PHTY20150 Cardiorespiratory I

Academic Year 2020/2021

This module introduces the student to physiotherapy practice in respiratory care. The module covers common pathological conditions of the adult respiratory system and pulmonary post-operative complications. Anatomy lectures and dissection tutorials and applied physiology of the cardiorespiratory systems assures a baseline level in anatomy and physiology that will underpin physiotherapy respiratory care learning in this module. The module will introduce the student to cardiorespiratory physiotherapy skills in the assessment and management of adult disorders of the cardiorespiratory system adhering to infection control and safety standards. The module will include best practice guidelines and best available evidence, clinical reasoning skills including risk analysis, an understanding of the role of the multi-disciplinary team, with an emphasis on intervention and management in cardiorespiratory disease. The module will explore the role of exercise and physical activity in the management of chronic cardiorespiratory diseases and hypertension. The module will include case-study based clinical reasoning sessions using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework to show students how to assess patients and plan treatment accordingly, use outcome measures to assess effectiveness of treatment; modify treatment where necessary and identify when referral to another discipline is indicated.
Topics covered include:
• Anatomy of the mediastinum and heart and of the lungs, pleural cavity and diaphragm
• Applied cardiorespiratory physiology
• Common obstructive and restrictive respiratory pathologies including COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, asthma, asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis and thoracic surgeries
• Interpretation of relevant investigations of the cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological and renal systems including chest X-Rays; ABGs; bloods work including platelets and urinary output.
• Safe and effective physiotherapy assessment of the respiratory patient, including observation, auscultation, chest expansion, vital signs, SpO2, oxygen therapy and interpretation of the National Early Warning Score system.
• Safe and effective respiratory physiotherapy treatment techniques for the self- ventilating patient including exercise and mobilisation, ACBT, positioning, suctioning and pulmonary rehabilitation. Introduction to treatment techniques for the management of the ventilated patient include non-invasive ventilation and manual hyperinflation and suctioning of the mechanically ventilated patient. All techniques are based on international evidence-based best practice guidelines.