POD5101 · Dermatology and diseases of the lower limb

Overview

Podiatrists manage a range of dermatological conditions affecting the lower limb, from acute skin lesions to chronic wound presentations. This unit is designed to develop your understanding of skin and nail structure to allow you to evaluate and manage a range of conditions that will present in a podiatric clinical setting. You will also be exposed to inter-disciplinary practice and learn how to work in a culturally sensitive and safe manner. You will develop an understanding of the anatomy of the integumentary system, and the physiological changes across the life span via a series of lectures and tutorials. This hands-on unit will include practical sessions where you will perform a range of vascular assessments of the lower limb in a simulated setting and be able to diagnose and treat a range of pathological dermatological conditions affecting the foot, using specialised podiatry instruments. A variety of workshops will expose you to various foot care and wound care products, and pharmacological therapies relevant to the management of your client. This unit will complement your knowledge of health professional practice and highlight the role of the podiatrist as part of a multi-disciplinary team. You will also use evidence-based practice in the decision-making process of managing a client with dermatological conditions in the lower limb.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

Assessment in this unit includes hurdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Describe the normal anatomy of the skin and nail across the life span;
2. Critically evaluate the risk factors, clinical features and pathological processes of a range of skin and nail disorders in the lower limb;
3. Design and conduct relevant skin, nail and vascular assessments of the lower limb;
4. Determine a client’s short- and long-term goals, based on assessment results, and medico-legal documentation of findings;
5. Critically analyse clinical cases and synthesise appropriate management plans for a range of dermatological conditions in the lower limb, including the high-risk foot presentations;
6. Demonstrate beginner level competency in nail care, sharps debridement and non-complex or acute wound care;
7. Communicate effectively with clients, carers and other members of the health care team;
8. Deliver and evaluate the quality of client-centred care and interprofessional management;
9. Appraise the principles of inclusive, and culturally safe podiatry practice and apply it in a multidisciplinary clinical setting;
10. Explain the principles of prevention and management of dermatological conditions in the lower limb, including pharmacological therapies, soft tissue therapies, wound dressings and related technologies;
11. Analyse the consequences of dermatological conditions of the lower limb from a population health perspective;
12. Critically appraise Artificial Intelligence tools and use these ethically and responsibly in evidence-based practice in the management of the client with lower limb dermatological conditions.

Workload

The average time required for the dedicated contact hours and private study hours is equivalent of 24 hours per week during a regular semester. There will be 12 hours of on-campus directed learning and 12 hours of self-directed learning per week.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.