PTY5102 - Advancing skills in paediatric physiotherapy: Neonates and infants - 2018

This unit will cover components of physiotherapy assessment and management options for neonates and infants with a range of conditions who present to physiotherapists. Aetiology and epidemiology of examples of conditions experienced by neonates and infants, and the physiotherapy role in evaluation of neonates and infants are described. An emphasis on establishing competence and confidence to work autonomously whilst identifying limits to own practice is stressed. Learning will be experienced in the online classroom environment with a single face to face day at the conclusion of the unit. A selection of case studies drawn from the special care nursery, subacute and community settings will be used to explore learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Describe the phases of neonatal neurological and respiratory development and the features of each developmental phase.
2. Apply knowledge of typical neonatal and infant development to the clinical physiotherapy management of neonates and infants.
3. Define the principles of developmental care and apply these to clinical practice with the neonatal population.
4. Identify and analyse standardised outcome measures appropriate for assessment of the neonatal and infant population.
5. Synthesise the multiple physiotherapy strategies available to address deviations from typical development in the neonatal and infant populations.
6. Describe a comprehensive musculo-skeletal physiotherapy assessment of the newborn and the infant.
7. Describe the management of common musculo-skeletal disorders of infancy
8. Demonstrate sensitive and appropriate communication at all times when working with children, their parents/carers and other health care professionals.

• Online weekly quizzes (Summative) (35%)
• Online exam (MCQ and short answers) (Summative) (20%)
• Clinical guideline activity (1,000 words) (Summative) (15%)
• Guided paediatric case study (2,000 words) (Summative) (30%)
• Attendance requirement (face to face day, available also via video footage) (Hurdle)
• Contribution to 4 x discussion boards (one per module as per unit guide instructions) (Hurdle)

Approximately 12 hours per week of interaction with online lectures and course material, completion of online assessment tasks and participation in online communications with other students and tutor (online delivery only, block mode), plus self-directed study time. An additional 8 hours of face to face day attendance or video footage viewing required.

See also Unit timetable information

Physiotherapy

Paediatric physiotherapy