Rehabilitation for Women's Health (REHB90006)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
About this subject
Contact information
Term 2
Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm AEST/AEDT. Weekends and University of Melbourne observed Public Holidays 10am to 5pm AEST/AEDT.
Overview
| Availability | Term 2 - Online |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This online subject provides students with the opportunity to build a deep understanding of the safe and effective application of rehabilitation principles to meet the health needs of women. Attention is focused primarily on musculoskeletal disorders with attention to conditions affecting women from young adulthood through to their reproductive and older years. Students will develop an extended knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology that typically affect women’s experience of health and will use an evidence-informed, holistic practice framework for their analysis and synthesis of recent literature and contextual factors that influence practice. Students will design and evaluate a rehabilitation program in their own context and will contribute to the learning of other students via discussion board and an online presentation.
All students will complete four modules within this subject
All students will complete a Foundational module that will explore the structure and function of the female body highlighting the changes experienced from young adulthood through to the reproductive and older years. Students will develop their understanding of the typical body changes that influence women’s experience of health and identify the major features of muscle and exercise physiology that influence exercise prescription for women.
Students will then choose two from four modules that best meets their learning interests and/or practice needs. These modules are:
1. The Pregnancy & Post-partum module comprises the study of the physiology of pregnancy, the impact of activity on maternal and foetal physiology, post-natal recovery including pelvic floor rehabilitation, exercise prescription, delivery and the evaluation of pre- and post-natal exercise programs.
2. The Pelvic pain module focuses on the aetiology of pelvic pain and its contemporary management. Conditions covered include pelvic girdle pain, coccydinia, abdominal and pelvic floor muscle weakness and gynaecological sources of pelvic pain.
3. The Continence module addresses epidemiology and health issues related to incontinence, applied anatomy, physiology and pathology relevant to incontinence. Prevention and intervention strategies including exercise, biofeedback and continence devices will be addressed. Course content will include specific issues related to adult female continence, incontinence in the older population.
4. The Older woman module will focus on the physiology of the maturing woman including the effects of menopause, the effect of activity on the ageing musculoskeletal system, appropriate exercise prescription and evaluation of exercise programs for the elderly.
The final Integration module will be completed by all students and will focus on the application of rehabilitation theory to practice with an understanding of the needs of the individual and her engagement with a group program. Students will integrate and apply their learning from the previous three modules into context specific applications. They will select appropriate outcomes measures and critically review literature to solve contextually relevant rehabilitation challenges.
Intended learning outcomes
The curriculum is designed around three elements which provide both horizontal and vertical integration throughout the program. These elements are:
Rehabilitation Theory and Practice
1. Describe the structures and functions unique to the female body, with particular reference to the maturation of body systems from young adulthood to older age
2. Explain the pathophysiology of common conditions that influence women’s health experience and critically discuss how rehabilitation can ameliorate these conditions
3. Critically assess and analyse the health-related needs of individuals, groups and/or health populations for exercise interventions, recognising the personal and environmental circumstances that influence functional capability and participation preferences.
4. Analyse and synthesise literature to address the rehabilitation needs of individuals and groups of women with common conditions.
Evidence and Innovation
5. Select and critically justify appropriate outcome measures to evaluate the efficacy of exercise interventions for women at all life stages from young adulthood to older years.
6. Critically evaluate emerging therapies, technologies and innovations that are designed to assist women to maintain their health and wellness.
Clinical Practice in Context
7. Discuss how contextual factors (including social, legal, economic and political) influence the rehabilitation practice culture in specific practice contexts and how these factors can be managed to promote ‘best practice’ rehabilitation in women’s health.
8. Design and deliver an evidence-informed program for a specific women’s group within your practice context.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportunity to develop the skills associated with:
- Applying knowledge and reasoning skills to complex problems in a range of contexts
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Inquiry and creative solutions to challenges in their practice context
- Awareness of and appropriate responsiveness to the social and cultural diversity in their practice and ensuring cultural safety for rehabilitation consumers and workers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
- Self-assurance and confidence in their knowledge, yet flexible, adaptable and aware of their limitations
Additionally, Australian students will have an understanding of and deep respect for Indigenous knowledge, culture and values.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Graduate level knowledge of the health care system and professional role consistent with a bachelor program in a health care science.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- Contribution to online discussions throughout term, 10%
- Quizzes (online) 1 hr week 3, 20%
- Presentation 10 mins week 8, 10%
- Reflective portfolio 1,000 words due week 8, 20%
- Written assignment 1,500 words due week 9, 40%
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Term 2 - Online
Principal coordinator Margaret Sherburn Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Wholly online subject Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 22 April 2019 Pre teaching requirements There is a one week pre-teaching period during which students can choose to: 1. View a video presentation of an overview of the subject, assessment requirements and student participation expectations 2. Engage with discussion board to meet their tutors and colleagues enrolled in the program 3 . Become familiar with the library by completing a small task that requires navigation of library resources and 4. Complete one online task, which will familiarise them with online learning requirements. This task can involve a quick quiz, reading a newspaper piece on a contemporary debate or reading a seminar paper on the subject. These activities serve to familiarise the students with the online learning environment and prepare the students for commencing their learning fully informed about the requirements of the subject. Teaching period 29 April 2019 to 23 June 2019 Last self-enrol date 23 April 2019 Census date 17 May 2019 Last date to withdraw without fail 7 June 2019 Assessment period ends 30 June 2019 Term 2 contact information
Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm AEST/AEDT. Weekends and University of Melbourne observed Public Holidays 10am to 5pm AEST/AEDT.
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
- Subject notes
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Rehabilitation Science Course Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Science Course Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation Science - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 3 November 2022