Unit of Study PODR2011 Work Integrated Learning in Pedorthics I (2025)

Unit description

Students undertake supervised clinical experience in the general provision of pedorthic services to the general public. Students learn about professional issues such as workplace health and safety, ethical behaviour, communication, boundaries and referral. Within this supervised environment the student clinician will be responsible for case planning and management.

Unit content

While on placement students, under supervision and guidance, will participate in learning experiences to develop foundational level clinical, professional and communication skills.  These experiences will include:

• Taking health histories for low risk clients
• Biomechanical assessments and reviewing medical reports, including radiology results
• Clinical assessments
• Treatment planning, implementation and progress review including appropriate adjustments to treatment (for the lower limb)
• Three-dimensional foot and ankle model (casting and scanning) for low risk clients
• Manufacture and/or modification of pedorthic appliances for low risk clients, this may include the design and construct the cast negatives and positives, orthoses and footwear
• Reviewing cases by peer and supervisor interaction

In this context, workplace professionalism including teamwork; limitations of pedorthic practice and appropriate referral to other health care professionals; workplace health and safety regulations and infection control; and medico-legal and ethical principles pertaining to clinical practice will be explored. Integral to this, students will have the opportunity to communicate by written and oral means with clients, peers, staff and other health care professionals using language and terminology appropriate to the situation.