Program Overview

PHTY402 - Physiotherapy Clinical Practice 1

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

This unit enables students to develop an integrated problem-solving approach to assessing and understanding individuals' problems and an ability to apply treatment skills and specific techniques in the clinical setting. Students will be required to manage individuals in specific and a variety of settings in order to be exposed to a range of caseloads, models of intervention, and service delivery. Students will be prepared to perform clinical practice at a new graduate level according to the Physiotherapy practice thresholds in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Campus Offering

• The unit is offered at the following campuses:
  • Ballarat
  • Brisbane
  • North Sydney
• Unit offerings may be subject to minimum enrolment numbers.

Prerequisites

• PHTY300 Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Practice 2
• PHTY301 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Practice 3
• PHTY302 Neurological Physiotherapy Practice 1
• PHTY303 Neurological Physiotherapy Practice 2
• PHTY304 Paediatric Physiotherapy Practice
• PHTY306 Integrated Physiotherapy Practice in Selected Populations
• HLSC220 Health Care Ethics
• (UNCC300 Justice and Change in a Global World OR PHCC320 The Just Society)
• PHTY400 Preparation for Physiotherapy Practice

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate integration of knowledge, theoretical concepts, and skills to inform, justify, and implement a safe and effective person-centred physiotherapy management plan (assessment, intervention, evaluation, and progression)
2. Apply critical thinking in developing new understanding in unique clinical settings, demonstrating well-developed judgments, adaptability, and responses as an entry-level practitioner
3. Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration with individual clients, carers, professional colleagues, and managers, and in multi-disciplinary teams
4. Autonomously and continuously evaluate their own performance using reflective practice, developing strategies for ongoing learning and continued professional practice
5. Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors in physiotherapy practice in accordance with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia's Code of conduct
6. Relate a range of socially-determined health issues with how they are experienced by people of a community organisation/s
7. Reflect critically on personal and professional behaviors, and how community engagement experiences have extended their understanding of the importance of respecting the dignity, culture, values, beliefs, and rights of people

Content

Students' clinical experience will involve working in a variety of settings (inpatient, outpatient, and community), with different funding and service models (public, private), locations (metropolitan, regional, rural, international), and serve a variety of populations, including people from different socio-economic status, Indigenous, and vulnerable people from marginalized groups.

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

Student performance on each clinical placement will be assessed using the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool or modified APP rubric if completing PHTY402 simulated clinical unit.

Overview of Assessments

PHTY402-407 Supervised Clinical Placement

• Community engagement reflective journal (Only required for one clinical unit when completing Community Engagement as part of the placement)
  • Weighting: Hurdle
  • Learning Outcomes: LO6, LO7
• Evaluation of clinical performance (APP) Mid-placement
  • Weighting: Formative
  • Learning Outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
• Evaluation of clinical performance (APP) End-placement
  • Weighting: 100%
  • Learning Outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

PHTY402: Simulated Clinical Placement

• Evaluation of clinical performance (modified APP)
  • Weighting: Formative
  • Learning Outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
• Evaluation of clinical performance Viva (modified APP)
  • Requires students to demonstrate effective communication, appropriate professional behavior, and application of clinical skills to the assessment, planning, and treatment of simulated patient scenarios
  • Weighting: 80%
  • Learning Outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
• Vocational Rehabilitation Report
  • Requires students to demonstrate specific report writing skills associated with the assessment of current vocational capacity based on the exploration of a worker's career interests, aptitudes, and skills
  • Weighting: 20%
  • Learning Outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

Each clinical placement (unit) is 5 weeks in duration, during which students undertake supervised clinical practice including both direct (patient/client) and non-direct (administration) clinical care.

Representative Texts and References

• Egan, L., Butcher, J., & Ralph, K. (2008). Hope as a basis for understanding the benefits and possibilities of community engagement.
• Hoekema, D. (2010) Is there an ethicist in the house? How can we tell?
• Howard A, Rawsthorne, M (2019) Everyday community practice: principles and practice.
• MacLaren, D. (2008). Towards a more just world: The social mission of the church and new Catholic approaches.
• Moore T, McDonald M, McHugh-Dillon H, West S (2016) Community engagement: a key strategy for improving outcomes for Australian families.

Locations

• Ballarat
• Brisbane
• North Sydney

Credit Points

10

Year

2026