module specification

Practice Education 1: Introduction to clinical practice module (PT4W50) is the first practice education module on this course.

PT4W50 is aimed at preparing students for practice education, completing their mandatory training requirements, and providing their first opportunity to experience a practice placement setting.  Learning and teaching aims of the module are achieved through a clinical simulation programme with mandatory training sessions in the first semester, and a longitudinal one-day a week placement in the second semester.

The clinical simulation is focused at supporting the development of core clinical skills and attitudes such as communication, professionalism, empathy, patients’ assessment, clinical reasoning, management of patients and safety. This is delivered through a wide range of teaching approaches including simulated practice with debriefings, group discussions, guided study, workshop and patient educator sessions. In addition to these sessions, students will complete mandatory training which further prepares them for their first placement.

In the second semester, students will be allocated to a one-day-a week placement to practice their developing skills in a clinical practice setting. The placement will also be supported by weekly debrief sessions.

Specifically, in this module, you will:
1. Acquire knowledge of common settings used in practice education and understand the expectations of students working in these settings.
2. Complete mandatory learning and develop core skills required in practice-based learning.
3. Develop understanding of assessment processes and documentations used in physiotherapy practice-based learning.
4. Practice assessment, clinical reasoning, and management skills in preparation for the first placement.
5. Attend a longitudinal placement to utilise the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired in your academic studies.
6. Have opportunity to develop professionalism and inter-professional understanding in a real clinical environment.

Knowledge
• Practice education settings
• Physiotherapy skills framework
• Clinical placement assessment form
• SWOC analysis
• Personal development plan
• Professional practice, standards, policies, and procedures
• Models of clinical reasoning
• Reasonable adjustments
• Confidentiality and the factors that should be considered.
• Maintaining health and wellbeing; role of occupational health

Skills
• Professionalism: Application of safe practice including mandatory training and protocols.
• Care, compassion respect and empathy.
• Team working, time management, administrative duties, organisation.
• Clinical skills: Assessment, treatment, and management of service users. Clinical reasoning, problem solving, enablement and goal setting.
• Use of relevant professional documentation.
• Shared decision making, informed consents.
• Transferring knowledge and skills from academic modules and available evidence base to support practice.
• Sustainability and inclusivity.
• Communication with service users, educators, tutors, interdisciplinary team members, support staff and other relevant parties.
• Personal development: Reflection, personal and professional development and learning opportunities, and contracts.
• Mandatory training and immunisation.

Attitude
• Behave ethically and with integrity.
• Respect for all patients, promoting diversity, acknowledging patients’ rights include refusal of treatment.
• Appreciation and enthusiasm for life-long learning
• Independent and critical approach to learning
• Understand own limitations.
• Maximise benefits derived from various learning opportunities

This module utilises experiential learning approaches of clinical simulation, self-directed study and one-day a week clinical placement in practice education settings (Longitudinal placement). Students will complete clinical simulation sessions during which patient assessment and management skills are developed in our skills laboratory in preparation for clinical practice.  In addition, students will complete self-directed mandatory training to give them awareness of core knowledge required to work in a clinical setting.

During placements, students will learn through clinical observation, clinical practice, reflective practice, under the supervision of practice educators, and participate in clinical de-briefs with academic tutors in the University.

By the end of this module students should:
1. Demonstrate awareness of values and attitudes required of a physiotherapist within a practice setting, including professionalism, confidentiality, information governance, managing own health and well-being, and identifying areas of continuing professional development.
2. Use their knowledge and skills to assess service users to determine their needs, plan, apply treatment within own limit of practice, record assessment and outcomes in appropriate formats, and modify treatments as needed.
3. Demonstrate their clinical reasoning in relation to assessment findings and expected response to treatment.
4. Communicate effectively and respectfully with different groups of service users, carers, practice educators, and appropriate members of the interdisciplinary team, using a wide range of appropriate communication skills including verbal, non-verbal, (written and listening) to both share and receive information and maintain confidentiality.
5. Demonstrate safe practice within own limits of practice in a clinical setting and identify when to seek advice and refer to another professional or service.
6. Reflect on own practice skills, seek feedback, help and support where necessary, and respond appropriately to during practice placements for continuing professional development.

Module Reading List

Textbooks
• Clinical Reasoning in the Health Professions E-Book, edited by Joy Higgs, et al., Elsevier Health Sciences, 2008.
• White, Sue, et al. Critical Reflection in Health and Social Care, McGraw-Hill Education, 2006.
• Kenyon, K. and Kenyon, J. (2018). The physiotherapist’s pocketbook: essential facts at your fingertips. 3rd edition. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
• Cross, J., Broad, M. A., Quint, M. J., Ritson, P. and Thomas, S. (eds) (2020) Respiratory physiotherapy pocketbook: an on-call survival guide. Third edition. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
• Lennon, S., Ramdharry, G., Verheyden, G. (2018). Neurological Physiotherapy Pocketbook. 2nd edition. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Journal Articles
• Atkinson HL, Nixon-Cave K. (2011). A tool for clinical reasoning and reflection using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework and patient management model. Phys Ther. 91:416 – 430

• Donaghy, M. and Morss, K. (2000). Guided reflection: A framework to facilitate and assess reflective practice within the discipline of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy Theory & Practice. 16, (1), 3-14.

A good article for understanding what reflection and reflective practice is in physiotherapy education and the healthcare setting.

Publications
• CHARTERED SOCIETY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY, 2013. Quality Assurance standards for physiotherapy service delivery. London: CSP
• HEALTH & CARE PROFESSIONS COUNCIL, (2024). Standards of conduct, performance, and ethics. London: HCPC.
• CHARTERED SOCIETY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY CSP (2011). Physiotherapy Framework: putting physiotherapy behaviours, values, knowledge & skills into practice [updated May 2020]
• HEALTH & CARE PROFESSIONS COUNCIL, (2023). Standards of Proficiency (Physiotherapy) London: HCPC.