Closed Trauma Course
Presenters
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Christina Harwood
Accredited Hand Therapist
QLD

Luke McCarron
Accredited Hand Therapist
QLD

Liz Giuffre
Accredited Hand Therapist
ACT
Course type
This course is an AHTA Core course.
Core courses are suitable for practitioners:
- with a minimum of two years of post-graduate experience in treating upper limb conditions
- looking to acquire additional skills required for a position in hand therapy
- wishing to upskill and learn current best practice
- wanting continued professional learning (CPD hours)
- undertaking to complete the Accredited Hand Therapist credential.
CPD
This course is 24 CPD hours for attendance only.
Participants will receive 50 CPD hours if they complete and pass the assessment.
Investment
Non-Member $1600.00 inc GST
Associate $1040.00 inc GST
Accredited Hand Therapist $960.00 inc GST
Overview
Closed Trauma will build on the knowledge of human anatomy, biomechanics, and function, as well as tissue injury and repair taught in the Fundamentals of Hand Therapy Course related to managing non-surgical cases and diagnoses. This 3-day course enables therapists to identify appropriate assessment and evidence-based, client-centred treatment approaches based on the patient's stage in recovery and associated complications.
You will further develop clinical reasoning skills appropriate to complex clinical scenarios, including but not limited to:
- Fractures of the digits, carpal bones, radial head, and humerus.
- Tendon injury, including closed extensor zone 1 -3 management, trigger finger, De Quervain’s, and rotator cuff-related shoulder pain.
- Ligament Injuries, including the collateral ligaments of the PIPJ and MCPJ
- Neurovascular conditions including carpal tunnel syndrome, proximal median nerve entrapment (PMNE), radial tunnel, Wartenberg’s Syndrome and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
This course will include various components on the shoulder as this is a core competency requirement for AHT accreditation. Basic shoulder anatomy will be assumed and not directly taught in this course. For those who need more revision, optional shoulder anatomy tutorials will be provided in the pre-learning.
Pre-requisites
To attend this course, you must:
- have completed the Fundamentals of Hand Therapy Course OR
- have completed a Master's or postgraduate degree in Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy OR
- be an Accredited Hand Therapist as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association.
Learning outcomes
This course has been designed for participants to achieve the following learning outcomes.
- Describe the pathology, epidemiology, prognosis, and clinical presentation of common upper limb closed trauma conditions.
- Independently assess a range of complex ‘closed trauma’ conditions of the upper limb using an evidence-based approach.
- Using a biopsychosocial, person-centred approach, design evidence-based treatment plans that reflect clinical assessment findings and the different stages of recovery.
- Adapt and/or defend the proposed treatment plans using advanced clinical reasoning when clinical assessments provide new information.
Registration
You must check the prerequisites for this course before completing registration.
Discounts apply for Associate members and Accredited Hand Therapists.
Cancellation
We endeavour to run all courses as scheduled; however, our courses sometimes do not meet the required minimum numbers to go ahead.
We advise that you DO NOT book flights and/or accommodation until the registration closing date (one month before the course).
Please contact us for advice if you wish to book flights earlier.
Refer to the cancellation policy linked below.
Assessment
Refer to Course Assessment Policy.
Participants may choose to forgo the assessment component and receive a certificate of attendance or undertake the full assessment with a passing mark to receive a certificate of attainment.
Completing and passing the assessment is a requirement for those wishing to apply to become an Accredited Hand Therapist.
Assessment includes:
- A practical “hurdle” assessment
- A written exam, 3 weeks post-course completion via an online platform
- A recorded case study presentation in a Pecha Kucha format, due eight weeks after the course.
The exam and assignment each contribute 50% to the overall course grade. A minimum overall score of 65% is required to pass the course.
Refer to the assessment details below for more information.
Quality
AHTA courses aim to meet Australian Quality Framework (AQF) Level 8 and are designed according to best practice education standards.
Courses are developed and presented by Accredited Hand Therapists.
All presenters have undertaken a four-stage presenter training program.
Pre-learning
You MUST* attend a pre-course webinar on how to use Canvas, an online Learning Management System. You will receive the details for this pre-course webinar via email.
You MUST* have a laptop or desktop for this pre-course webinar and the course. You cannot use an iPad or iPhone.
