Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE POD5001

 
TITLE Vascular Assessment of the Lower Extremities

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Podiatry

 
DESCRIPTION Podiatry as a profession is developing and changing rapidly. An important area of role expansion is the assessment of the vascular status of the lower extremities and the prevention of associated morbidity. This study unit addresses the concept of augmenting podiatric skills by developing high-level clinical skills and professionalism in vascular assessment of the high risk foot, such as the diabetic foot.

A range of student centred learning methods including lectures, tutorials and clinical placements will be included in this study-unit. Lectures will be delivered by a number of specialists in the subject area. Continuous assessment of competence and performance monitoring will be maintained throughout.

In this unit, students will undertake lectures, at Masters level, in circulatory anatomy and physiology of the lower extremities, medical conditions leading to PVD, issues specific to Diabetes and Gerontology, medical devices used for vascular measurements and clinical podiatric applications. Practical sessions will include comprehensive clinical vascular assessment techniques including the use of state-of-the-art Doppler based devices.

Study-unit Aims

1. To provide podiatrists with knowledge of vascular assessment.
2. To help develop high-level clinical skills and professionalism in vascular assessment of the high risk foot, such as the diabetic foot.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the the biomedical science underlying vascular assessment.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the medical device physics underpinning vascular measurement medical devices including: ultrasound imaging, colour flow duplex scanning, advantages of vascular ultrasound over ABI, Doppler spectrum analysis, peak systolic and end diastolic velocities (PSV, EDV), pulsatility index (PI) and SVT imaging.
3. Demonstrate high-level clinical skills and professionalism in the assessment of lower extremity vascular status.
4. Critically appraise strategies for the assessment and prevention of lower limb conditions secondary to PVD.
5. Develop and justify assessment techniques based on an understanding of the pathology of associated lower limb complications.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1. Assess,diagnose, advice and educate patients who are at high risk of developing a foot complication.
2. Use state-of-the-art Doppler and other devices used in vascular assessment of the lower extremities.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings

- Clinical Skills in Treating the Foot. David R. Tollafield, Linda M. Merriman.
- Assessment of the Lower Limb. Linda M. Merriman, Warren Turner.
- Neale's Disorders of the Foot. Donald L. Lorimer, Gwen French, Maureen O'Donnell, J Gordon Burrow, Barbara Wall.
- Levin's and O'Neal's The Diabetic Foot 7th Edition. John H. Bowker, Michael A. Pfeifer.
- Peripheral Vascular Disease: Basic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches. ed George S Abela.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualifications: State Registered Health Care Professional

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study & Placement

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Clinical Assessment SEM2 Yes 40%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Yvonne Azzopardi
Carmel J. Caruana
Kevin Cassar
Alfred Gatt
Carmel P. Mallia
Anabelle Mizzi
OMAR SCHEMBRI
Pierre Schembri Wismayer

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit