Curriculum Information

From the acquired knowledge from all modules but specifically (physiotherapy specific modules) the students will identify areas within their learning where ongoing development would be required. This will provide opportunity for critical reflection.

Outline case studies will be given to each student who will then plan, practice and deliver the skills necessary to take a patient through a 6-8 week course of treatment and/or lead a phase of treatment for a patient with a long-term/life-long condition.

Module outline
Simulation based practice

Check point 1:
Consolidation of
• ‘Physiotherapy Assessment’ Module: Subjective assessment skills
• ‘Anatomy and Physiology’ Module
• ‘Long-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Short-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Life-long Conditions’ Module

Students will take personal details from a simulated patient before completing a throughout subjective assessment of the patient. The student will discuss their differential diagnosis (for new problems) /subjective findings with the supervisor/staff member and highlight how they intend to test their differential diagnosis/or proceed with the management of the problem, at this stage.

Check point 2:
Consolidation of
• ‘Physiotherapy Assessment’ Module: Objective assessment skills
• ‘Anatomy and Physiology’ Module
• ‘Long-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Short-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Life-long Conditions’ Module
• ‘Research Methods’ Module

The students will perform the objective assessment and arrive at a working diagnosis (STC)/or established identification of a patient problem list (LTC/LLC).

Differential diagnosis and/or problem list, must demonstrate knowledge relating to previous modules and the objective plan must detail the order and clinically reasoning for the objective assessment to follow.
Students will need to justify their decisions and back up those decisions with evidence.

Check point 3:
Consolidation of
• ‘Short-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Long-term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Life-long Conditions’ Module
• ‘Biopsychosocial Foundation of Physiotherapy Practice’ Module
• ‘Research Methods’ Module

Once a more definitive diagnosis and/or Problem list, has been determined this will be discussed with the supervisor/staff member and clinically reasoned by the student.

The students will demonstrate how they have arrived at the working diagnosis and/or show knowledge of an existing long-term condition problem list.

They will then communicate this information regarding the diagnosis and/or problem list, to the patient as a report of findings process. The information will demonstrate knowledge gained during the subjective assessment and the BPS model, relative to the patient history. They will agree upon key goals for treatment.

Check point 4:
Consolidation of
• ‘Short Term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Long Term Conditions’ Module
• ‘Life-long Conditions’ Module
• ‘Biopsychosocial Foundation of Physiotherapy Practice’ Module
• ‘Treatment and Rehabilitation’ Module
• Biomechanics of human movement’ Module
• ‘Research methods’ Module

The student will devise a plan of treatment and rehabilitation including selected outcome measures that they would deliver to the patient. They will use class time to practice key treatment options or explore any novel treatment approaches under supervision.

The student will present their treatment plan proposal as a formal Presentation, detailing the assessment findings, treatment plan and agreed goals that have been set with the patient. The presentation will justify their treatment selection using appropriate research and evidence.

The students may be asked to demonstrate selected treatment skills or rehabilitation techniques from the plan that has been proposed and this will be evaluated.

A questions and answer session will follow the presentation where students will answer questions from the assessors and discuss their treatment plan rationale.

Check point 5:

At this stage the students will review and critically reflect on the treatment plan devised and delivered. Feedback from the patient and supervisor will help the student identify ongoing learning needs and this will be documents within the student reflective portfolio.

This process will be repeated for 2 different scenarios across the term and each case must be from 2 different specialist areas and presented as one final module presentation:

• Musculoskeletal
• Respiratory
• Neurological
• Paediatrics
• Community based
• Sports injury
• Trauma & Orthopaedics

This module will allow for acquired knowledge and practice placement experience to be consolidated in a safe and controlled environment. This opportunity will be provided to ensure that all patients can experience the process of managing a patient problem through a full treatment lifecycle and/or meaningful treatment course intervention, an opportunity which may not present itself during practice placements.

The module will allow for knowledge synthesis and allow taught material to be integrated, utilising all the skills and techniques assimilated during the course.

Consolidation of further modules include

• ‘Promoting Health and Wellbeing’
• ‘Developing Confidence in Physiotherapy Practice’
• ‘Informed Decision Making - The Physiotherapist as a skilled practitioner’
• ‘Becoming an Autonomous Physiotherapist’

Students develop a broad range of skills while covering the module. This module will become the contextual platform for applying acquired knowledge and practice skills.