Year

2024

Credit points

10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
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  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance

Prerequisites

PHTY302 Neurological Physiotherapy Practice 1

Teaching organisation

150 hours of focused learning.

Unit rationale, description and aim

Physiotherapists work with people presenting with neurological disorders. This requires the abilty to formulate a problem list for a person with a neurological disorder and develop, implement, evaluate and progress an intervention program which is efficient, effective, culturally responsive, evidence-based and person-centred. In this unit you will build on the knowledge acquired, and clinical reasoning skills developed in PHTY302 Neurological Physiotherapy Practice 1. Students will gain new knowledge including impairments and activity limitations associated with neuro-progressive disorders, traumatic brain injury, functional neurological disorders, spinal cord injury and peripheral nervous system pathology. Students will develop skills in the management of these impairments and activity limitations. The overall aim for the unit is to prepare students for professional practice in the area of neurological 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.

Learning Outcome NumberLearning Outcome DescriptionRelevant Graduate Capabilities
LO1Describe, and discuss the implications for physiotherapy practice of, neuro-progressive disorders, traumatic brain injury, functional neurological disorders, spinal cord injury and peripheral nervous system pathologyGC1, GC2, GC9, GC11
LO2Safely and effectively assess and, develop, implement, evaluate and progress an intervention program, for a person with a neurological disorder which is efficient, effective, culturally responsive, evidence-based and person-centredGC1, GC2, GC7
LO3Demonstrate effective written and oral communication with members of the multi-disciplinary teamGC1, GC2, GC4, GC5, GC9, GC11, GC12

Content

Topics will include: 

Physiotherapy assessment and management of neurological impairments including perceptual; spasticity; ataxia and vestibular. 

 

Neuro-progressive disorders 

  • Impairments and activity limitations associated with neuro-progressive pathologies e.g. Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease 
  • Medical and multi-disciplinary management of people with neuro-progressive pathologies 
  • Physiotherapy assessment and management of people with neuro-progressive pathologies 

 

Traumatic brain injury 

  • Impairments and activity limitations associated with traumatic brain injury 
  • Medical and multi-disciplinary management of people with traumatic brain injury 
  • Physiotherapy assessment and management of people with traumatic brain injury across the continuum of care 

 

Functional Neurological Disorders

  • Activity limitations associated with functional neurological disorders
  • Medical and multi-disciplinary management of people with functional neurological disorders
  • Physiotherapy assessment and management of people with functional neurological disorders

 

Spinal cord injury 

  • Impairments and activity limitations associated with pathology of the spinal cord injury 
  • Medical and multi-disciplinary management of people with spinal cord injury 
  • Physiotherapy assessment and management of people with spinal cord injury across the continuum of care 

 

Peripheral nervous system pathology 

  • Impairments and activity limitations associated with pathology of the peripheral nervous system 
  • Medical and multi-disciplinary management of people with peripheral nervous system pathology 
  • Physiotherapy assessment and management of people with peripheral nervous system pathology e.g. Guillain Barre syndrome, across the continuum of care 

 

Evidence-based physiotherapy 

  • Critical review of the evidence for neurological rehabilitation  


Documentation of assessment and interventions 

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. Tutorial and 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. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their clinical reasoning skills in written and verbal forms.


Assessment task 1 (EBP seminar) requires students to demonstrate skills in critical analysis of the neurological physiotherapy intervention literature. Assessment task 2 (practical examination) requires students to assimilate and apply theoretical knowledge, and perform clinical practice skills, in order to demonstrate their professional competence in the areas of assessment and treatment of people with neurological conditions. Assessment task 3 (written treatment plan) requires students to demonstrate acquired theoretical knowledge and assimilate and apply this knowledge to clinically relevant case scenarios.

Overview of assessments

Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment TasksWeightingLearning Outcomes

Assessment 1 Evidence-based practice seminar: 

Requires students to demonstrate skills in critical analysis of the neurological physiotherapy intervention literature  

25%

LO1

Assessment 2 Practical examination:

Requires students to demonstrate competency in professional behaviour, clinical reasoning and the ability to plan and, undertake appropriate assessment and treatment techniques (neurological case scenarios and demonstration on a peer ) 

40%

LO1, LO2

Assessment 3 Written treatment plans:

Requires students to demonstrate acquired theoretical knowledge and assimilate and apply this knowledge to clinically relevant case scenarios.

35%

LO1, LO2, LO3

Representative texts and references

Adolfo M. Bronstein, A.M. & Lempert, T. (2017) Dizziness: a practical approach to diagnosis and management (2nd ed.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Blumenfeld, H. (2010). Neuroanatomy through clinical cases. Sunderland MA: Sinauer Associates Inc.  

Carr, J., & Shepherd, R. (2010). Neurological rehabilitation: Optimising motor performance (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.  

Edwards, S. (2002). Neurological physiotherapy: A problem solving approach. London: Churchill Livingstone.  

Harvey, L. (2008). Management of spinal cord injuries: a guide for physiotherapists. New York: Butterworth-Heinemann.  

Herdman, S.J. (2014). Vestibular Rehabilitation (4th ed.). Philadelphia: FA Davis Company.  

Jones, K.J. (2011). Neurological assessment: a clinician’s guide. London: Churchill Livingstone. 

Lazaro, R. T., Umphred, D. A., Reina-Guerra, R. T., Quiben, S. G., & Quiben, Myla U. (2020). Umphred's neurological rehabilitation (Seventh edition.). Elsevier.

Lennon, S., Ramdharry, G., & Verheyden, G. (2018). Physical management for neurological conditions (Fourth edition.). Elsevier.

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