Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 400929

Coordinator Zainab Al-Modhefer Opens in new window

Description This unit is the first of four podiatry clinical practice units. Building on previous core and podiatry specific theory units this unit introduces students to basic and general clinical skills, including history taking, patient communication, assessment, diagnosis, management and documentation in the clinical environment of common foot disorders under supervision. The student will also be introduced to basic skills in mechanical therapy as part of the clinical therapies component of the unit. Clinical activities will include UniClinic sessions, Clinical Therapies, Tutorials, and External Clinical Placement.

School Health Sciences

Discipline Podiatry

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 2 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Pre-requisite(s) REHA 2007 AND
REHA 2003

Restrictions

The Podiatric Practice subjects have been designed to be an integrated suite of subjects where one subject builds on the clinical competencies of the others. Students participate in patient assessment, diagnosis and management. It is essential that students have been able to demonstrate baseline competencies in theoretical content, patient management, infection control and safe work practices (i.e completed the preceding prerequisite subjects including Podiatry PreClinical). The subject is Podiatry specific and restricted only to students enrolled in 4708 Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine and 4709 Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine (Honours). Students must meet all inherent requirements for the podiatry program.

Assumed Knowledge

Completion of all core subjects to this semester/ year of study.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate and apply principles of professional behaviour in the clinical environment.
2. Demonstrate and apply competencies in infection control procedures for use in a patient consultation.
3. Develop and apply clinical skills in taking, presenting and documenting a patient history using UniClinic assessment forms and SOAPE format in the clinical environment.
4. Develop and clinically apply competencies in undertaking cursory vascular, neurological, dermatological and biomechanical assessment techniques for use in the patient consultation in the clinical environment.
5. Develop and demonstrate skills in clinical reasoning, using consolidation of podiatric theory, for use in goal orientated management plans in the patient consultation.
6. Develop and demonstrate basic clinical competencies in nail cutting, scalpel technique, application of dressings using aseptic technique and undertaking sterilisation procedures.
7. Develop competencies in documenting patient consultations and corresponding with other health professionals using SOAPE format, UniClinic assessment forms, patient’s records and referral letters in the clinical environment.
8. Demonstrate ability to self-evaluate and appreciate limits of own competence, including willingness to consult with peers and staff.
9. Develop and clinically apply skills in manual fabrication of basic mechanical therapy techniques including taping techniques, chair-side devices and non-cast orthoses.
10. Demonstrate and distinguish work health and safety (WH&S) competencies in the clinical environment and whilst using machinery in the orthotic therapy laboratories.

Subject Content

This is the first of four clinical practice units, the student will participate in basic and general patient assessment, diagnosis, and management of common foot disorders.
The activities will be divided into four areas:
- Patient Clinic (UniClinic)
- Clinical Therapies
- Clinical Tutorials
- External Clinical Placement

1. Patient Clinics (UniClinic)
- All students must be deemed competent in their safety OSCE prior to commencing patient clinics, where students will be heavily supervised by registered practitioners.

2. Clinical Tutorials
Content includes:
a). General Information
- Compliance with Immunisation, First aid and advanced resuscitation CPR certificates, Criminal record and working with children checks, Bulk compliance checks, Inherent Requirements for UniClinic.
b). Professional Behaviour
- Student Clinical Handbook Procedures
- Dress code
- Professional behaviour
c). Infection control
- Infection Control Handbook Procedures
- Sterilisation room
- Clinical protocols
- Sterilisation procedures
- Preparing a work area
- Applying a dressing using aseptic technique 
d). Documentation
- Legalities
- Responsibilities
- UniClinic assessment forms and patient record keeping
- SOAPE format
- Goal Orientated Management Planning
- Clinical Checklists
- Referrals and responses
e). Clinical Protocols
- Principles and procedures of clinic
- Consultation thought processes
- History gathering concepts and skills
f). Assessments and Diagnosis
- Cursory neurological
- Cursory vascular
- Cursory dermatological
- Cursory functional and biomechanical
g). Developing basic clinical skills
- Handling sharps
- Needle-stick injuries
- Scalpel work
- Nail treatments
- Padding and strapping
- Silicon devices
- Braces and supportive devices
- Footwear assessment
- taping techniques
- non-cast orthoses 
h). Occupational/Work Health and Safety Practical Issues
- Patient safety
- Practitioner safety
- Managing a changing environment
- Risk assessments
i). External placement
- External placement orientation
- Developing learning objectives for placement
- Professional and ethical issues associated with placement
- Assessment and feedback on placement
3. Clinical Therapies
Content includes:
- Principles of mechanical therapy
- Safety factors within the workshop area and using machinery safely
- Non-cast devices and the introduction to off the shelf devices
- Historical aspects on orthoses
- Review of foot posture, foot function and neutral foot position
- Neutral casting and pouring of casts
- Negative and positive casts
- Fabrication custom-made functional orthoses and simple devices
4. External Clinical Placement
Placements will take place in private practice and public sectors.

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites

Special Requirements - NSW Health Legislative Prerequisites

Student Compliance Information for all Health-Related Placements

Prior to enrolling in this subject, students must have submitted a Student Undertaking Form and undertake to apply for a National Police Check, which is required to be submitted before placement, and a Working with Children Check Student Declaration. Use the link to the Special Requirements webpage below for more information.

To be eligible to enrol in this subject and complete any required health-related placements or experiences, students must meet Western Sydney University program requirements as well as any special, legislated, or policy-mandated requirements.

Western Program Requirements

Visit the Special Requirements webpage for details about your program.

Special Requirements

Mandatory NSW Health student placement policy requirements

To be able to undertake placement in any NSW Health facility you must be assessed as compliant with NSW Health student placement policy in the first year of your program, regardless of when you expect to go on your first placement. Access and read the NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet.

NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet

Please ensure that you

1.  Find your existing National Police Check or apply for one
2.  Gather documentary evidence of your vaccination history
3.  Print and compete all relevant NSW Health forms relevant to the campus you are enrolled at or online enrolment requirements
4.  Follow booklet instructions on how to have your compliance documents assessed by NSW health staff.

International students have additional requirements; the link to the booklet will inform you of these requirements.

School Requirements

Contact your School for further details regarding your School’s requirements, if any, such as

• If you live outside of NSW or Australia and need to meet your state, territory or country’s compliance requirements
• If you need to meet different state, territory or country compliance requirements.
• NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) or other state equivalent, valid for your entire program.
• Current approved first aid certificate valid for your entire program - approved program providers can be found at the Government Training website
• http://training.gov.au
• Other non-health related requirements.

Student Compliance Resources are also available on the Placements Hub web page (NSW students only)

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/learning_futures/home/placements_hub/placements_hub/student_compliance