Foundations of physiotherapy

What it covers

In this unit you will take your first steps to becoming a future physiotherapist. You will explore the scope of Australian physiotherapy practice, its rural context and associated ethical and registration obligations. You will integrate knowledge of anatomy, physiology and physics as well as the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to start developing evidence-based approaches to address a series of clinically-oriented patient cases. You will learn to work safely through scaffolded education about infection control and risk management, manual handling, equipment use and mobility techniques, as well as the application of cooling and superficial heating and electrophysical agents. You will assess patient safety by measuring and interpreting vital signs, screening for pathologies across the major body systems, and learning to communicate in ways that underpin modern person-centred, culturally safe and trauma-informed care. You will capture this via structured documentation that adheres to professional and medicolegal standards. Your learning will involve interactive theory sessions, hands-on practicals, case-based learning and online synchronous sessions that connect you with peers at other regional sites. You will begin your Clinical Reasoning Journal which will be continued throughout your course.

Assessment

Hurdle tasks must be passed regardless of your overall mark.

When and where