Overview
This unit introduces you to podiatric clinical practice and the fundamental concepts required in practice. You will be exposed to the standards and codes of practice of a Podiatrist. You will learn to take a patient medical history and conduct a routine dermatological, vascular and neurological examination of the foot and lower limb. You will commence practical skill development in skin and nail technique using foot models, and under a simulated clinical setting.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites: BMSC11007 Medical Anatomy and Physiology 1 and BMSC11008 Medical Anatomy and Physiology 2 To be enrolled in this unit, students must be enrolled in CB86 Bachelor of Podiatry Practice (Honours) course.
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 - 2021
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 Unit Coordinator and lecturer reflection
Zoom breakout rooms were successfully used for tutorial classes to facilitate discussions amongst students and tutors.
Zoom breakout rooms should continue to be used to maintain student engagement during tutorial class and provide a forum for discussion for students to develop their communication skills.
Feedback from Head of Course reflection
Unlike other years, where students had their practical sessions during the term, the conversion of all classes online meant that students were taught all the theoretical components first, before having their practical sessions in a block at the end. It will be interesting to see if students' performance and learning are affected by the 'block practicals' model.
Having practical sessions as a 'block' ensures that students have learnt the full theoretical content before embarking on hands on practical sessions. Students may benefit and if the feedback were positive, future offerings may consider conducting practical sessions in blocks.
- Define the scope of practice for podiatrists, and recognise standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice
- Set up the podiatry work space, based on Infection Control, Occupational Health and Safety and other standards within workplace health and safety legislations
- Conduct a basic podiatric assessment in a professional manner, demonstrating ethical, culturally sensitive and inclusive behavior
- Discuss the basic aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation and treatment of common neurovascular, nail and skin disorders in general podiatry practice
- Perform manual skills using general podiatry equipment and basic chair side techniques in a safe manner.
The Learning Outcomes are linked to the professional standards set by the Podiatry Board of Australia.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Presentation - 40% | |||||
| 2 - In-class Test(s) - 40% | |||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 20% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 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 - Presentation - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - In-class Test(s) - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 20% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Merriman's Assessment of the Lower Limb
3rd Edition (2012)
Authors: Ben Yates
Elsevier Churchill Livingstone
United Kingdom
Binding: Other
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Academic Learning Centre services
- Endnote (available through Library - see Moodle link)
- CQU Library hosted Literature Databases
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.wilczek@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
This week's lecture will cover the outline of this unit, assessments and requirements. We will also look into what is a podiatrist's scope of practice.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 28: Evidence based practice.
Two resources have been made available via the Moodle page:
- Podiatry Board code of conduct
- Students registration and FAQs
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week's lecture will cover infection control requirements. We will also look into why infection control is important.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 23: Principles of infection control
One resource has been made available on the via the Moodle page:
- Podiatry Board Infection Control Guidelines
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week's lecture will cover how to take a patient history. We will also look into record keeping and the important requirements/guidelines relating to these topics.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 1: Examination and diagnosis in clinical management
One resource has been made available via the Moodle page:
- Guidelines on clinical records
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week's lecture will cover neurology of the lower limb and fundamental assessments. We will also look at how to educate patients regarding your findings.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 6: Neurological disorders in the lower extremity
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Due to the Easter Monday public holiday, there will be no lecture/classes on Monday 5th April 2021.
You will participate in self-directed learning this week, by completing seven (7) modules covering what ethical and culturally sensitive practice is (available under the Week 5 tab on the Moodle page).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Moodle submission of a 200 word discussion around ethical and culturally sensitive practice.
Module/Topic
No classes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week's lecture will cover vascularity of the lower limb and fundamental assessments. We will also look at how to educate patients regarding your findings.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 5: Circulatory disorders
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Due to the public holiday, there will be no lecture/tutorial on Monday 26th April 2021, and instead students will be provided with a recorded lecture to watch.
This week's lecture will cover skin as well as common skin conditions of the lower limb. We will also look at how to educate patients regarding your findings.
The tutorial and practical will be via online submission of a self-directed activity.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter 2: The skin and nails (skin only)
Chapter 3: Dermatological conditions of the foot and leg
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Due to the public holiday, there will be no lecture/tutorial on Monday 3rd May 2021, and instead students will be provided with a recorded lecture to watch.
This week's lecture will cover nails as well as common toenail condition. We will also look at how to educate patients regarding your findings.
The tutorial and practical will be via online submission of a self-directed activity.
Chapter
Neale's Disorders of the Foot 9th Edition (2020). Authors: J. Gordon Burrow, Maureen O'Donnell, and Paul Frowen. Churchill Livingstone.
