Summary

This module is designed for physiotherapists who wish to explore the principles of the management and care of patients with chronic respiratory diseases using an evidence-based approach with a practical emphasis. Drawing on the evidence base, the aim of this module is to provide you with theoretical understanding and some practical experience in the specialist physiotherapy management of patients with chronic respiratory disease and to provide the requisite knowledge to prescribe and deliver safe and effective pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with respiratory disease including the role of evaluating efficacy of interventions and disease progression or stasis.

You will be encouraged to reflect critically on your own practice and scope of practice within the multidisciplinary team and will be expected to actively participate in discussions, debate and workshops.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

After taking this module, you should be able to:

Critically evaluate the literature concerning pulmonary rehabilitation 
 Identify components and elements of effective pulmonary rehabilitation programme and the design of exercise programmes for pulmonary disease patients
 Critically analyse theory underpinning rehabilitation for patients with pulmonary disease 
 Enter into debate concerning the use of respiratory muscle training in patients with pulmonary disease
 Critically appraise outcome measures and their use in the assessment of patients with respiratory disease
 Reflect on the way in which issues of self-management and self-efficacy affect rehabilitation of patients with chronic respiratory disease
 Critically consider strategies to improve adherence with pulmonary rehabilitation and facilitate long term behaviour change for patients with chronic respiratory disease
 Develop the ability to deliver, evaluate and critique practical pulmonary rehabilitation strategies and apply clinical reasoning to problems with exercise programmes for pulmonary disease patients
Who is this module for? 

This is an optional module for the Advanced Physiotherapy (MSc/PGDip/PGCert) and the Physiotherapy Studies (MSc/PGDip/PGCert).

Teaching and Learning Methods

The module will be delivered via a combination of face-to-face lectures, workshops and seminars. Teaching will be facilitated by relevant experts in their field. Online learning activities will be included to support the face-to-face delivery.

Assessment

The assessment for this module is a 2,500 word set case study assignment.

Selected Reading List

Ong HK et al. Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation in bronchiectasis: A retrospective study.  Chronic Respiratory Disease 2011, 8:21

Newall et al. Exercise training and inspiratory muscle training in bronchiectasis Thorax 2005, 60:943–948

Lee et. Al. The short and long term effects of exercise training in non Cystic Fibrosis bronchiectasis- a randomised controlled trial. Respiratory Research 2014, 15:44