Integrated Professional Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Approximately 360 hours

Students will need to allow time for self-directed learning, with a minimum of 4 hours per week of self-directed learning and preparation for written assessment tasks.

All 1st year, 2nd year subjects and 3rd year semester 1 DPT subjects

Knowledge and skills covered in all 1st year, 2nd year subjects and 3rd year semester 1 DPT subjects

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The key aim of this capstone subject is to prepare students for diverse, complex and evolving physiotherapy careers/practices. Building upon previous DPT learning and the DPT graduate attributes, the subject provides opportunities to extend, deepen and apply knowledge, skills and attributes in the context of managing patients with complex needs in a range of settings through case based learning on campus mentored by clinical specialists and through clinical placements preparing students for entry to practice. Emphasis will be placed on investigating, analysing and synthesizing complex information, applying clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice and professional ethics, critiquing, debating and weighing priorities relating to the individual and their families, collaborative interprofessional practice, organisational and healthcare policies and priorities, and third party and government funding agencies to devise, implement and evaluate management plans that are responsive to the individual, systems of health and community care, and the environment. These elements will be addressed through in-class sessions and a written assignment. An advanced selective placement will provide opportunities to choose a clinical, research or professional practice placement, in line with their early career preference.

To further build and enhance transitional skills, knowledge and attributes necessary for practice as physiotherapists, students will be given opportunities to be reflective, critical and creative in addressing identified needs in their own professional practice and in a professional practice setting. Students will review Australian Physiotherapy Council standards to identify areas of need in their own professional knowledge and skills. In collaboration with clinical supervisors, students will develop learning contracts and goals to address these identified need areas in their work readiness clinical placements. Performance (35% of mark) in achieving these goals will be evaluated in addition to the application of standardised clinical evaluation processes using the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool. The APP is a validated clinical evaluation tool that is mapped to Australian physiotherapy standards and is being used across all Australian universities to assess student clinical competence and readiness for independent practice. In addition, 5 personalized learning objectives will be identified by students and set collaboratively with clinical supervisors with clear criteria for achievement that provide scope for learning outcomes directed to elements of work readiness outside of direct patient care (5%).

The subject will culminate in the opportunity to conduct a capstone project based on a needs assessment within their professional practice context, identifying and justifying priority service areas. Selecting a priority area in collaboration with a mentor, they will design, justify and present a program, service or resource, including a business case, to address the identified need area, identifying and addressing enablers and barriers, and means of evaluating the success of the project.

The curriculum for the DPT has been designed around 8 Learning outcomes under 3 elements

Physiotherapy Theory and Practice:

• Investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information in the context of managing patients with complex needs in a range of settings.
• Apply a high standard of clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice and professional ethics in clinical practice.
• Devise, implement and evaluate management plans that are responsive to the individual and their families, collaborative interprofessional practice, organisational and healthcare policies and priorities, and third party and government funding agencies, systems of health and community care, and the environment.
• Demonstrate preparation for transition from student to working as a physiotherapist in a professional practice setting

Research and Evidence:

• Conduct a needs assessment, identify and justify priority service areas and synthesizing current evidence
• Develop and justify a program, service or resource providing means for evaluating the success the project.

Healthcare in Context:

• Use the Australian Physiotherapy Council’s standards of practice to reflect on professional knowledge and skills, and to identify and address personal learning needs.
• Debate barriers and enablers to knowledge translation in professional practice

• Individual 1500 word written assignment (mid semester) 10%
• Individual work readiness clinic: continuous clinical assessment (mid-late semester) 35%, Learning contract objectives 5% - Total 40% Hurdle requirement
• Individual advanced selective placement (mid-late semester) Pass/Fail Hurdle requirement
• Individual 1500 word reflective assignment (end of semester) 10%
• Group Capstone Project (5000 words per student) (end of semester) 40%

As this subject is a capstone subject for transition to professional practice, students must pass the placement components of the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportunity to develop the DPT graduate attributes including:

• Excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, and critical and creative thinking
• Capability for reflective practice including an awareness of personal and professional strengths and limitations, and responsibility to maintain high quality professional standards
• Analytical and cognitive skills to address complex problems with sensitivity to individual, organizational and community social and cultural diversity
• Capability to participate in collaborative learning, confront unfamiliar problems, initiate and implement constructive change at an individual and community level, including their profession and/or workplace.