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Unit outline_

PHTY5192: Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Cumberland, Sydney

This unit will introduce students to the knowledge, skills and clinical decision making processes necessary for effective assessment and treatment of patients across the age spectrum with acute and chronic respiratory and cardiac dysfunction. In particular, students will evaluate pathophysiological and functional consequences of surgery (abdominal, thoracic and cardiac), infective, inflammatory, restrictive and obstructive pulmonary disorders and cardiac artery disease. Students will learn the practical skills and develop treatment strategies to effectively manage respiratory problems. Additionally this unit will develop the student's knowledge of exercise and aims to apply the principles of exercise testing, prescription and training to patients who have cardiac and pulmonary limitations and other co-morbidities to exercise. The unit will provide students with an opportunity to apply, integrate and extend knowledge at a postgraduate level based on their previous degree.

Unit details and rules

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

Bachelor's Degree Level study in Human Anatomy; Human Physiology; Neuroscience; Psychology; and Exercise Physiology is essential.

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Tiffany Dwyer, tiffany.dwyer@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Tiffany Dwyer, tiffany.dwyer@sydney.edu.au
Sonia Cheng, sonia.cheng@sydney.edu.au
Marita Dale, marita.dale@sydney.edu.au
Christina Darwell, christina.darwell@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam Online Written exam
Written examination
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO2
Skills-based evaluation Online practical viva examination
Oral and practical skills assessment
25% Formal exam period 12 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO4 LO3 LO2
Skills-based evaluation Online chest x-ray and intepretation of assessment findings quiz
Online quiz
15% Week 07
Due date: 06 Apr 2020 at 13:00
30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Case study written assignment
Case study
10% Week 11
Due date: 17 May 2020 at 23:59
400 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6

Assessment summary

  • Online chest x-ray and interpretation of assessment findings quiz: This online quiz is completed on Canvas, as an invigilated in-class assessment. There will be a series of short answer questions relating to a case study, including a short medical history and chest x-ray, plus some multiple choice questions not related to the case study and some short answer questions on interpretation of assessment findings from observation/palpation, auscultation and spirometry.
  • Case study written assignment: A case study will be released on Canvas, including the patient medical record, and subjective and objective assessment findings. Students are required to use clinical reasoning to interpret the assessment findings, determine the patient’s respiratory impairments, choose appropriate physiotherapy interventions, estimate the effect of those interventions, and develop a plan for future treatment. The written, submitted assignment is in the format of medical notes, as included in a patient’s medical record.
  • Case study written feedback assignment: Students will be randomly allocated the submitted case study written assignment from a peer. Students will provide feedback to the peer on their clinical reasoning, and completeness of accurate physiotherapy notes, including legal requirements for a patient’s medical record. This is a formative assessment with no marks allocated.
  • Online practical viva examination: Description of practical assessment (observation/palpation, auscultation and spirometry) and treatment skills, including explanations to be given to the simulated patient, with questions related to theoretical content (12 minutes).
  • Written exam: This exam will cover all material covered in lectures, tutorials, and essential readings as referred to in lectures and tutorials. This exam comprises multiple-choice and short-answer questions.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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
Week 01 1. Assessment and clinical reasoning: introduction to cardiopulmonary physiotherapy 2. Restrictive disorders of the respiratory system Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Observation and palpation Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 02 1. Obstructive disorders of the lung; 2. Measurement of lung function: spirometry and lung volumes Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Auscultation Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 03 1. Normal mucociliary clearance and infective disorders of the lung; 2. Suppurative disorders of the lung Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO6
Pulmonary function tests Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 04 History taking and assessment case studies Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of the scheduled tutorials for this unit of study. It is strongly recommended that students attend all lectures in this unit of study. Lecture recordings will be made available where possible to assist with revision and study, but should not be considered a substitute for physically attending the lecture. It is strongly recommended that students attend all tutorials in this unit of study. Tutorial attendance is recorded. In the case of protracted illness or of absence arising from some other unavoidable cause, a student on presentation of appropriate documentation may be excused from attendance in a tutorial class by the course coordinator.

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.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas. Please refer to the reading list for each week.

Essential textbook

  • Main E and Denehy L (2016) Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy: Adults and paediatrics (5th ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Recommended textbook

  • Hough (2014) Physiotherapy in Respiratory and Cardiac Care: An evidence-based approach (4th ed). Andover: Cengage Learning.

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. Demonstrate sound clinical reasoning to determine patient problems (by interpretation of assessment findings), establish treatment goals, and using evidenced-based practice, determine and implement safe and effective physiotherapy interventions for patients with cardiorespiratory problems
  • LO2. Plan and implement an efficient, effective, culturally responsive, and client-centred physiotherapy assessment of a patient with a cardiorespiratory problem (including history taking, observation, palpation, auscultation, chest X-ray interpretation, and spirometry)
  • LO3. Communicate effectively to develop trust and rapport with patients
  • LO4. Record and effectively communicate physiotherapy assessment findings and outcomes in the medical record, to the patient and other health professionals
  • LO5. Interpret exercise data from patients with cardiovascular or respiratory disease, prescribe evidence-based exercise training for patients with cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and explain the effects of exercise training for these patients
  • LO6. Describe the pathophysiological and functional consequences of surgery and anaesthesia, infective, inflammatory, and restrictive respiratory conditions, and airflow limitation on the respiratory system
  • LO7. Describe the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and its related co-morbidities.

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
Physiotherapy Practice Threshold Statements -
Competency code Taught, Practiced or Assessed Competency standard
1.1 A plan and implement an efficient, effective, culturally responsive and client-centred physiotherapy assessment
1.2 A 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 A review the continuation of physiotherapy and facilitate the client’s optimal participation in their everyday life
2.1 A comply with legal, professional, ethical and other relevant standards, codes and guidelines
2.2 A make and act on informed and appropriate decisions about acceptable professional and ethical behaviours
2.3 A recognise the need for, and implement, appropriate strategies to manage their physical and mental health and resilience
3.1 A 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 A record and effectively communicate physiotherapy assessment findings, outcomes and decisions
4.1 A assess their practice against relevant professional benchmarks and take action to continually improve their practice
4.3 A efficiently consume and effectively apply research and commit to practice informed by best available research evidence and new knowledge
5.1 A engage in an inclusive, collaborative, consultative, culturally responsive and client-centred model of practice
5.2 A engage in safe, effective and collaborative interprofessional practice
8.A A knowledge of relevant anatomy, physiology, pathology, other biomedical sciences relevant to human health and function, and psychosocial and other determinants of health encompassing cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, neurological and other body systems within the context of physiotherapy and best available research evidence
8.B A knowledge and understanding of theoretical concepts and principles relevant to physiotherapy practice including evidence-based practice
8.D A knowledge and understanding of theoretical concepts and principles relevant to physiotherapy practice across acute, rehabilitation and community practice in a range of environments and settings
8.E A competence to practise as a physiotherapist autonomously as well as a member of an interprofessional team in relevant clinical situations

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

In response to student feedback in 2019, the following changes will be introduced in 2020: a new chest x-ray and case study assessment; re-writing some sections of the cardiovascular component of the unit of study; creating a revision skills tutorial at the end of semester.

Teacher consultation guidelines: Please note that correspondence will only be answered if students use their university email address. You are encouraged to divert your university email address to alternate accounts and to check it regularly. Consultation is by appointment only.

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.