Chapter: 2: The skin and nails (nails only)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week in the lecture, you will have the opportunity to work on your presentation, and seek feedback from your lecturer.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week your Presentation is due.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Presentation due (40%)
Presentation Due: Week 10 Monday (17 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
This week you will have the opportunity to revise for the In-Class Test.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
This week your In-Class Test is due.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
In-Class Test due (40%)
On-Campus Activity due (20%)
In-Class Test Due: Week 12 Monday (31 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
On-Campus Activity Due: Week 12 Monday (31 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Attendance: As per the University's recommendation that "All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes," students should also be aware that there is clear evidence to show that attendance rates are directly related to academic progress. It is therefore in your best interest and strongly recommended in the Bachelor of Podiatry Practice (Honours) course, that you attend all scheduled learning activities to support your learning.
Uniform: In all practical classes, students are required to wear the nominated uniform. Students must purchase their uniform from the bookshop. This uniform is separate to the mandatory clinical uniform. Please refer to the Podiatry Course Handbook for further details.
Unit Coordinator: Angela Wilczek, Phone: (07) 4930 9651, email: a.wilczek@cqu.edu.au
1 Presentation
Students will be required to provide a PowerPoint oral presentation worth 40% covering content covered from weeks 1-8. All students will be required to select a topic/scenario of choice from a list of topics, which will be made available at the beginning of term. The topic will be discussed and finalised with your lecturer at the beginning the term. The oral presentation will be up to 20 minutes long with a Question and Answer session of 5 minutes . This is an individual assessment task. Referencing (if any) should follow APA format.
Week 10 Monday (17 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Students are required to submit their PowerPoint presentation online following the presentation.
Week 12 Monday (31 May 2021)
The assessment will be marked according to a marking rubric designed specifically for this assessment task. The assessment rubric will be made available to students at the beginning of the term. If the presentation exceeds the 20 minute time limit, students may opt to complete the presentation but any additional content that is over the time limit will not be assessed by the examiner.
- Define the scope of practice for podiatrists, and recognise standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice
- Set up the podiatry work space, based on Infection Control, Occupational Health and Safety and other standards within workplace health and safety legislations
- Conduct a basic podiatric assessment in a professional manner, demonstrating ethical, culturally sensitive and inclusive behavior
- Perform manual skills using general podiatry equipment and basic chair side techniques in a safe manner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 In-class Test(s)
The in-class test will be in the form of a closed book test covering content from Weeks 1-8. Students will be required to attend on-campus to complete this test. The in-class test will be 120 minutes long.
Week 12 Monday (31 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Exam Week Monday (14 June 2021)
The in-class test will assess all content covered from Weeks 1-8. Students must demonstrate that they have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of podiatry practice. Students will be provided with sample questions during the term to assist in preparing for the in-class test.
- Define the scope of practice for podiatrists, and recognise standard policies, codes and guidelines for podiatry practice
- Discuss the basic aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation and treatment of common neurovascular, nail and skin disorders in general podiatry practice
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 On-campus Activity
On-Campus Activity format:
You will be expected to complete 9 compulsory competency tasks:
- Pre-clinical requirements for submission to SONIA
- The hand hygiene certificate
- The infection control certificate
- Scope of Practice activity
- Medical History write-up
- Completion of the Neurological Assessment form
- Competition of the Vascular Assessment form
- Completion of the skin activity form
- Completion of the ethical and culturally sensitive practice activity.
Additional information:
- The competency tasks will be made available to you at the start of term.
- Each competency task will be completed during tutorial and/or practical sessions and your attendance compulsory.
- More details and information regarding the on-campus activities will be made available at the start of term.
Week 12 Monday (31 May 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Please submit the virtual folder via the Moodle site
Exam Week Monday (14 June 2021)
You will be provided with both informal feedback during the sessions and form feedback on the assessment task.
You will need to demonstrate that you are able to:
- Exhibit professional behaviour and complete the activities outlined.
- Safely perform manual skills using general podiatry equipment and basic chair side techniques under supervision.
Other important information:
The on-campus activities in this unit consist of competency tasks relating to professional podiatry skills, which are inherent requirements to meet the professional standards.
Satisfactory completion of these activities on campus are integral in your achievement of learning outcomes and assessment of this unit and other units within the course.
- Set up the podiatry work space, based on Infection Control, Occupational Health and Safety and other standards within workplace health and safety legislations
- Conduct a basic podiatric assessment in a professional manner, demonstrating ethical, culturally sensitive and inclusive behavior
- Discuss the basic aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation and treatment of common neurovascular, nail and skin disorders in general podiatry practice
- Perform manual skills using general podiatry equipment and basic chair side techniques in a safe manner.
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
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?
