Physiotherapy

These inherent requirements apply to the following courses: Bachelor of Health Science/ Master of Physiotherapy.  

The Faculty of Health strongly supports the right of all people to pursue a course in Physiotherapy to achieve their potential and career objectives. The Faculty of Health is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, practice experiences and other activities to address the impact of students' disabilities so that they are able to participate in their course. These inherent requirements for Physiotherapy align with the CDU approach which was based on the work undertaken at Western Sydney University which was used with permission and all due acknowledgement.  

Prospective and current students who are concerned about their capacities in relation to inherent requirements are strongly encouraged to contact the CDU Access and Inclusion team to discuss possible adjustments or alternative courses. 

E: inclusion@cdu.edu.au 

These inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other course information and related material such as Guidelines for Mandatory Notifications, the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, Code of Conduct for registered health practitioners and the Physiotherapy practice thresholds in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand 

There are 8 domains of inherent requirements for Bachelor of Health Science/ Master of Physiotherapy. 

Each domain has five levels:  

1. Introduction 
2. Description 
3. Justification 
4. Adjustments 
5. Exemplars 

Acting in ways consistent with the recognised values of society and avoiding activities that do harm. 

In the context of inherent requirements, students undertaking a course of study may be governed by practice standards and codes of ethics. 

1. Introduction
   Physiotherapy is a profession that is governed by a code of conduct, standards, guidelines and policies, in which physiotherapists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring safe and professional behaviour in all contexts. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Compliance with the codes, standards, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all.
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must ensure the codes and standards are not compromised or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Demonstrated ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour 
   • Complying with requirements relating to informed consent, privacy and confidentiality with client information in academic and clinical environments.

The maintenance of conduct that is acceptable and appropriate, according to the recognised norms of society over a given period. 

1. Introduction 
   Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in the program of study in physiotherapy. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in diverse and changing academic and clinical environments, which may at times be challenging and unpredictable. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in diverse and changing environments. Physiotherapy students will be exposed to emergency situations and human suffering which are challenging and unpredictable, and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events. 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and clinical environments. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Reflecting on practice and responding appropriately to constructive feedback 
   • Coping with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals in the clinical environment.

Related to the law. In the context of inherent requirements, this refers to the legal requirements of professional bodies relevant to specific courses of study. 

1. Introduction 
   Physiotherapy practice is mandated by legislation to enable the safe delivery of care. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulation and scope of practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Knowledge, understanding and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and standards are necessary pre-requisites to clinical placements, to reduce the risk of harm to self and others 
   • Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Complying with the requirements for student registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) 
   • Complying with the policies of clinical facilities e.g. Work Health and Safety Act and uniform requirements 

This area of study requires effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills. 

Verbal communication: Conveying messages, ideas, or feelings through speech. 

1. Introduction 
   Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of care. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates: 
   • Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences 
   • Ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner 
   • Ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation 
   • Timely clear feedback and reporting 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   • Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others develops trusting relationships 
   • Communication may be restricted to verbal because of limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions) 
   • Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment 
   • Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management 
   • Interactive verbal communication is necessary to ensure effective assessment of symptoms to facilitate an accurate assessment 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must meet the necessary standards of functional effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy to ensure safe and appropriate care, and to prevent harm. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Provide clear verbal instructions to direct client into appropriate positions for treatment 
   • Establishing rapport, through verbal communication, with clients during physiotherapy management 
   • Understanding verbal communication and responding appropriately to requests from supervisors and other health professionals in the clinical setting 

Non-verbal communication: Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to physiotherapy and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental. 

1. Introduction
   Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to physiotherapy and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, honest, and non-judgmental. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates: 
   • Capacity to recognise interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues 
   • Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours 
   • Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences 
3. Justification of inherent requirement  
   The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships: 
   • Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships 
   • Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences, displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships 
   • The ability to observe and understand non -verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues and activities in classroom situations 
   • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the clinical environment 

 Written communication: Communication by written symbols including electronic means, print or handwriting. 

1. Introduction 
   Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental physiotherapy responsibility with professional and legal ramifications. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement  
   Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice 
   • Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes which meet legal requirements, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical environments. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Constructing an essay to academic standards  
   • Constructing patient notes, reports and information sheets in a timely manner that meets legal and professional standards 

This area of study requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition, literacy (language) and numeracy. 

