Overview
This unit introduces the student to podiatric clinical practice and fundamental concepts required in practice. Students will develop the necessary communication skills required in patient management and will learn to undertake a comprehensive patient history and to conduct a routine podiatric examination. Students will gain knowledge in common dermatopathology, including microbiology of the skin and nails in podiatric practice and commence practical skill development in skin and nail technique. In addition, students will complete 40 hours of external placement as a participant-observer in an allied health clinic involving podiatry.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Nil.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Have Your Say
"Assessment return time was fantastic and the availability and quality of feedback was amazing"
It is recognised that feedback has a significant impact on student learning and as such we will continue to aim to provide summative and formative feedback for assessment tasks while it is still fresh in the student's mind before the student moves on to subsequent tasks.
Providing effective feedback was again key to the teachings in this unit. This was evidenced in the student satisfaction score. Attention to helping students to identify areas of improvement and offering ideas and suggestions about how to approach these was a central theme in this first podiatry-specific unit. The Unit Coordinator (based in SYD) held weekly meetings with the casual academic in ROK to ensure consistency of delivery and related communications with students were addressed early.
Feedback from Staff Reflection
Practical Sessions
Whilst the students commented quite positively on how they felt the practical sessions were relevant, well planned, informative and enjoyable, the integration of subsequent self-directed practical classes in the timetable may allow additional learning opportunity for students to refine these skills with their peers.
Students were encouraged to practice skills and techniques with their peers outside of the timetabled classes. However, the students on our SYD campus were somewhat restricted with respect to resources as the fit-out was not completed in term time. Staff will however continue to reinforce to the students early on in the curriculum the need for them to practice with peers.
Feedback from Have Your Say
"The coordinator allowed for many learning styles and to accommodate them"
The program will continue to acknowledge that we all learn differently and as such the coordinator will continue to work with a mix of teaching and learning strategies to continue to motivate student learning in this first podiatry specific unit.
This was addressed. It was recognised at the outset (prior to term) that a number students were at different levels of unit attainment with also varied backgrounds. The teaching staff worked hard to ensure a mix of strategies were incorporated to engage interest and motivation (such as Moodle forums, and in-class discussions) but at times this also was challenging particularly in regard to the use of technology across campuses.
- Examine the changing role of the podiatrist and scope of practice in health care provision.
- Use appropriate podiatric terminology.
- Describe the professional role in relation to its standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice; and further produce evidence of meeting the stated pre-clinical documentation requirements for placement.
- Undertake a basic patient assessment involving medical and social history taking, and physical examination (including dermatological, vascular, neurological and biomechanical assessment) in a simulated environment.
- Discriminate between the aetiology (including microbial causes), pathogenesis, transmission of infection, clinical presentation, and treatment strategies for common nail and skin disorders.
- Demonstrate manual skills development under supervision involving nail clipper and scalpel technique.
- Recognise appropriate use of basic chair side techniques including application of padding and/or strapping.
- Demonstrate the use of critical thinking and clinical reasoning as a skill in podiatry practice.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | ||||||||
| 4 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||||||
| 5 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||||||||
| 5 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Merriman's Assessment of the Lower Limb
Third Edition (2012)
Authors: Edited by Ben Yates
Churchill Livingstone
United Kingdom
ISBN: 978-0-7020-5247-7
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.howe@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
The history of the podiatry profession; role and scope of practice; working in a team.
Chapter
Appropriate reading chapters and other resources relevant to each week will be discussed during term time and posted in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Legislative clinical requirements, including occupational health and safety; and sterilisation & infection control.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Communication & documentation in clinical podiatry practice.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Dermatological assessment & common skin conditions.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Dermatological assessment & common nail conditions.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 (weeks 1-5 inclusive) opens Friday 6:00pm.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vascular assessment & common presentations.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 closes Friday 11:45pm.
On-campus Activity Due: Week 6 Monday (17 Apr 2017) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Neurological assessment & common presentations.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Biomechanical assessment & common presentations.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Footwear.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 (weeks 6-9 inclusive) opens Friday 6:00pm.
Module/Topic
Skill development - nail cutting & scalpel technique.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chairside techniques - padding and strapping.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 closes Friday 11:45pm.
Module/Topic
Clinical decision making in practice; and using a learning contract.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
External clinical placement (40 hours total) at the end of term.
Students will be advised of related placement dates and locations during term.
