and simulated clients within acute care, rehabilitation and community contexts. During the week students will also need to evaluate their own performance, and a peer's performance during a clinical simulation using the APP. Students will need to share their APP scores with their peer, and provide explanation of scoring and feedback on their performance. Every student will then need to upload a copy of their APP (self evaluation and a peer evaluation of their performance) to CANVAS before placement to pass this assessment item. This assessment item is due on Friday n the week prior to allocated clinical placement in block 9 or block 1. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies |
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| All - Assessment Task 1b:Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To assess the capacity of students to practice safely and effectively as physiotherapists in Australia and to meet standards of professional registration. The APP is a valid assessment tool used to assess clinical competency across different clinical contexts, and aligns with the physiotherapy practice thresholds (i.e. national standards). |
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| Product: | Placement performance | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | The APP is a written assessment tool which will be accessed and completed online by the physiotherapy clinical educator using APPLinkup at the completion of a clinical placement. When evaluating student performance, clinical educators are asked to compare student performance to the minimal entry level standard of practice expected of a beginning/entry level physiotherapist. The APP consists of 20 assessment items which are scored on a scale of 0 to 4 where: 0 = Infrequently/rarely demonstrates performance indicators 1 = Demonstrates few performance indicators to an adequate standard 2 = Demonstrates most performance indicators to an adequate standard 3 = Demonstrates most performance indicators to a good standard 4 = Demonstrates most performance indictors to an excellent standard Clinical educators can indicate that an item was not assessed if there has been no opportunity to assess student competency in relation to this item. Clinical educators will also provide a global assessment of performance as "not adequate", "adequate", "good" or "excellent" at the end of the placement. Qualitative feedback and examples to support scoring of clinical competence also are provided. Clinical educators will complete an APP midway through the clinical placement to provide formative feedback to the student and to direct focus and learning for the remainder of the placement. The final APP assessment is summative and students must pass their placement assessment to pass this course. Students will also complete self evaluation with the APP prior to meeting with their clinical educator and receiving their assessment. The clinical educator and student scores can be viewed side by side to assist in reflection, feedback and discussion. The physiotherapy clinical coordinator and course coordinator are responsible for determining if the student performance obtained on the APP meets the criteria for passing this course. To pass the placement assessment students need to score a total of 50% overall on the APP, a minimum of 50% for each domain of practice, and no items can be scored as "0" and no more than 3 items can be scored as "1". As this is a work integrated learning course, students will only receive a pass or fail grade for this item. The student must pass this assessment item to pass the course to meet program and accreditation requirements. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Clinical Experience Log | ||||||||||
| Goal: | The clinical experience log will assist students to track clinical experiences and will be used to inform future clinical placement allocations. The accrediting body also requires evidence that students have diverse clinical placement experiences in core areas (musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiorespiratory, and across the lifespan), and so the clinical experience log contributes to this evidence. |
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| Product: | Written Piece | |||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||
| Format: | Completion of the clinical experience log is a program and accreditation requirement. The clinical experience log will be housed online on SONIA, and students are encouraged to include entries after every clinical placement day/shift. Students will need to provide de-identified client information such as demographics, diagnosis, co-morbidities, physio assessment and treatment, area of practice and workplace setting. The majority of this data can be entered with a checkbox, with limited need for free text. Students will need to download a Clinical Experience Log Report from SONIA and submit this to CANVAS at the end of the clinical placement to pass this course (within one week of the placement being completed). This assessment item will be graded as a PASS or FAIL. Students must pass this assessment item to pass the course. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Reflective Survey | ||||||||||
| Goal: | The reflective survey will assist students to track clinical experiences and performance on placement, and to assist with learning, preparation and performance on their next placement. |
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| Product: | Quiz/zes | |||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||
| Format: | Completion of the reflective survey is a program and accreditation requirement. The survey is a 10 minute online questionnaire on CANVAS that needs to be completed by students within one week of completing their clinical placement and after receiving their final APP (Assessment 1b) by the clinical educator. The survey will ask students to reflect on learning and experiences and implications for future practice and preparation for their next placement. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies |
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Assessment to competency mapping
| Programme Delivery Mode | Assessment Type | Title | Competency | Teaching Methods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapy practice thresholds in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand | ||||
| All delivery modes | Placement performance | Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice | 1.1 | Practiced, Assessed |
| 1.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.5 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 6.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 7.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| Quiz/zes | Reflective Survey | 2.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |
| 3.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.5 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| Written Piece | Clinical Simulation Assessment | 1.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |
| 1.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.5 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 6.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 7.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| Clinical Experience Log | 1.1 | Practiced, Assessed | ||
| 1.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.3 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 1.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 2.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 3.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.4 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 4.5 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 5.2 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
| 7.1 | Practiced, Assessed | |||
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.
Schedule
| Period and Topic | Activities |
Clinical Simulation - Week before clinical placement |
* Seminar - at the start and end of week * Online resources to prepare for simulations * On campus teaching & simulation as per schedule on CANVAS *compulsory attendance - Acute Care - Rehabilitation - Community * Assessment 1a - Clinical Simulation Assessment due on Friday before clinical placement |
Clinical Placement |
* 5 weeks full time clinical placement as per allocation on SONIA (e.g. in clinical block 9 or clinical block 1) * Assessment 1b: Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) - The clinical educator will submit APP via APP linkup at the end of clinical placement after discussion with the student. - The clinical course coordinator will determine if the student meets requirements for passing the assessment item. |
After clinical placement |
* Students need to complete the following assessments and upload/submit via CANVAS within one week of completing placement - Assessment 2: Clinical Experience Log - Assessment 3: Reflective Survey * Student must pass all assessment items to pass the course to demonstrate achievement of clinical competency |
Please note |
* Students will be allocated a clinical placement in clinical block 9 or block 1 and will need to attend clinical simulation the week before placement. Students will rotate through clinical simulations in acute care, rehabilitation and community contexts to prepare for placement. |
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 |
| Recommended | Fiona Moffatt,Ben Bradley,Laura Loeber | 0 | Physiotherapy Placements | n/a | n/a |
| Recommended | Karen Stagnitti,Adrian Schoo,Dianne Welch | 2013 | Clinical and Fieldwork Placement in the Health Profession | n/a | OUP Australia & New Zealand |
Specific requirements
To enrol in this course, students are required to meet "Fit for placement" requirements. Students also will be required to wear their physiotherapy clinical uniform for clinical simulations and clinical placements and also bring their stethoscope, study notes and writing materials. The clinical placement will likely be scheduled within Block 9 or Block 1 of the national physiotherapy clinical calendar. Students will need to attend their allocated clinical placement on a full time basis within the 5 week block. Students are responsible for all costs associated with attending clinical placement, including transport and accommodation. Clinical placements may be sourced anywhere in Australia, although the predominant focus will be on sourcing placements in Queensland, Sunshine Coast and regional areas. Compulsory classes and clinical simulations will be scheduled in the week before clinical placement. Clinical placement allocations will be released via SONIA during Trimester 2 and will provide specific site information, placement hours and expectations. If students do not pass any pre-requisite practical assessments and courses their clinical placement may be postponed, cancelled or re-allocated.
How are risks managed in this course?
Risk assessments have been performed for all field activities and low to moderate levels of health and safety risk exists. Moderate risks may include working in an Australian bush setting, working with people, working outside normal office hours for example. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.
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
This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Academic Policy.
In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
Assessment: Submission penalties
You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.
Refer to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Procedures.
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: