96089 Prevention and Rehabilitation in the Community
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96084 Sub-acute Rehabilitation AND 96085 Outpatient Rehabilitation AND 96088 Acute Physiotherapy Care
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject covers prevention, wellness and management of people with chronic diseases across the lifespan in community settings. A particular focus is exercise therapy and self-management to maximise health and participation in daily life. Exercise and lifestyle management for disease prevention, psychological health and healthy ageing, including education, activity and falls prevention programs are a focus. Students critique evidence underpinning high and low-intensity exercise to chronic diseases. Aquatic physiotherapy for chronic disease management and rehabilitation are introduced. Exercise adherence and self-efficacy inform behavioural interventions of motivational interviewing, behaviour change, compliance and motivation. Community-based physiotherapy, management of vestibular disorders and cancer care, using telerehabilitation and other technologies, with the aim of increasing participation in society, are also discussed. Client-centred care, shared decision making, self-management and goal setting are expanded in this subject, while the role of the physiotherapist as an educator is further explored.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 07. | Conduct a culturally responsive objective examination |
|---|---|
| 08. | Justify assessment selection with reference to the evidence for its clinimetric properties |
| 11. | Interpret assessment results |
| 14. | Execute a differential diagnosis for a given case |
| 15. | Establish goals with client and families/caregivers |
| 16. | Plan an intervention |
| 17. | Collaborate and participate in shared decision-making with the client and relevant others |
| 19. | Provide an evidence-based justification for intervention selection |
| 20. | Organise environment for safe execution of intervention |
| 21. | Minimise risk of adverse events to self and clients during intervention |
| 25. | Evaluate the efficacy of an intervention |
| 27. | Use education to empower clients and caregivers |
| 30. | Empower a client’s self-management and self-efficacy |
| 31. | Develop health promotion programs |
| 32. | Develop illness/injury prevention strategies |
| 33. | Integrate new technologies into physiotherapy care |
| 35. | Communicate effectively with the client, caregivers and other health professionals |
| 40. | Engage in inclusive, collaborative, consultative, culturally responsive and client-centred model of practice |
| 49. | Advocate for clients to receive best-practice healthcare |
| 60. | Critique selected research |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Knowledge and skills: Integrate core biomedical and social health science knowledge across the breadth of physiotherapy practice to inform assessment and safe, competent and skilled practical care of individuals across the lifespan as an autonomous practitioner and as a member of an interprofessional team. (01.01)
- Clinical reasoning: Identify impairment, activity and participation deficits in individuals in accordance with the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health framework and develop evidence-based care plans in accordance with best practice physiotherapy. (01.02)
- Critical thinker: Critically analyse the evidence underpinning practice and effectively apply new knowledge to practice; conduct and disseminate high-quality research to improve professional knowledge and influence direction of future practice. (02.05)
- Research-enabled: Apply scientific research skills to advance the evidence base supporting physiotherapy practice. (02.09)
- Communication: Communicate effectively using high-level interpersonal skills in both traditional modes of communication and when integrating advances in technology and methods of intervention delivery into patient care. (03.06)
- Teamwork and leadership: Engage in leadership and collaboration, representing the profession in interprofessional teams and seeking advanced practitioner roles to ensure the future vitality of the profession. (03.07)
- Client focus: Provide empathetic, compassionate and respectful patient-focused care, facilitating client self-management, advocating for best practice care and empowering clients by education. (04.03)
- Indigenous awareness and cultural competence: Demonstrate respect and value for diverse ways of knowing, being and doing, in particular recognising the diversity of Indigenous Australians and their health and wellbeing and integrating this knowledge into practice. (05.08)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject provides the basis for a well-rounded physiotherapist to act beyond the scope of hospitals and clinics, and provides strategies to promote health and evidence-based care to individuals living in the community. Students gain an understanding of physiotherapy practice in the community to increase quality of life for people living with chronic conditions.
Practice ready
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy are knowledgeable, practice-ready clinicians, skilled in providing safe and effective evidence-based care to clients across the lifespan, using a wide range of therapeutic approaches including skilled hands on practice, and in a variety of clinical settings as both independent and collaborative practitioners.
Research-enabled
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy effectively integrate research evidence into practice, are proactive in identifying gaps in knowledge and are competent to undertake research to advance the evidence base and inform future physiotherapy practice.
Professionally Competent
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy embody professional and ethical practice, maintaining knowledge and competence at local and global standards. Graduates embrace opportunities for leadership and advanced roles, utilise deliberate practice to optimise physiotherapy care and advocate for the profession in interdisciplinary contexts.
Person-centred
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy are empathetic, person-centred practitioners who empower client self-management and endorse preventative care by forming and valuing partnerships with individuals, families and communities.
Culturally Competent
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy are culturally competent professionals, able to reflect on and explain their own cultural perspectives, accommodate cultural differences and achieve optimal outcomes through the adoption of a consultative approach to physiotherapy practice with indigenous Australians and other cultural groups.
Teaching and learning strategies
Prep work
Prep work is undertaken prior to masterclasses and workshops. Prep work can include watching a video, reading a blog entry/website/textbook chapter/journal article and/or listening to a podcast/video/interview. Questions often accompany the prep work so students read with intent which encourages deep reading. Content covered in prep work is strongly linked to content covered in masterclasses and workshops. Please ensure prep work is carried out so that you have spent some time accessing and making sense of ideas. Attending the masterclasses and workshops will allow you to test these ideas and get feedback from your teachers and peers which will further consolidate your learning. Your knowledge and understanding of the prep work will be tested and applied using quizzes, group discussions and practical activities in masterclasses and workshops.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses are conducted in groups of 60 or more. There is usually a presentation of content by the teacher followed by activities which build on the prep work and the content presented. These activities are varied and require students to work alone, work in pairs or work in groups of 3 or more.
Examples of these activities include short quizzes and group discussions. Group discussions often involve solving a problem or answering a question based on case studies or the content topic. All activities are facilitated by the teacher. Feedback is provided by the teacher where there is discrepancy in the knowledge and understanding of the content or disagreement in opinions between groups. Feedback can also be provided by peers.
Workshops
These activities are varied and often require students to work in pairs or work in groups of 3 or more. Examples of these activities include simulated role play of patients in case studies, group discussions, debates and a brainstorming session covering many aspects of physiotherapy practice. The content of feedback will cover professionalism, communication, thoughts and interactions. Feedback can also be provided by peers
Content (topics)
This subject contributes to the aim of producing practice-ready graduates with an evidence-based, culturally competent and person-centred approach to physiotherapy care. It builds on knowledge gained from all of the clinical subjects covered in the course to date. The subject will provide students with a fundamental understanding of physiotherapy in the community, for both rehabilitation and preventive healthcare. Knowledge gained in this subject is expanded in the later subject 96093 Transition to Practice, where community models of care are debated further in the context of future physiotherapy practice.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Group presentation and infographic
| Intent: | This assessment task will give students the opportunity to work together in groups to prepare a class presentation followed by an A4 infographic. Students will present on current community rehabilitation or prevention program to educate people with chronic conditions in a culturally appropriate way. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 15, 17, 19, 25, 35, 40 and 49 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 01.01, 01.02, 02.05, 03.06, 03.07, 04.03 and 05.08 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 20 mins for presentation (including question time). |
| Criteria: | Please refer to marking criteria on Canvas. |
Assessment task 2: Oral appraisal - Tele-rehabilitation
| Intent: | This assessment task will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their clinical reasoning skills, communication skills using tele-rehabilitation treatment for a selected client. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 07, 08, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 25, 27, 30, 32 and 33 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 01.01, 01.02, 02.05, 02.09, 03.06, 03.07 and 04.03 |
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 15 minutes |
| Criteria: | Please refer to Canvas for the marking criteria rubric. |
Assessment task 3: E-clinical written examination
| Intent: | This assessment task will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and clinical reasoning in various topics covered in weeks 2 to 13. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 07, 08, 11, 14, 16, 19, 25, 31, 32 and 60 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 01.01, 01.02, 02.05, 02.09, 03.06, 03.07, 04.03 and 05.08 |
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 2hr |
| Criteria: | Marks have been allocated to each question in the written exam (marks in bold add up to 40%). Your total grade on the written exam will depend on the number of correct answers/marks obtained for each question. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, you are required to
- complete all assessments items,
- achieve an overall grade of ≥ 50, and
- attend a minimum of 85% of classes.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)