Clinical placement is compulsory requiring 100% attendance rate. Students must show evidence that they have met all the pre-clinical placement requirements prior to commencing placement. All students are required to wear during clinical placement the approved CQUniversity podiatry uniform and to project a professional image at all times. Please refer to the Podiatry Course Handbooks for further information related to placement.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
There will be two quizzes in total with each quiz worth 15%, providing a total overall of 30%. Each quiz allows for only one attempt. Questions for each quiz are from content covered in the modules preceding each quiz. Quiz 1 will contain questions related to the course modules/topics from weeks 1 to 5 inclusive. Quiz 2 will contain questions related to the course modules/topics from weeks 6 to 9 inclusive. The quizzes will be made accessible on the course Moodle site by opening the 'Assessment' icon.
When released each online quiz will remain open for two (2) weeks to allow ample time for learning plus consideration has been given for other coursework assessment tasks due this term. Each quiz is an individual task which must be completed within one hour.
2
Quiz 1 will be open from Friday Week 5 at 6pm to Friday Week 6 at 11.45pm (allowing for Vacation Week). Quiz 2 will be open from Friday Week 9 at 6pm to Friday Week 11 at 11.45pm.
Quizzes will be marked electronically. Results will be assessible on Moodle through your MyCQU page.
Answers will either be correct or incorrect and tabulated by the Moodle online course system.
- Examine the changing role of the podiatrist and scope of practice in health care provision.
- Use appropriate podiatric terminology.
- Describe the professional role in relation to its standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice; and further produce evidence of meeting the stated pre-clinical documentation requirements for placement.
- Undertake a basic patient assessment involving medical and social history taking, and physical examination (including dermatological, vascular, neurological and biomechanical assessment) in a simulated environment.
- Discriminate between the aetiology (including microbial causes), pathogenesis, transmission of infection, clinical presentation, and treatment strategies for common nail and skin disorders.
- Demonstrate manual skills development under supervision involving nail clipper and scalpel technique.
- Recognise appropriate use of basic chair side techniques including application of padding and/or strapping.
- Demonstrate the use of critical thinking and clinical reasoning as a skill in podiatry practice.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical and Written Assessment
This exam is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). There will be four (4) OSCE stations each designed to assess your knowledge and practice skills acquired during this course. Each station will be allocated 10 minutes per station with a mix of station types and competencies tested. There will be a combination of written answer stations and observer assessed (using checklists) stations.
Week 9 - Date & time to be advised.
Results will be released at the end of grading all student practical assessments.
The assessment criteria for this assessment task will be made available during the term in Moodle.
- Use appropriate podiatric terminology.
- Describe the professional role in relation to its standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice; and further produce evidence of meeting the stated pre-clinical documentation requirements for placement.
- Undertake a basic patient assessment involving medical and social history taking, and physical examination (including dermatological, vascular, neurological and biomechanical assessment) in a simulated environment.
- Discriminate between the aetiology (including microbial causes), pathogenesis, transmission of infection, clinical presentation, and treatment strategies for common nail and skin disorders.
- Demonstrate manual skills development under supervision involving nail clipper and scalpel technique.
- Recognise appropriate use of basic chair side techniques including application of padding and/or strapping.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Professional Practice Placement
Off-Campus Activity: External Clinical Placement - 40 hours total. Details of individual placement locations and related dates to be provided during term.
Placement documents are to be completed during external placement and submitted at the end of placement.
Placement documents will be returned to the student once completed and marked by the unit coordinator.
No Assessment Criteria
- Examine the changing role of the podiatrist and scope of practice in health care provision.
- Use appropriate podiatric terminology.
- Describe the professional role in relation to its standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice; and further produce evidence of meeting the stated pre-clinical documentation requirements for placement.
- Undertake a basic patient assessment involving medical and social history taking, and physical examination (including dermatological, vascular, neurological and biomechanical assessment) in a simulated environment.
- Discriminate between the aetiology (including microbial causes), pathogenesis, transmission of infection, clinical presentation, and treatment strategies for common nail and skin disorders.
- Recognise appropriate use of basic chair side techniques including application of padding and/or strapping.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
4 On-campus Activity
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Podiatry Practice (Honours) program at CQUniversity must meet all pre-clinical requirements set by the University. This ensures compliance with State/Territory legislation and Health Care Facility requirements. All mandatory documentation is to be submitted PRIOR to 4pm on the Monday during Week 6 of Term 1. Please refer to the Professional Practice Guide for Allied Health Students: Pre Practice Requirements.
Week 6 Monday (17 Apr 2017) 4:00 pm AEST
All documentation will be returned to the student when signed off as completed.
No Assessment Criteria
- Describe the professional role in relation to its standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice; and further produce evidence of meeting the stated pre-clinical documentation requirements for placement.
- Ethical practice
Examination
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
