Skip to main content
Unit outline_

PHTY4222: Clinical Practicum D

Intensive March, 2020 [Professional practice] - Cumberland, Sydney

This clinical practicum unit of study involves clinical placements which provide a wide range of practical experience in the following areas: rehabilitation, acute care, ambulatory care/outpatients, as well as one advanced general unit in specialised areas, eg, paediatrics or hand therapy or in specific settings, such as private practice and community health setting. Across the clinical program students will be provided with opportunities to apply their skills in musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary and neurological physiotherapy to a wide variety of patients and conditions. Students will be required to demonstrate competence in the specific clinical skills for each area as well as the generic skills and attributes of physiotherapy professionals. During practicum placements there will be opportunities for interprofessional learning. In addition, students will be responsible for individual and group training sessions such as strength and fitness programs. Clinical Practicum D is a five week placement which requires full attendance (40 hours per week) at clinical facilities. In addition, at least one of the placements may be in a rural or regional setting.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Movement Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
PHTY3085
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Belinda Judd, belinda.judd@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Georgia Jane O'Hara, georgia.ohara@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement Mid assessment by student (self-assessment) and educator
Skills based assessment
0% Week 03 n/a
Placement hurdle task Summary of activity
Written log
0% Week 03 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7
Placement Final assessment by educator
Skills based assessment
100% Week 05 n/a
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Mid assessment by student (self-assessment) and educator: Using the blank APP form or APPLinkup provided by an educator, students will assign themselves a score based on what they think their current level of performance is. Students will comment on strengths, areas of difficulty and strategies to help them improve. Students will meet with their clinical educator to discuss their self-assessment. After this, the Mid Unit Learning Contract is to be completed and discussed with the clinical educator.
  • Summary of activity: Every student is required to record of their activity with regards to patients seen throughout the placement. A record will be kept of each occasion of service (template provided on Canvas) and a summary of activity submitted via Sonia that will capture the clinical setting, patient types and age ranges seen. This summary can be discussed with the clinical educator during the placement to ensure a range of experiences are covered.
  • Final assessment by educator: Students are to assign themselves a score based on what they think their current level of performance is, also writing in some comments on overall performance. Students will generate strategies for improvement in subsequent placements and/or for professional career. Students will then meet with clinical educators to discuss. Students are to sign the educator’s assessment form to denote that discussion has taken place.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance requirements: Clinical Practicum D is a five-week placement which requires full-time attendance (40 hours per week) at the clinical facility you have been allocated to. This placement may be in a rural or regional setting.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. plan and implement an efficient, effective, culturally responsive and client centred physiotherapy assessment
  • LO2. involve the client and relevant others in the planning and implementation of safe and effective physiotherapy using evidence based practice to inform decision making
  • LO3. review the continuation of physiotherapy and facilitate the client's optimal participation in their everyday life
  • LO4. advocate for clients and their rights to health care
  • LO5. comply with legal, professional and other relevant standards, codes and guidelines
  • LO6. make and act on informed and appropriate decisions about acceptable professional and ethical behaviours
  • LO7. recognise the need for, and implement, appropriate strategies to manage your own physical and mental health and resilience
  • LO8. use clear, accurate, sensitive and effective communication to support the development of trust and rapport in professional relationships with the client and relevant others
  • LO9. record and effectively communicate physiotherapy assessment findings, outcomes and decisions
  • LO10. deal effectively with actual and potential conflict in a positive and constructive manner
  • LO11. assess your practice against relevant professional benchmarks and take action to continually improve practice
  • LO12. evaluate your learning needs, engage in relevant self-directed learning and recognise when to seek support
  • LO13. efficiently consume and effectively apply research and commit to practice informed by best available research evidence and new knowledge
  • LO14. proactively apply principle of risk management to practice
  • LO15. recognise situations that are outside their scope of competency and take appropriate and timely action
  • LO16. engage in an inclusive, collaborative, consultative, culturally responsive and client centred model of practice
  • LO17. engage in safe, effective and collaborative interprofessional practice
  • LO18. use education to empower yourself and others
  • LO19. seek opportunities to lead the education of others as appropriate, within the physiotherapy setting
  • LO20. organise and prioritise your workload and resources to provide safe, effective and efficient physiotherapy at a new graduate level and, where relevant, as a team member.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Students feedback from UoS Survey has been reviewed and considered.

Work, health and safety

Consistent with New South Wales WHS legislation, you are required to complete a WHS induction within the first few days of your placement, and if relevant at any time you attend to work in another setting. The Checklist is available on the Canvas and sydney.edu.au/health-sciences/placements/essential_preparation/work_health_safety/index.shtml If there are aspects of this checklist which are not covered in the site induction, please discuss with the University placement administrator. The WHS site induction checklist should be carried out by each student on the first day of placement. Once the student has completed the checklist they should keep a copy for their records and complete the form in Sonia (clinical placement database) under their relevant placement block within the first week of placement.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.