Table 1.
Contextual information to support the integration of outcomes into the curriculum
| Learning outcome | Clinical context |
|---|---|
| Anatomical terminology | |
| 1 | Position and relationship of anatomical structures. To describe patient positioning. Descriptors for the location of injury and pain. Keeping accurate records and interpreting documentation from other healthcare team disciplines |
| 2 | Joint movement and related injuries |
| 3 |
Assessment and monitoring of normal and compromised movement: musculoskeletal injuries, rheumatic disease, post‐procedural/operative care of arthroscopy, orthopaedic and spinal. Impact on activity of daily living assessment. Pain assessment |
| 4 |
Normal development vs developmental anomalies Effects of adverse health behaviours on anatomical structures throughout the lifespan, e.g. smoking, excessive alcohol intake Systems based structural geriontological considerations correlated to pathology, physiological homeostatic adaptation and pathophysiology, i.e. vasculature changes, loss of bone density, detrusor muscle instability, etc. Drug dosage adjustments and modified calculations Choice of medication administration route in different patient populations |
| 5 | Care of pressure areas and prevention of pressure ulcers. Assessment of pressure ulcer grade 1–4. Landmarks for intramuscular injection (IM), i.e. humeral head for deltoid injection and the anterior superior iliac spine for gluteus medius injection |
| Histological overview | |
| 6 | Homeostatic mechanisms, pathophysiology and pharmacological interventions |
| 7 |
Physiological: endocrine secretions, bladder and uterus expansion, protection from abrasion, absorption and transport. Clinical: mucosal membrane assessment, oral lesions, carcinoma, granulation in wound care |
| 8 | Anatomy. Physiology. Pathology. Pathophysiology. Pharmacological action |
| 9 | Support, protection and mobility. Cartilage injuries and healing |
| 10 | Types of contraction, i.e. voluntary/involuntary |
| 11 |
Supportive and protective role in relation to gross structures, extracellular fluid spaces, blood, immunity. Autoimmune disorders, i.e. lupus erythematous |
| Nervous system | |
| 12 | Vital sign regulation, pain, reflexes, sensory and motor function throughout the body. Somatic sensory pathology, i.e. shingles, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis |
| 13 | Vital sign ‘control centres’, i.e. temperature regulation (hypothalamus), baroreceptors (pons) and chemoreceptors (medulla oblongata), pituitary tumours, schizophrenia (limbic system) |
| 14 | Parkinson's disease, aminergic and cholinergic systems and related pharmacology, gait, balance, coordination, muscle tone (i.e. hypotonia) |
| 15 |
Relate to special senses Neurodegeneration, e.g. dementia Effects of stroke on various brain regions, e.g. dysarthria. Neuropsychiatric disorders and intellectual disability |
| 16 | Relate to corresponding regions of the brain, and assessment and interventions for activities of daily living |
| 17 | Blood‐brain barrier, meningitis, subdural and extradural haemorrhage/haematoma |
| 18 |
Anosmia (lack of smell affects appetite); blindness; diplopia (double vision); trigeminal neuralgia (facial pain and spasm); Bell's palsy; hearing loss; tinnitus; dizziness; dysphagia. Cranial nerve abnormalities may be indicative of cervical spine and/or brainstem pathology/injury |
| 19 | Hydrocephalus, raised intracranial pressure related to consciousness |
| 20 | Infection, i.e. otitis media, labyrinthitis, dizziness and loss of balance. Administrating ear drops |
| 21 | Conjunctivitis, cataracts, glaucoma, red eye, administering eye drops, basic eye care, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) pupil assessment |
| 22 | Reflex and pain, post‐care and education of a lumbar puncture, cauda equina |
| Musculoskeletal system | |
| 23 | Normal and abnormal integrity, fractures, osteoporosis |
| 24 | Bone marrow, immunity, pre‐ and post‐care of bone marrow aspirate and stem cell transplants |
| 25 | Mobility, moving and handling, sprains, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, nerve impingement, rotator cuff injury, i.e. frozen shoulder, carpel tunnel syndrome |
| 26 | Neurovascular monitoring, myalgia, compartment syndrome, administration of intramuscular injection/safe sites, assessment of mobility, gait, muscle tone and general actions that impact on functional activities such as sitting, standing, lying, lifting and exercising. Rehabilitation, multidisciplinary communication, interpreting and supporting physiotherapy instructions, falls prevention |
| 27 | Quadriplegia, paraplegia, lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, moving and handling, pressure ulcer care |
| Integumentary system | |
| 28 | Cellulitis, burns, inflammation, decreased turgor in dehydration, skincare, assessment and medical referral of suspicious moles for skin cancer, topical medication |
| 29 | Anaesthetic action, referred pain, i.e. cholecystitis pain referred to the left shoulder via the phrenic nerve at level C3/4/5 due to diaphragmatic irritation. Monitoring diminished sensation postoperatively, i.e. patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA) in situ, paraesthesia |
| Cardiovascular system | |
| 30 | Palpation of apex heartbeat, electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode placement |
| 31 | Normal heart rhythm, blood pressure, cardiac output, arrhythmias, pericarditis, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, care of pacemakers, heart failure, patent foramen ovale, septal defects, ECG, cardiac monitoring, cardioversion |
| 32 | Mechanism of circulation, rheumatic fever, endocarditis, cardiac valve insufficiencies, i.e. mitral valve regurgitation, aortic/pulmonary stenosis |
| 33 | Ischaemic heart disease, i.e. myocardial infarction, stable/unstable angina. Pre‐ and postoperative angiogram/percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) pre‐, intra‐ and post‐care |
| 34 | Circulatory function, i.e. oxygenation, deoxygenation and diffusion |
| 35 | Circulatory function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and right‐sided heart failure, pulmonary oedema and effusion, pulmonary embolism |
| 36 | Atherosclerosis, visceral ischaemia/infarct, aortic aneurysm, thrombus and embolism, peripheral venous disease (PVD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) – compression bandaging and care of PVD/PAD ulceration. Blood pressure, profusion (i.e. pallor, central and peripheral cyanosis/mottling), wound healing |
| 37 | Intravenous drug administration, cannulation, phlebotomy, phlebitis, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis |
| 38 | Stroke, headache, haemorrhage, care of central lines |
| 39 | Portal hypertension |
| Respiratory system | |
| 40 | COPD, acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, pneumothorax, flail chest |
| 41 | Airway management, epistaxis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheostomy care, airway suction |
| 42 |
Normal and abnormal respiration, i.e. tachypnoea, hypoventilation, upper and lower respiratory chest infections, i.e. pneumonia Pleurisy pre‐, intra‐ and postoperative care of lobectomy Administration of oxygen/nebulisers and/or inhalers Peripheral oxygen monitoring (aka SpO2 monitoring) |
| 43 | Unstable cervical spine trauma at C3/4/5, quadriplegia, phrenic nerve palsy, assessment of bilateral chest movement |
| Gastrointestinal system | |
| 44 | Oral lesions, candida, sublingual drug administration, oral hygiene |
| 45 | Bolus formation, xerostomia, mumps, autoimmune disorders that affect salivary secretions, i.e. HIV |
| 46 | Swallowing, aspiration, nasogastric (NG) insertion, feeding and aftercare |
| 47 | Peritonitis, postoperative adhesions and abdominal pain, abdominal and inguinal hernia |
| 48 | Digestion, absorption, NG placement, ulceration (haematemesis), gastric dumping |
| 49 | Peristalsis, gastro‐oesophageal reflex disease (GORD), referred epigastric pain, the composition and flow of bile and pancreatic juices and faecal incontinence |
| 50 | Bowel obstruction, resection and stoma care, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal abscess |
| 51 | Nutritional and drug absorption, stool colour and formation, constipation/diarrhoea, excretion |
| 52 | Hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, drug and alcohol metabolism, overdoses, liver failure |
| 53 | Abdominal and/or pain assessment, record keeping and multidisciplinary communication |
| Urinary system | |
| 54 | Urinary catheterisation, urinary tract infections |
| 55 | Vascularisation of the kidney, nephrectomy, polycystic kidney disease, flank pain |
| 56 | Creation of urine and metabolic properties for urinalysis, blood pressure regulation, drug metabolism, i.e. diuretics. Acute and chronic kidney injury, dialysis |
| 57 | Urinary frequency/retention. Prostate hyperplasia/cancer |
| Reproductive | |
| 58 | Sexual and reproductive health and disease. Can also be used to distinguish differences between sex and gender in the broader curriculum |
| 59 | Continence and incontinence, urinary retention, rectal and vaginal prolapse, sexual function and dysfunction. Kegel exercises postpartum |
| 60 | Lactation, breast cancer, pre‐ and postoperative care of breast biopsy, mastectomy, breast reconstruction |
| 61 | Normal and abnormal stressors and associated homeostatic changes |
| Lymphatic system | |
| 62 | Lymphoedema, primary and secondary malignancy |
| 63 | Immunity and infection – related to microbiology and pharmacology |
| Endocrine | |
| 64 | Neurotransmitter and hormonal pathophysiology |