Knowledge and cognitive skills: Acquired skills that reflect an individual's ability to think. Cognitive skills include verbal and spatial abilities, concentration, memory, perception, reasoning, planning and organisation, flexible thinking, and problem solving. 

1. Introduction 
   Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and effective physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates: 
   • Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information 
   • Ability to process information relevant to practice 
   • Ability to integrate and implement knowledge into practice in a timely manner 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Safe and effective delivery of physiotherapy management is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items 
   • Ensuring patient safety and effective healthcare provision by appropriately applying knowledge of theory, research evidence, policies and procedures in the clinical environment 

 Literacy (language): This relates to the ability to acquire, understand, and apply information in a scholarly manner. 

1. Introduction 
   Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates: 
   • Ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages 
   • Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information 
   • Capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   • The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of care 
   • The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of care
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments 
   • Producing accurate, concise and clear patient medical records and written communication with other healthcare providers which meet legal requirements  

 Numeracy: This relates to the ability to understand and work with numbers. 

1. Introduction 
   Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates the ability to collect, interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in physiotherapy to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of physiotherapy care 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars: 
   • Administering accurate electrotherapy dosages 
   • Accurately assess range of movement and evaluating improvement or deterioration
   • Accurately recording measurements in patient notes 

The way a person recognizes external stimuli - through sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. 

Visual 

1. Introduction
   Adequate visual acuity is required for safe and effective physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of tasks. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   • Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care of self and to others 
   • Visual observations, examinations and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Observing and detecting subtle changes in posture, movement and the ability to perform functional activities during assessment and treatment 
   • Safely operating electrotherapy equipment 

Auditory

1. Introduction 
   Adequate auditory ability is required for safe and effective physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of tasks. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   • Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage an individual's health needs consistently and accurately 
   • Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must address the need to perform the range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment of safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Performing accurately cardiopulmonary assessment by auscultation 
   • Detecting care requests by calls for help or activation of a call bell 

 Tactile 

1. Introduction 
   Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe physiotherapy practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates sufficient tactile function to undertake the required range of skills and assessments. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   • Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess and detect patients' physical characteristics and act on any abnormalities detected to provide appropriate physiotherapy practice 
   • Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective physiotherapy practice.  
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Detecting changes in skin temperature e.g. assessment for inflammation in soft tissues  
   • Palpating joints, muscles, and soft tissues to detect anatomical or movement abnormalities 

This area of study requires gross and fine motor skills. 

Gross motor skills: The use of large muscle groups that coordinate body movements for activities such as walking, lifting, pushing, pulling, and maintaining balance. 

1. Introduction 
   Physiotherapy is a profession that involves physical demands and requires gross motor function. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates the ability to perform gross motor skills to function within the scope of practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others 
   • Ability to appropriately position, self, equipment and patient so as to perform tasks reliably with a range of movement is required to reduce risk of harm to self and others 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Maintaining own and patient’s balance, while providing patient support, when transferring and mobilising individuals in a safe manner
   • Evaluating patients in a safe and effective manner, who have varying physical capacity, when positioning on plinths and hospital beds, mats on the floor, on chairs and when standing.

Fine motor skills: The ability to undertake precise coordinated movements of the hands for activities such as writing and manipulating small objects. 

1. Introduction 
   Physiotherapy is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrated ability to use fine motor skills to function within scope of practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects and individuals. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Performing assessment techniques, e.g. evaluation of hand sensation and joint movement
   • Performing treatment techniques, e.g. suctioning, joint mobilisation and soft tissue massage 

The ability to undertake a task/s over a pre-determined length of time. This could include physical performance such as standing for a length of time, or cognitive (mental) performance such as concentrating for a particular length of time. 

1. Introduction 
   Physiotherapy practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates: 
   • Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time
   • The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately
   • The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time
3. Justification of inherent requirement 
   Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Access and Inclusion team. 
5. Exemplars
   • Providing consistent physiotherapy management over a negotiated time frame
   • Maintaining appropriate time management to provide healthcare services to the expected number of patients in a given time frame