Unit rationale, description and aim
Physiotherapy practice needs to be responsive to an ever changing social, political, health and workplace environment. Graduates entering the workforce will need to be prepared for this dynamic environment through developing capabilities in working in a commercial environment, and to understand legal, regulatory and funding issues effecting healthcare delivery. Graduates need to be aware of their local and global professional responsibilities and the need to provide effective and sustained physiotherapy services that can be delivered in high and low resource settings.
This unit contains a learning outcome from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (HCF, 2014) specifically addressing the HCF learning capability of Self-reflexivity (HCF11.3)(LO4). Students will use their experiences throughout their Year 4 physiotherapy clinical placements to reflect on their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, to reflect on their own expectations and to identify how well the healthcare setting(s) they are/have been working in create a welcoming cultural space.The overarching aim of this unit is to recognise and be responsive to workforce and practice changes.
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.
Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of healthcare ...
Learning Outcome 01
Justify why physiotherapists need an understanding...
Learning Outcome 02
Demonstrate knowledge of physiotherapy within a lo...
Learning Outcome 03
Design practical strategies to enable ongoing self...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Health-care policy in Australia
- Exploring the impact of legal, regulatory and funding issues on healthcare delivery, inequities in health-care systems
- Writing policy statements and guidelines
- Responding to key drivers of change within the healthcare industry
- Identification of health-system priorities, determine health research priorities, and understanding of allocation of health-system resources
- Identification of strengths-based approaches to health care, practice and policy with regard to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
- The role of physiotherapists to eliminate racism within healthcare practice and recognise the importance of self-reflexivity in culturally safe health care delivery
- The role of physiotherapists as agents of change to ameliorate health inequalities and rising chronic diseases
- Promotion of population health and health equity in high and low resource settings and among priority populations
- Advocacy for meaningfully human and planetary health and wellbeing
- Delivery of physiotherapy services in high and low resource settings
- Effective strategies to manage and supervise individuals and groups in their work environment
- Time management skills
- Strategic thinking
- Critical reflection of workplace practices
- Innovative problem solving and initiative
- Physiotherapy within a global context
- Building physiotherapy education and practice that is authentic and sustainable
- Building leadership, advocacy, and management skills for developing countries
- Contributing to a continuum of ongoing educational opportunities (entry and graduate level programs, higher degree research), providing continuing professional development
- Marketing of physiotherapy services
- Basic components of marketing
- Marketing of health services in Australia (with specific reference to the AHPRA “Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services”)
- Advocacy and how it relates to marketing
- The role of the physiotherapist in health promotion
- Extended financial and project management including:
- Personal financial literacy
- Budgeting and financial management of physiotherapy services
- Project management skills
- Preparation for advanced and extended scope physiotherapy services
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment task 1, individual written reflection (Graded Hurdle), is designed for students to apply the learnings from their experiences throughout their Year 4 physiotherapy clinical placements. The tasks in the assessment require critical reflection on their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, their own expectations, and how well the healthcare setting(s) they are/have been working in create a welcoming cultural space. If on the first occasion Learning Outcome 4 is not met, one opportunity for re-submission will be provided.
In Assessment tasks 2 and 3, students will demonstrate their learning and competency of the unit by submitting a project that aligns with best physiotherapy practices to enhance the standards of excellence in the profession. Students will design and implement the project, incorporating a synthesis of the research evidence in an area of physiotherapy practice. The project will incorporate evaluation and outcome measures, evidence of sustainable strategies and a budget and marketing strategy as required. In Assessment task 2 (individual oral presentation) students will demonstrate their acquired theoretical knowledge and critical thinking to their project, by providing a synopsis of their project in oral format. In Assessment task 3 (individual written assignment) students will demonstrate their applied knowledge from the unit by submitting a written assignment that provides details of their professional practice project. To pass the unit, students must demonstrate that they have achieved each learning outcome and obtained a total mark of 50% in the unit as the minimum standard.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 - Individual Student Reflection...
Assessment Task 1 - Individual Student Reflection (Graded Hurdle)
Requires students to explore their views on cultural responsiveness through a strength-based lens of health care regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Graded Hurdle
20%
Assessment Task 2 - Individual Presentation Requ...
Assessment Task 2 - Individual Presentation
Requires students to apply the components of leadership and project management to their own professional practice, locally or globally, in a changing health-care environment.
30%
Assessment Task 3 - Individual Written Assignment...
Assessment Task 3 - Individual Written Assignment
Requires students to consider and apply the components and evidence underpinning a contemporary need in Physiotherapy practice.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of learning. Learning and teaching strategies include a combination of face-to-face, online, simulation, and directed independent learning activities. Students will participate in tutor-led, peer and self-directed learning activities which promote active learning.