Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
OTHY102 Musculoskeletal Structure and Function for Occupational Therapy AND OTHY108 Evidence-Based Practice and Health Conditions
Incompatible
OTHY203 Occupational Therapy Interventions for Physical Conditions
Teaching organisation
150 hours of focussed learning
Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit introduces students to the impact of physical conditions on a person’s occupational performance and participation. The important role occupational therapists have in enabling individuals to restore function and achieve their occupational goals is explored. Students will build on their knowledge from the foundational first-year units to develop knowledge and application of evidence-based assessment and intervention for people with musculoskeletal, general medical and orthopaedic conditions. The Canadian Practice Process Framework will be used to plan, implement and evaluate intervention to achieve the person’s goals. The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) is used to consider barriers and enablers to the person’s participation. This unit includes practical components focusing on assistive technology and manual handling.
This unit contains a learning outcome from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (HCF, 2014) specifically addressing the HCF cultural capability of Safety and Quality.
The overall aim of this unit is to develop the knowledge and skills to address the occupational performance and participation needs commonly experienced by individuals with physical conditions.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify the impact of common musculoskeletal, general medical and orthopaedic conditions on occupational performance and participation | GC1, GC2 |
| LO2 | Evaluate, select, administer and interpret physical and functional assessments and accurately document findings | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC11, GC12 |
| LO3 | Evaluate, select, design and implement appropriate evidence-based interventions to facilitate the recovery and address occupational performance goals of individuals with physical conditions with consideration of the person, environment and occupation | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC11, GC12 |
| LO4 | Select, demonstrate and communicate correct manual handling techniques to assist client transfers and mobility, enabling optimal performance in daily activities | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC8, GC12 |
| LO5 | HCF 9.1 Identify issues in diagnosing, treating and preventing disease and illness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC5 |
Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (AOTCS) 2018
| Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
Standard 1 - Professionalism An occupational therapist practices in an ethical, safe, lawful and accountable manner, supporting client health and wellbeing through occupation and consideration of the person and their environment. An occupational therapist: 1.2 Adheres to legislation relevant to practice 1.3 Maintains professional boundaries in all client and professional relationships 1.5 Practices in a culturally responsive and culturally safe manner, with particular respect to culturally diverse client groups 1.6 Incorporates and responds to historical, political, cultural, societal, environmental and economic factors influencing health, wellbeing and occupations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 1.7 Collaborates and consults ethically and responsibly for effective client-centred and inter-professional practice 1.8 Adheres to all work health and safety, and quality requirements for practice 1.9 Identifies and manages the influence of her/his values and culture on practice 1.17 Recognises and manages any inherent power imbalance in relationships with clients | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Standard 2 - Knowledge and learning An occupational therapist’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in practice are informed by relevant and contemporary theory, practice knowledge and evidence, and are maintained and developed by ongoing professional development and learning. An occupational therapist: 2.1 Applies current and evidence-informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice 2.2 Applies theory and frameworks of occupation to professional practice and decision-making 2.3 Identifies and applies best available evidence in professional practice and decision-making | 1,2,3,4 |
Standard 3 - Occupational therapy process and practice An occupational therapist’s practice acknowledges the relationship between health, wellbeing and human occupation, and their practice is client-centred for individuals, groups, communities and populations. An occupational therapist: 3.1 addresses occupational performance and participation of clients, identifying the enablers and barriers to engagement 3.4 develops a plan with the client and relevant others to meet identified occupational therapy goals 3.7 reflects on practice to inform and communicate professional reasoning and decision-making 3.13 Uses appropriate assistive technology, devices and/or environmental modifications to achieve client occupational performance outcomes | 1,2,3,4 |
Standard 4 – Communication Occupational therapists practise with open, responsive and appropriate communication to maximise the occupational performance and engagement of clients and relevant others. An occupational therapist: 4.11 Identifies and articulates the rationale for practice to clients and relevant others | 2,4 |
Content
Topics will include:
Physical Rehabilitation
- Musculoskeletal conditions
- General medical conditions
- Orthopaedic conditions
- Amputations
- Arthritis and pain
- Cardiac and pulmonary conditions
- Visual impairment
Occupational therapy frameworks and approaches to physical rehabilitation
- Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E)
- Establish or restore a skill/ability
- Adapt or modify
- Health promotion
- Prevention of disability
- Maintenance of occupational performance and participation
Occupational therapy processes and skills
- Assessment and intervention planning for adults with physical conditions
- Occupational performance analysis
- Client-centred goal setting for intervention
- Selection and provision of assistive technology
- Discharge planning
- Client transfers mobility and manual handling
- Home assessment and intervention
Funding
- National Disability Insurance Scheme & National Injury Insurance Scheme
- My Aged Care
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning strategies for this unit will include lectures, practical sessions, case studies and self-directed learning. Consistent with adult learning principles, the teaching and learning strategies used within these modes of delivery will aid students in constructing knowledge and will apply real life-situations of occupational therapy practice. The lectures will provide a framework for the content of this unit, and situate it within an occupational therapy practice context. The tutorials and practicums will provide opportunity for experiential learning to further develop an understanding of the impact of physical conditions on occupational performance and to develop skills in assessment and intervention approaches for clients with physical conditions.
