PHTY41210 Advancing Healthcare: Exercise Prescription

Academic Year 2024/2025

Regular physical activity is integral for health and wellbeing, and is considered to be one of the most modifiable risk factors in the development of chronic non-communicable disease (NCD). In order to combat the current trend of inactivity and prevalence of chronic disease globally, essential knowledge in the fundamental principles behind physical activity promotion and exercise prescription, and their associated health benefits is required amongst practising healthcare professionals. Equally important is an understanding in how to implement these lifestyle changes in a sustainable manner to empower individuals to adopt healthy active lives. This asynchronous module is designed to up-skill healthcare professionals in their understanding of safe, effective and evidence-based exercise prescription for healthy and clinical populations. This includes understanding when the prescription of exercise is safe and appropriate, and identifying when medical reviews are necessary for individuals deemed at risk of having an adverse experience from physically exercising with an underlying health condition. The combined approach of adhering to current stratification protocols and personal judgement will be required when evaluating the potential risk of exercise for each individual. The module will prepare learners to conduct screening, risk stratification and appropriate health and functional assessments prior to creating evidence-based exercise programmes. It will also outline referral pathways to quality, safe and effective supervised exercise opportunities for individuals living with established NCD who require specialist care.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand the health benefits that occur with regular physical activity
2. Describe the underlying physiological changes that occur with exercise
3. Understand how to safely and effectively measure physical activity levels across populations
4. List the contraindications and precautions to exercise participation, including how to risk stratify individuals for physical activity
and describe the fundamentals of exercise screening and testing
5. Understand how to prescribe, design and implement an individualised, safe physical exercise programmes
6. Promote strategies to encourage the long-term exercise adoption amongst patients


Indicative Module Content:

1. Physical activity epidemiology and the benefits of exercise
2. Fundamentals of exercise physiology
3. Measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour
4. Exercise screening and testing
5. Exercise prescription and programming
6. Exercise adoption and adherence
7. Embedding physical activity and exercise in health systems
8. Case studies (across a lifespan)

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Online Learning

100
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Reflective learning
Self-directed learning
Group participation

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade

Not yet recorded.

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Professor Catherine Blake Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Sophie Bonheim Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor James Matthews Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Dererca Ní Chianáin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Gráinne O'Donoghue Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Miss Annelie Shaw Lecturer / Co-Lecturer