POD5301 · Advanced podiatry practice

Overview

Podiatrists work with people across the lifespan who experience a range of complex medical conditions affecting the lower limb. This unit is designed to develop your understanding of specialised topics relating to the podiatrist’s scope of practice, such as sports and exercise, paediatrics and surgery. The theoretical component will also include a range of pharmacotherapeutics (including traditional, bush and alternative medicine) and assistive technology used to manage medical conditions in a safe way. You will also be exposed to sustainable practices and collaborative care practices. This hands-on unit will include practical sessions where you will perform a range of assessments and clinical treatments of the lower limb in a simulated setting. You will also learn strategies to cope with situations when a patient’s condition deteriorates, requiring emergency care. This unit will highlight the role of the podiatrist as part of a multidisciplinary team. You will also use evidence-based practice in the decision-making process of managing a client with medical conditions affecting 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. Critically evaluate the risk factors, clinical features and pathological processes of a range of complex medical conditions that impact the lower limb.
2. Plan efficient, effective, culturally responsive, and person-centred podiatry management, including identifying and mitigating risks that may arise with complex needs.
3. Involve the patient and relevant health professionals in the planning and management of the patient’s condition, including deterioration and emergency care.
4. Apply relevant knowledge and legislative requirements to pharmaceutical (including traditional or alternative medicines) and assistive technology product use.
5. Demonstrate a range of safe manufacturing, prescribing, administration and dispensing strategies enabling effective and sustainable podiatry practices.
6. Communicate person-centred management in high risk complex cases.
7. Implement collaborative care principles, including peer review and mentoring, when managing advanced complex cases.
8. Examine and critically reflect on your own cultural lens, and mitigate risks to self and others in your role as a practitioner.
9. Improve policies and procedures for safe practice in the workplace, including the safe and effective use of medicines and assistive technology.

Workload

The average time required for the dedicated contact hours and private study hours is equivalent to 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.