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Unit of study_

EXSS4007: Clinical Placement 1

Intensive January, 2023 [Professional practice] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities of the clinical exercise physiologist. Students will work under supervision in professional settings and will assist in managing clients with chronic disease, while demonstrating and being assessed on specific clinical practice skills and professional behaviour which are consistent with their stage of learning.

Unit details and rules

Unit code EXSS4007
Academic unit Movement Sciences
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
EXSS3024 and EXSS3027 and (EXSS3045 or EXSS3052)
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Shane Ball, s.ball@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement hurdle task Student performance while on placement
Competency-based assessment of student performance across the placement
0% Multiple weeks
Due date: 20 Feb 2023 at 23:59
n/a
Placement hurdle task Attendance while on placement
Placement attendance
0% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO6
Assignment hurdle task Patient Journey
Case study - see patient journey assessment task details on Canvas
0% Week 01
Due date: 20 Feb 2023 at 23:59
3-4 pages
Assignment hurdle task Placement Logbooks
Logbook detailing clinical placement experiences and hours
0% Week 01
Due date: 20 Feb 2023 at 23:59
N/A
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Student Placement Assessment: Placement educators will use the student placement assessment form to evaluate students’ performance across the placement. The unit of study coordinator will review the evaluation in determining satisfactory completion of this assessment task.

Placement Attendance: Students must attend >90% of the allocated placement hours

Logbooks: Students will record their placement experiences and hours in a placement logbook.

Patient journey: Students will complete two de-dentified case study reports on clients they have worked with during the placement. 

 

Detailed assessment task information can be found on Canvas.

All submissions are due ten days after the completion of your allocated placement block.

 

As this unit includes a placement component, students are reminded that the FMH Sydney School of Health Sciences Placement Provisions apply (https://tinyurl.com/fmhplacement-provisions).

 

An automatic Fail will be awarded for any assessment item where a student breaches client/patient privacy.

 

All assessment tasks must be completed to a satisfactory standard to satisfy the requirements of this unit of study.

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

Satisfied requirements

No mark

This is the overall unit grading awarded when you meet the minimum standards on a placement performance assessment, meet minimum attendance requirements and complete all other assessment tasks to a satisfactory standard.

Failed requirements

No mark

This is the overall unit grading awarded when you fail to meet the minimum standards on a placement performance assessment, fail to meet minimum attendance requirements and/or do not complete all other assessment tasks to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks A single placement of up to 188 hours permitting students to apply their clinical exercise physiology knowledge and skills in a professional environment relevant to exercise physiology practice. Placement (188 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10 LO11 LO12 LO13 LO14 LO15 LO16 LO17
Pre-semester A briefing in the year preceding the unit of study outlining the nature of the unit of study and preparation tasks that students must complete prior to taking this unit of study. Lecture (1 hr)  
Pre-Placement Workshop Workshop (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO8 LO10 LO11 LO13 LO14 LO16
Week -01 A de-brief following completion of the placement, reflecting on experiences and learning goals for subsequent clinical placements. Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at preparation for placement sessions: Students are expected to attend all preparation for placement lectures/tutorials (e.g., briefing and de-briefing sessions, tutorials and seminars/workshops targeting skills essential for clinical placement). Students are also expected to actively participate in discussions and activities. Briefings, debriefings, tutorials, workshops can occur within the inter- and mid-semester breaks, and in exam periods, in addition to the standard semester times.

NSW Health and other sites may require students to undertake mandatory orientation and induction modules as relevant to the specific placement site. 

 

Attendance at the placement site: Learning in a clinical environment is a key feature of this unit of study. Students will be allocated to a clinical site for up to 37.5 hours per week (not including breaks) and for up to 5 weeks. Clinical placements are mostly within the Greater Sydney area, however, you must expect that you will be allocated a placement outside this area, including locations such as Broken Hill, Tamworth and Canberra. You will be required to work a variety of hours during each block depending on the site. Typically students work Monday to Friday within the hours of 8am and 5pm. However, many placements require non-standard work hours, such as very early morning, evenings or weekends. This is to be expected because these types of hours are normal for some sectors of the industry. The total hours of placement will vary depending on the site, but will likely be in the range of 80-185 hours. Specific placement details are available on SONIA.

