Integrated Physiotherapy Practice
Overview
This unit provides students with the knowledge, practical clinical skills and contemporary evidence to effectively evaluate and manage complex presentations across a range of health care settings and diverse backgrounds. Students will be encouraged in this unit to further develop their clinical reasoning skills that underlie the differential diagnosis based on the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model utilising validated outcome measures. Students will be facilitated to integrate and consolidate new and prior physiotherapy knowledge, skills and application to the management of these complex, multi-regional presentations.
Requisites
100 credit points in MA-PHYS1 - Master of Physiotherapy, or
125 credit points in MA-PHYS - Master of Physiotherapy
28-September-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Elaborate and critically evaluate the interaction of the body systems and their role in complex and multi-regional presentations and the role of physiotherapy in maximising health and wellbeing
- Select, perform and interpret differential diagnostic tests for complex presentations
- Critically evaluate and synthesise the research evidence that supports assessment and intervention for complex presentations
- Design and safely perform effective person-centred physiotherapy intervention for complex presentations utilising appropriate technologies in an inter-disciplinary environment.
- Interpret and effectively articulate clinical knowledge to clients, carers and other stakeholders while taking socio-economic and cultural factors into consideration.
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online | Lecture | 20 | 5 weeks | 4 |
| On-campus | Practical | 10 | 5 weeks | 2 |
| On-campus | Workshop | 20 | 5 weeks | 4 |
| Specified Activities | Various | 40 | 5 weeks | 8 |
| Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 60 | 5 weeks | 12 |
| Total Hours: | 150 | Total Hours (per week): | 30 | |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical and Oral Examination | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| e-Portfolio | Individual | 30% | 1,3,5 |
| Quiz | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
Evidence-informed assessment and intervention for complex presentations and associated disability (traumatic and non- traumatic)
Technology to support the management of complex presentations
Physiotherapy practice that is inclusive of an interdisciplinary team approach across health care contexts
Pain sciences and evidence informed practice as part of the interdisciplinary team
Physiotherapy clinical practice guidelines for the management of complex presentations
Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal Communication
Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and Negotiation
Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork Roles and Processes
Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information Literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.