MAELD4200 Physiotherapy for Elderly People with a Disability Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

(Re)habilitation as a field of practice builds on current legislation and organisational frameworks, and this course gives students an introduction to the formal framework conditions. Evidence-based practice is a main element, and the course provides insight into the structure of the professional field of rehabilitation through research, development of concepts, political governance and user participation at the system level. Technological innovation in service provision is discussed as an important element of quality improvement in (re)habilitation.

Evidence-based practice and cooperation between service levels are highly emphasised in (re)habilitation. The course therefore focuses on developing insight into and skills in the development of (re)habilitation as a field of practice where there is cooperation between professions and service levels.

Completed the course MAELD4100 Physiotherapy for Home-dwelling Older Adults.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences and hold authorisation as a physiotherapist.

It is assumed that the student has or will obtain access to physiotherapy work with older adults when taking the course.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can analyse theories, principles and concepts related to evidence-based practice with respect to older adults with a disability
• can analyse their own professional role and function in treatment and rehabilitation of older adults with a disability

Skills

The student

• can assess the physical function, activity and participation of older adults living in healthcare institutions
• can prioritise, plan, execute and evaluate different interventions for older adults with a disability
• can analyse scholarly and professional problems related to evidence-based practice
• can integrate knowledge from research with clinical experience and the older adult´s experience and preferences
• can critically analyse challenges and barriers related to the implementation of evidence-based interventions in clinical practice

General competence

The student

• can contribute to professional development in physiotherapy for the older adults
• can analyse scholarly, professional and ethical problems related to evidence-based practice in physiotherapy for the older adults
• can communicate with colleagues, patients and next of kin about specific problems related to physiotherapy for the older adults

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination:

• Minimum attendance of 80% at sessions

Project examination in the form of a written work that is developed during the course. The work is carried out individually with a scope of 2,000-2,500 words or in pairs with a scope of 3,500-4,000 words. The students will develop a research topic in consultation with the course lecturers.

Resit examination: If the student is awarded the grade F (fails the written assignment), he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

At least 20% of the examination papers will be assessed by an external examiner together with an internal examiner. The remaining papers will be assessed by two internal examiners. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all students.

10 ECTS credits overlapp with MAREH4000 Rehabilitation as Knowledge and Practice, 20 ECTS credits.

10 ECTS credits overlaps FYSEL6010 Geriatric physiotherapy - knowledge-based 1 (20 ECTS credits) in the topics measures and treatment.