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Location Domestic International
Gold Coast
Lismore

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Unit aim

Provides a comprehensive introduction to clinical skills required in the holistic assessment of the individual with particular emphasis on osteopathic physical examination. 

Unit content

  • Communication  and patient interview skills
  • Mechanical, physiological and biochemical changes found in selected disorders compared to normal anatomy and physiology
  • Signs and symptoms of common conditions of regions and systems of the body
  • Critical analysis of the evidence supporting assessment and diagnosis of common conditions
  • Physical assessment of the regions of the body, integrating the neurological, musculoskeletal and visceral systems
  • Developing management plans for common clinical problems
  • Professional behaviour and ethico-legal requirements for health care practice
 

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate basic patient interview and effective communication skills
2 contrast the mechanical, physiological and biochemical changes found in selected disorders to normal anatomy and physiology of specific regions and systems of the body
3 identify and interpret the signs and symptoms of disease affecting specific regions and systems of the body
4 demonstrate beginner skills of physical assessment of specific regions and systems of the body
5 formulate safe, hypothetical management plans for common clinical problems of specific regions and systems of the body
6 demonstrate adherence to ethico-legal requirements for health care practice and developing professional behaviour

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate basic patient interview and effective communication skills
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  2. contrast the mechanical, physiological and biochemical changes found in selected disorders to normal anatomy and physiology of specific regions and systems of the body
    • GA4:
  3. identify and interpret the signs and symptoms of disease affecting specific regions and systems of the body
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  4. demonstrate beginner skills of physical assessment of specific regions and systems of the body
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  5. formulate safe, hypothetical management plans for common clinical problems of specific regions and systems of the body
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  6. demonstrate adherence to ethico-legal requirements for health care practice and developing professional behaviour
    • GA3:
    • GA6:

Prescribed texts

  • Bickley, LS & Szilagyi, PG, 2012, Bates' guide to physical examination and history taking, 11th edn, Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, USA.
  • Edited by Nicola J. Petty ; foreword by Alison Rushton, 2011, Neuromusculoskeletal examination and assessment: a handbook for therapists, 4th edn, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, Edinburgh.
  • Stein-Parbury, J, 2014, Patient & person: interpersonal skills in nursing , 5th edn, Elsevier Australia, Chatswood, Australia.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.