Download Physiotherapy Clinical Placement – Site Specific Information

Physiotherapy Clinical Placement – Site Specific Information
Dandenong Hospital
The acute physiotherapy department provides a 7 day per week service to patients in the acute wards and the
Emergency Department, and a Monday to Friday service to the sub-acute wards. The physiotherapy service
covers acute medical and surgical wards, emergency department, ICU, CCU, children’s ward, orthopaedic
inpatients & outpatients, acute rehabilitation, geriatric evaluation and management, women’s health &
continence inpatients & outpatients. The department also provides a service to the psychiatric wards as
required.
Staff members are allocated into streams for patient management, student education and supervision.
Regular in-service training, literature reviews & Quality Improvement activities are undertaken. Professional
Development & post graduate study is encouraged.
Recommended Student Preparation
Cardiorespiratory
This placement involves the assessment and treatment of common respiratory conditions e.g. COPD,
pneumonia, asthma; assessment and treatment of abdominal surgery patients e.g. cholecystectomy, bowel
surgery; and potential exposure to ICU.
Areas for revision:
 Cardiovascular and respiratory systems
 Subjective and objective cardiothoracic assessment
 Basic treatment techniques e.g. relaxation techniques, airways clearance techniques, positioning
 Pathology of common respiratory diseases e.g. COPD, asthma, pneumonia
 Thoracic imaging
 Auscultation
 Pharmacology (common medications and pain relief)
Musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal placements will take place either on the sub-acute wards or the acute and outpatient
services. The acute placement involves the assessment and treatment of orthopaedic inpatients and
outpatients, as well as attendance at orthopaedic outpatient clinic and ward rounds.
The sub-acute placement will take place on either South West 2, which has a rehabilitation focus for the Under
65 age group, or on West 2, an inpatient aged-care rehabilitation unit. The caseload will primarily be a mixture
of fractures of the upper and lower limbs, joint replacement surgery, as well as some general reconditioning
following prolonged hospital stay.
Areas for revision:
Review all theory relating to fractures (in particular, hip fractures, wrist, ankle and proximal humeral
fractures), hip and knee joint replacements, ACL reconstructions, and elective shoulder and knee surgery.
Ensure you are familiar with contraindications for these conditions. Review and be prepared to teach safe
transfers, the use of gait aids, mobility progression, and step / stairs with gait aids in different weight bearing
situations.
Revise:
 Pharmacology theory, with particular reference to analgesia
 Handling and passive mobilisation techniques for all joints / limbs
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Principles of exercise prescription. Be prepared to justify, prescribe, and progress exercises
proactively
Electrotherapy theory, contraindications, precautions and applications
Hydrotherapy theory, physiological principles, and indications/contra-indications for participation
Students attending the Musculoskeletal placement at Dandenong can also expect to see Paediatric.
orthopaedic inpatients and outpatients. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of common
paediatric orthopaedic conditions. A general understanding of the differences between the management of
paediatric conditions and those seen and treated in the adult population is desirable. It is expected that
students will develop the ability to proactively treat children of all ages, irrespective of their condition, within a
family focus. It is expected that the student will be able to prioritise treatment for inpatients and outpatients
All musculoskeletal students in the Monash Clinical-School are expected to revise all musculoskeletal lectures,
and have pre-read and have access to Hoppenfield & Murthy, “Treatment and Rehabilitation of Fractures”.
Neurology
This placement involves assessment and treatment of acute stroke patients, located in the Stroke Intervention
Unit on South West 4, and subacute neurological patients located in West 2 and South West 2. Students will be
expected to assess and treat a variety of neurological patients, including stroke, MS, GBS, traumatic spinal cord
injury, and somatoform disorder. A component of the placement will involve the treatment of acute general
medical patients on SW4.
Areas for revision:
Anatomy and functions of the brain, basic subjective and objective neurology assessment, pathology and
prognostic indicators for stroke and other common neurological conditions (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, MS),
positioning, basic treatment techniques, balance assessments, and discharge options.
Please bring a stethoscope, notebook for supervisor feedback, and a watch.
All Monash Clinical-School students on a neurology placement will attend a series of combined tutorials.
Therefore, you will be required to pre-read and prepare using your neurology tutorial manual. You are
required to have access to your manual on clinic in both 3 rd and 4th year.
Electives
Emergency Department and Acute Assessment Unit
Students can expect to see a variety of patient types in ED including; STI's, acute management of
fractures/dislocations, LBP, elderly falls/discharge planning and acute neurological/vestibular assessments. In
addition, students will be involved in the assessment and treatment of medical patients admitted to the Acute
Assessment Unit located in ED. Students may have the opportunity to follow the care of patients seen initially
by allied health in ED and then admitted to AAU.
Women’s Health and Continence
Students will participate in acute obstetrics including post-natal education classes held in the mornings during
placement. Afternoons will involve seeing outpatients with a wide range of women's health complaints,
including; ante and post -natal musculoskeletal issues, incontinence and return to exercise issues. The hours
and start time required during clinic can vary each day and some out of hours observation of childbirth
education classes will be required. Students should revise university lectures and textbooks and have an
understanding of the body changes during pregnancy.
ICU and HDU
Dandenong ICU has 14 beds consisting of both ICU & HDU patients. The caseload consists of post op surgical,
plastics & vascular patients, as well as medical patients (COAD, pneumonia, asthma, respiratory failure). Many
patients are intubated with ETT and tracheostomies. Students should be familiar with the basics of ventilation,
common lines & attachments & assessment / treatment of critical care patients.