Compulsory pre-learning includes:
- 2 pre-recorded lectures
- 1 short reading.
Knowledge from the pre-learning will be assumed throughout the course, and the content is assessable in the exam and case study.
* If you do not attend the pre-course webinar or have the correct equipment, we will NOT be able to assist you at the course or the exam, as this will impact the learning time of others in the group.
Content access
The AHTA uses an online Learning Management System (LMS) called Canvas. Refer to 'Pre-learning'.
This will be your ‘online textbook’ for all course content – including videos, pictures, written content, references, and links to other web pages. Once you have registered for the course, you will be emailed a link to enrol.
Once you receive this link, you are encouraged to create login details, ready to use on the day. The Home Page includes important information, such as Course Information, Assessment, and Help and Support. The Modules tab is where you will find the course content, including any pre-learning. Announcements are where the course presenters can communicate with you before or during the course. Discussion allows course participants to ask questions or communicate with the presenters and other course participants.
Time
Face-to-face courses are held from 9.00 am – 5.30 pm local time.
Online courses are held from 9.00 am – 5.30 pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April or Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) during other times.
Dietary requirements
Please note dietary requirements when completing the online registration form. Not all requirements can be catered for at all venues.
What to bring
You MUST* have a laptop or desktop for this pre-course webinar and the course. You cannot use an iPad or iPhone.
Participants are to:
- wear comfortable clothing, for example, gym gear/singlet and bring a towel (for face-to-face only)
- bring 1 x small tub of Play-dough (required for online only)
- have Thera-band available (online participants only)
* If you do not attend the pre-course webinar or have the correct equipment, the AHTA will not be able to assist you at the course or the exam, as this will impact the learning time of others in the group.
Exam
This course has an exam. The exam is not compulsory. Refer to CPD and Assessment for more information.
Participants undertaking the assessment MUST read the course exam instructions at the link below.
Assessment details
Assessment includes:
- A practical “hurdle” assessment. Completed on the final afternoon of the course, this 5-minute practical assessment is an assessment hurdle i.e. you must pass this to pass the course. Participants will be presented with a brief written case study and asked questions in a one-on-one setting with a course presenter, regarding the clinical assessment and treatment of the case study patient.
- Weighting: Pass/Fail
- A written exam on the Monday or Tuesday, 3 weeks post-course completion via an online platform. Questions will be based on the course content and pre-learning material. The exam will be in a multiple-choice and short-answer format and held under exam conditions. This means closed book, phones off, no distractions, web camera on and facing the participant for invigilation.
- Participants who cannot complete the exam as scheduled and advertised will forfeit the option of a Certificate of Attainment. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided.
- Weighting: 50%
- A recorded case study presentation in a Pecha Kucha format, due eight weeks after the course. A Pecha Kucha presentation requires 20 seconds of commentary per slide for 20 consecutive, automatically advancing slides. Your presentation should go for no longer than 6 minutes and 40 seconds, or less if you can cover the content in that time.
- The notes section of your PowerPoint should include details of the case study of no more than 1000 words, which can be your script or slightly more detailed. References can be in the slides or the notes.
- The case study should be based on a patient in your clinic. If you cannot access a suitable candidate we will provide you with a written ‘virtual’ patient.
In summary
- 15 – 20 slides automatically advancing at 20 seconds
- Narrate and record your case study information.
- A Pecha Kucha template will be provided. For help, recording, go to Record a slide show with narration and slide timings (microsoft.com)
- Weighting: 50%
Testimonials
"My favourite AHTA course out of all of them. Loaded with information that I can take back to the clinic."
" Excellent course, very knowledgeable staff. Thank you for your hard work."
Disclaimers
Photography and videography
Photos and videos taken at our course may be used for promotion and evaluation; including press releases; publicity materials, newsletters, eNews, social media, presentations and our website. They will not be accompanied by names or other details that could identify individuals.
If you DO NOT consent to the AHTA using images or videos containing your image, you must contact the AHTA office prior to the course and advise the presenter on arrival on the first day of the course.
Intellectual property disclaimer
By registering for a course, you agree that during the course, any contributions verbally or in writing that you make regarding improving, altering or amending the content of the course may be used by the AHTA in subsequent courses and will become the intellectual property of AHTA.