Also, as part of this unit, students will participate in an interactive equipment practicum in which they will have the opportunity to trial a range of more advanced assistive technologies and complete an online learning package.
Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group and practical activities, demonstrating respect for the individual as an independent learner.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures include: individual written assignment, manual handling practical examination and written examination. Assessment approaches in this unit were developed in collaboration with First Peoples’ cultural advisors.
This breadth of assessment provides opportunity to evaluate both students’ knowledge and skills in relation to the assessment and management of individuals with physical conditions. Specifically, the practical examination is primarily focused on students demonstrating acquired manual handling skills and the written assignment and exam involve the application of knowledge to clinical scenarios.
In order to pass this unit students must:
- Demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome, and
- Obtain a minimum mark of 50% for the unit, and
- Achieve a mark of 50% or greater in Assessment 1 which is a graded hurdle, and
- Achieve a mark of 50% or greater in Assessment 3 which is a graded hurdle.
Where students achieve a cumulative mark of 50% or more for the unit, overall, but do not achieve a mark of 50% or greater in a hurdle assessment they will be offered one further attempt of the relevant hurdle. The assessment strategy in this unit is designed to enable students to demonstrate achievement of essential professional knowledge and skills required for safe and competent practice. Learning Outcome 5 is achieved by a pass in Assessment 3 only.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Practical Examination This practical examination requires students to demonstrate competence in practical skills commonly used in clinical practice. Students demonstrate these practical skills related to commonly encountered clinical scenarios. | Graded Hurdle 15% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2: Written Individual Assignment The assignment enables students to demonstrate their reasoning skills as applied to a physical rehabilitation clinical scenario. Students are required to analyse and interpret initial assessment findings for a provided case study and then design an evidence-based intervention plan. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 3: Written Examination The exam enables students to communicate their knowledge and understanding of core learning related to assessment and the application of occupational therapy interventions for physical rehabilitation practice. | Graded Hurdle 45% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Atchison, & Dirette, D. P. (2023). Conditions in occupational therapy : effect on occupational performance (6th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Ainsworth, & De Jonge, D. (2019). An occupational therapist’s guide to home modification practice (2nd ed.). SLACK Incorporated.
Curtin, Egan, M., & Adams, J. (2017). Occupational therapy for people experiencing illness, injury or impairment : promoting occupation and participation (7th ed.). Elsevier.
Dirette, D. P., Gutman, S. A., Radomski, M. V., & Latham, C. A. T. (2021). Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Pendleton, & Schultz-Krohn, W. (2018). Pedretti’s occupational therapy : practice skills for physical dysfunction (8th ed.). Elsevier.
Sames. (2015). Documenting occupational therapy practice (3rd ed.). Pearson Education.
Townsend, E. A., & Polatajko, H. J. (2013). Enabling occupation II : Advancing an occupational therapy vision for health, well-being, & justice through occupation (2nd ed., pp. 13–36). Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.