PHTY205 - Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Practice 1

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

PHTY208 Pathophysiology for Physiotherapy

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Physiotherapists work with people presenting with cardiorespiratory disorders. This requires the ability to formulate a problem list, and develop, implement, evaluate and progress an intervention program which is efficient, effective, culturally responsive, evidence-based and person-centred. In this unit students will build on the knowledge acquired, and clinical reasoning skills developed in earlier units of study (specifically clinical measurement, pathophysiology). Students will gain new knowledge in the physiotherapy assessment and management of people with cardiorespiratory conditions, and the associated medical and surgical management. The overall aim for the unit is to prepare students for professional practice in the area of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy.

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.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Apply knowledge of cardiorespiratory physiology and pathophysiology, and movement science to inform and justify a safe, effective, person-centred physiotherapy management plan (assessment, intervention, evaluation and progression) (GA1, GA4, GA5, GA8)

LO2 - Select, and safely and effectively apply and interpret, measurement and testing procedures to assess a person presenting with a cardiorespiratory disorder, and to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of a physiotherapy management (GA1, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9)

LO3 - Select, modify, and safely and effectively apply, physiotherapy interventions for a person presenting with a cardiorespiratory disorder (GA1, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9)

LO4 - Accurately document a physiotherapy management plan (GA5, GA9)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include: 

Advanced cardiopulmonary pathophysiology 

• Lung sounds/Auscultation 
• Airflow limitation 
• Restrictive disorders 
• Infective and suppurative disorders 
• Impaired airway clearance 
• Cardiac disorders 
• Anaesthesia and surgery 

Investigations for the patient with respiratory and cardiac dysfunction 

• Chest x-rays and other imaging techniques for the cardiorespiratory system 

Physiotherapy assessment 

• Subjective assessment 
• Physical Assessment 
• Modification of a physiotherapy assessment to accommodate cultural, social and ethical considerations 

Physiotherapy interventions for the patient with respiratory and cardiac dysfunction 

• Theory of and evidence for physiotherapy intervention in respiratory and cardiac dysfunction 
• Volume restoration 
• Airway Clearance techniques 
• Breathing Exercises 
• Active Cycle Breathing technique 
• Postural drainage, percussion and vibrations 
• Positive pressure in airway clearance 
• Positive pressure and oscillating positive pressure devices 
• Autogenic Drainage 
• Exercise 
• Education 
• Modification of a physiotherapy interventions to accommodate cultural, social and ethical considerations 

Selected outcome measures 

• Rate of perceived exertion  
• Modified Borg scale/ Borg scale 
• Visual analog scale 
• Modification of application of outcome measures to accommodate cultural, social and ethical considerations 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of learning with a combination of face-to-face, online and other directed independent learning activities. The theoretical knowledge underpinning assessment and intervention will be delivered via lectures and online modules. Practical classes provide students with the opportunity to develop their clinical reasoning skills through the use of case studies and, communication, assessment and treatment skills through simulation learning activities.   

Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities, demonstrating respect for the individual as an independent learner. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks align with the presentation of the content in this unit of study and students should learn while, as well from, undertaking these tasks. This unit takes an authentic assessment approach allowing students to demonstrate their learning and competency for clinically relevant scenarios. Assessment task 1(viva voce) requires students to demonstrate acquired theoretical knowledge and assimilate and apply this knowledge to clinically relevant case scenarios in an oral form. Assessment task 2 (practical examination) require students to assimilate and apply theoretical knowledge, and perform clinical practice skills, in order to demonstrate their emerging professional competence in the areas of assessment and treatment of people with cardiorespiratory conditions. Assessment task 3 (written examination) requires students to demonstrate acquired theoretical knowledge and assimilate and apply this knowledge to clinically relevant case scenarios in a written form.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Hough, A. (2018). Hough's respiratory and cardiac care. An evidence-based problem-solving approach (5th ed.). Elsevier.

Main, E. and Denehy, L. (2016). Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy. Adults and paediatrics (5th ed.). Elsevier.

West, J.B. and Luks, A.M. (2020). West's respiratory physiology: The essentials (11th ed.). Sydney: Wolters Kluwer.

West, J.B. and Luks, A.M. (2017). West's pulmonary pathophysiology: The essentials (9th ed.). Sydney: Wolters Kluwer.

Queensland Government, Queensland Health Multicultural Health - A Guide for Health Professionals. Retrieved on 19 May 2021 from https://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/cultdiver_guide.asp