Physiotherapy in Medical and Surgical In-Patient Care, Theory and Practice

Entry requirements

For admission to the course, 82.5 passed credits (55 credits) are required. All oral, written and practical examinations in physiotherapy from earlier semesters must be passed. If the examination consists of a report, this should be submitted before end of the actual semester and must be approved at the latest the following semester.

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to prepare the student for the basics in independent exercise of the profession as a physiotherapist within in-patient, somatic care in acute and subacute stages of musculoskeletal, respiratory and circulatory functional disorders in connection with internal medicine, surgical and orthopaedic treatment.

After completed course, the student should be able to:

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

1. orally and in writing account for the functional disorders that are possible to influence with physiotherapeutic measures and be able to explain the suggested measures by using his/her knowledge in basic anatomy, physiology, medicine and behavioural medicine.

SKILLS AND ABILITY

2. apply knowledge and show skills in assessment, treatment and evaluation methods relevant to patients in in-patient somatic care.

3. work ergonomically and with good safety for the patient

4. assess, stimulate and evaluate the patient's attitude towards (motivation) and confidence to own ability (self-efficacy) to carry out treatment.

EVALUATION ABILITY AND ATTITUDES

5. interact with, support and motivate individual patients, relatives and other staff.

6. pay attention to and counter crisis reactions.

7. notice, analyse and handle health care ethical problems on a basic level

8. handle information concerning the patients based on current laws, ordinances and guidelines

9. show self-knowledge and reflect on own values, attitudes and behaviours in interplay with patients, relatives and other staff 10. analyse and evaluate clinical conduct in relation to evidence and empirical practice i.e. clinical reasoning and decision making

Content

The course comprises nine weeks (13.5 HE credits) including clinical placement and contains:

* Examination, assessment, preventive and treatment measures and evaluation; oral, written and practical application theoretically and clinical.

* Clinical reasoning, problem-solving and decision making

* Documentation in connection with patient care.

* Application of behavioural medicine, educational and psychological models and methods individually and in groups.

* Training to assess, stimulate and evaluate the patient's attitude to (motivation) and confidence to own ability (self-efficacy) to carry out own treatment.

* Theories and models as well as methods to handle ethical problems in health care: theoretical and clinical.

* Planning and organising own work.

Instruction

The teaching is given in the form of lectures, practical training, seminars and clinical placement.

Assessment

Passing the course requires:

* Passed written examination that examines aim 1 and 8

* Passed oral and practical examination that examines aim 1.2 and 3

* Passed written patient case documentation that examines aim 4 8 and 10

* Passed written ethics case documentation that examines aim 7

* Attendance and active participation in introduction and follow up of ethical issues before and after the clinical placement that examines aim 7

* Attendance and active participation in patient interview and assessment that examines aim 2 and 3

* Passed achievements according to Assessment criteria in "Instrument for development and assessment in clinical placement" that examines aim 1.2.3.5.6.8.9 and 10

Students who have not passed the examination have a right to attend 4 additional examinations (i.e. 5 examinations in total). If special circumstances apply, the programme committee may admit additional examinations. Every time the student participates in an examination counts. Submission of so called blank exam is counted as an examination. The student has a right to request a change of examiner after two failed examinations.

A student is qualified to start a clinical placement if he or she has shown sufficient knowledge during the theoretical physiotherapy course to be able to accomplish the clinical placement..

If failing the clinical placement due to insufficient knowledge and skills and/or absence 25% or more during the internship the student has to redo the clinical placement one more time for a full time period

If the student fails to accomplish the clinical placement with a pass the student has to get a pass in all theoretical parts of the course before starting a renewed clinical placement period.

Prematurely interrupted clinical placement:

A student may fail and be forced to interrupt the clinical placement prematurely if there is a noticeable risk that the student due to incompetence may injure another individual or valuable property if he or she continues the clinical education. An individual plan should be decided for the student and given to him or her in writing. This plan, to be decided by the programme committee, must state the knowledge and skill shortages at hand, the support the student may receive from the department and also state how and when the control will take place.. A student is entitled to a maximum of two control occasions, however no more than once a year. The student may not participate in the clinical placement again until the programme committee has controlled and accepted the required knowledge and skills of the student. Decisions on the individual study plan may be delegated by the programme committee to a student welfare committee or equivalent with student representation.

Students who have failed to accomplish the clinical placement with a pass have the right to undergo renewed placement once. If special circumstances apply, the programme committee may consider an additional occasion for clinical placement.