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PHTY41220

Academic Year 2025/2026

Advancing Physiotherapy Practice (PHTY41220)

Subject:
Physiotherapy
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Public Hlth, Phys & Sports Sci
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Tara Cusack
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module continues the professional development of physiotherapists firstly in the areas of Professional Knowledge and Skills and secondly in the areas of Communication, Collaborative Practice and Team working. In terms of Professional Knowledge and Skills this module explores and further develops learning in the physical and psychological manifestations of illness and aging, consolidating and enhancing the learning achieved in core areas of physiotherapy practice (musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory). Within this, students will evaluate and reflect critically on professional practice to identify learning and development needs, select appropriate learning activities to achieve their professional development goals and be able to integrate new knowledge and skills into professional practice. Health Policy and its implications for physiotherapy practice are explored. How service development plans are designed and implemented will also be examined. In terms of Communication, collaborative practice and team working competences are addressed including, different methods and styles of communication, effective leadership and management of practice, and the principles of effective conflict resolution. In terms of Professional Knowledge and Skills, understanding the basic principles of effective teaching and learning, mentoring and supervision are examined. The requirements for CORU registration are also presented in this module.

Mapped to CORU SoP: 2.2, 2.10, 2.11, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.3, 4.5, 5.6, 5.8, 5.14, 5.24, 5.30

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Professional Knowledge, Skills and Development
1. Assess and treat individuals across the lifespan with complex presentations resulting from multi-morbidity in the areas of musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological physiotherapy practice against a background of evidenced based practice.
2. Evaluate and reflect critically on professional practice to identify learning and development needs; select appropriate learning activities to achieve their professional development goals and be able to integrate new knowledge and skills into professional practice.
3. Understand current health policy and systems and the implications for practice
4. Understand how a service development plan is designed and implemented.

Communication, Collaborative Practice and Team working
1. Modify and adapt communication methods and styles.
2. Understand and recognise the impact of effective leadership and management on practice
3. Understand and discuss the principles of effective conflict resolution.
4. Understand the basic principles of effective teaching and learning, mentoring and supervision.



Indicative Module Content:

Indicative Module Content:
Complex cases in Musculoskeletal, Cardio-respiratory, Neurological practice,
Older persons
Communication
Leadership
Health policy
Service Development
Teaching and learning, mentoring and supervision
Conflict resolution
CORU registration

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Lectures

8
Small Group

6
Practical

6
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The teaching and learning approaches within this module consist of practical hands on skills classes, lectures, workshops.

AI/Academic Integrity:
Staff may utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) during the programme to support teaching and learning and it will be clearly indicated if and when AI is used. Students are prohibited from representing work as their own that they did not write, code or create. Submission of AI-generated content to this module by a student without explicit permission and attribution is not allowed and it may reflect unacceptable professional behaviour. This may result in the initiation of a student disciplinary procedure in accordance with the “University Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Multiple choice question paper which covers the topics presented in this module. The exam will be at the end of the learning period and will take place in an exam centre. End of trimester
Duration:
1 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
70
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Evaluate and reflect critically on professional practice to identify learning and development needs, select appropriate learning activities to achieve professional development goal Week 10 Graded No
30
 No

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

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Professional Knowledge, Skills and Development

Older Persons: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging https://tilda.tcd.ie/
Kenny Rose Anne Age Proof The New Science of Living Longer and Healthier Life.
Attia P. Outlive The Science & Art of Longevity
Health Service & Policy: National Service Plan 2025 https://about.hse.ie/api/v2/download-file/file_based_publications/hSE-National-Service-Plan-2025.pdf/
Slainte Care https://about.hse.ie/our-work/slaintecare-our-strategy-for-improving-irelands-healthcare-system/
Service development: Service Improvement and Innovation https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/improvement-and-innovation

Communication, Collaborative Practice and Teamwork

Leadership and Communication: Clancy D et al. Essential Skills for Physiotherapists Elsevier 2025
Psych Safety The Johari Window https://psychsafety.com/the-johari-window/
Leadership: Ferrando-Margelí M, Suárez-Serrano C, Garay-Sanchez A, Marcén-Román Y. Leadership and physiotherapy: A scoping review. Heliyon. 2024 May 28;10(11):e32054. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32054. PMID: 38867966; PMCID: PMC11168383.
Conflict Resolution: How to Master Conflict Resolution https://hbr.org/2024/10/how-to-master-conflict-resolution?ab=HP-hero-latest-text-2

Name Role
Assoc Professor Deirdre Hurley Osing Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mrs Alison Brennan Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 11 Fri 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 7 Fri 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 4 Mon 09:00 - 10:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 10, 12 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 2 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 5 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 6 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 3 Mon 14:00 - 16:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 5 Thurs 12:00 - 13:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 4 Tues 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 11 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 5, 7, 10, 12 Wed 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 11 Wed 12:00 - 13:50
Autumn Online Learning Offering 1 Week(s) - 12 Wed 14:00 - 15:50
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