Students are required to submit a Medical Certificate to the relevant WIL academic if more than one day is taken off placement as sick leave. If any makeup-days are required, the nature of these days is to be organised by the relevant WIL academic who will negotiate arrangements with the placement site.

Activities will include assessment and intervention with clients. You will also be expected to be involved in other activities as directed by the site supervisor, e.g. orientation, case conferencing, meetings, report writing, presentations, and assignments. The types of activities will vary from site to site. Failure to participate in activities or complete tasks as directed by your supervisor may result in failure of the unit of study. 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. communicate effectively with clients, carers and general public
  • LO2. communicate effectively with peers, colleagues, other health professionals and external agencies
  • LO3. effectively communicate exercise physiology data and management plans via oral and written reports or progress notes
  • LO4. behave in a professional manner
  • LO5. demonstrate reflective practice and a commitment to learning
  • LO6. work effectively in a team environment
  • LO7. adapt to the practice setting
  • LO8. place the role of the clinical exercise physiologist in the wider context of the client’s health care management
  • LO9. accurately and efficiently collect subjective and objective data
  • LO10. accurately interpret subjective and objective assessment data
  • LO11. design safe and effective client-centred interventions
  • LO12. facilitate the delivery of a safe and effective client-centred intervention
  • LO13. integrate pathology into the planning and delivery of interventions
  • LO14. recognise and address key elements of lifestyle modification in client communication and assessment
  • LO15. facilitate behaviour change and self-management with clients
  • LO16. take an active approach to client safety through risk stratifying, screening, consent, clearance and monitoring processes
  • LO17. ensure a safe exercise environment.
  • LO18. employ sound clinical reasoning to assessment and intervention decisions that are grounded in risk management
  • LO19. self-manage personal risk

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Student feedback from the UoS Survey has been reviewed and considered.

This unit of study outline must be read in conjunction with the Medicine and Health Handbook: https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/ 

 

The handbook also includes specific Clinical Education information on your course: 

https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/coursework/exercise_physiology_rules.shtml

All students are required to familiarise themselves with their academic responsibilities, and the academic policies governing their enrolment and progression. The handbook provides a direct link to the University of Sydney’s Coursework policy and Faculty provisions.

 

The Work Integrated Learning Canvas site also provides information specific to Sydney School of Health Sciences placements such as essential preparation, forms and policies.

https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/9121

 

All students are required to familiarise themselves with their academic responsibilities, and the academic policies and protocols governing their placements.

When considering applications and appeals relating to these matters, it will be assumed that students understand their academic responsibilities and are familiar with these key policies, protocols and procedures.

 

Additional costs

Additional costs may be incurred for accommodation, transport and leave from usual employment. Students should prepare to cover these costs and can refer to the University website for financial assistance opportunities. https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/financial-support.html

Work, health and safety

Students must meet all pre-placement requirements as outlined on the University of Sydney Clinical placements checks and clearances https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/clinical-placement-checks.html

Students who are not fully verified 4 weeks prior to the start of the placement block will NOT be able to attend placement.

Further, students must have an up-to-date declaration (in Sonia) that they have read and understood key documents related to privacy and confidentiality, codes of conduct, NSW Health policies and general communication/ email etiquette. Failure to meet these requirements may prevent you from being allocated to and/or completing a placement or placement unit of study irrespective of your enrolment status.

 

Consistent with New South Wales WHS legislation, you are required to complete a WHS induction within the first few days of placement, and if relevant, at any time your placement requires you to work in another setting.  This is an essential legal requirement to ensure that all risks are minimised for you, and others for whom you are responsible. The University has a duty of care to you to ensure you have been inducted appropriately.  Similarly, you are responsible for demonstrating that you are aware of and know how to manage risk appropriately. You should complete the WHS Checklist from Sonia.

 

The Public Health (COVID-19 Vaccination of Health Care Workers) Order 2021 directs that a healthcare worker – including students, volunteers and those undertaking administrative duties - must not do work as a healthcare worker unless they have received: 

  • at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before 30 September 2021, and 
  • at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine  before 30 November 2021

This is a requirement for health care workers within NSW Health and private health facilities, or others so directed by the Chief Health Officer, and the vaccine must be one that is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.