Foundation Education
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HLT43021

Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus

Assist Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists improve the well-being of patients.

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Are you ready to advance your career in Allied Health Assisting?

The HLT43021 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus qualification sets you up for success through hands-on experience and knowledge-based learning so that you can step confidently into a role as a Physiotherapy Assistant or Occupational Therapy Assistant.

During the course of your studies, you’ll learn how to assist Allied Health professionals, follow treatment plans for therapeutic interventions, assist with movement, and recognise and report the risk of falls. With this nationally recognised qualification, you’ll also play a key role in helping people of all ages with injury, illness, or disability live life to the fullest and get back to doing the things they love. As a career path, it doesn’t get much more rewarding.

For detailed course information, enquire now to request a course flyer and speak with one of our friendly Careers Advisors. 

Career outcomes

This qualification will help you work in several health industry settings including hospitals, medical practices, dental practices, schools and community health centres. Popular career outcomes include:

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Physiotherapy Assistant

You’ll support Physiotherapists with implementing patient care programs and work with patients to complete treatment plans related to their injury, illness, or disability.

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Occupational Therapy Assistant

You’ll support Occupational Therapists in developing and delivering programs for patients, helping them perform day-to-day tasks more comfortably and confidently, including fitting assistive equipment as directed.

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Allied Health Assistant

You’ll work directly with Allied Health professionals, assisting in implementing therapeutic activities to identify, treat, and prevent various conditions and illnesses in patients.

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Therapy Assistant

Under the direction of an Allied Health professional, you’ll assist with providing hands-on support and guidance to care for patients on their rehabilitation journey.

Course snapshot
Qualification

Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus

Delivery structure

Theoretical elements: 

Study the theoretical elements of this course, anywhere and anytime through our online learning platform. 

Practical elements: 

You’ll be required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of mandatory work placement in an Allied Health workplace, performing tasks under the direction of a qualified workplace supervisor.

Duration

Up to 18 months

Study load
  • 120 hours of mandatory work placement.
  • 17 course units to complete. *
  • Complete 1 course unit approximately every 4.5 weeks to graduate in 18 months.

*One course unit, HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, must be obtained externally. 

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Why choose Foundation Education?

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Flexible online study

Our courses are delivered through a customised online learning platform so you can study whenever and wherever you like nationwide.

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Industry-relevant courses

Course material is developed in consultation with industry experts, equipping you with the job-ready skills employers seek.

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Nationally recognised training

Our courses are nationally recognised and accredited, meeting established industry needs and quality assurance standards.

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Flexible payment options

We offer a range of flexible upfront and weekly payment options to suit your budget and lifestyle.

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Expert Trainers and Assessors

Our team of expert, Australian-based Trainers and Assessors can support you with learning enquiries and assessment items, including through one-to-one coaching calls.

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Personalised career advice

Our team of Australian-based Careers Advisors can support you with pre-enrolment enquiries through personalised phone consultations.

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Dedicated Support Officers

Our team of dedicated Support Officers can help you with general course enquiries, supporting you from enrolment to graduation.

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Learning support services

We offer a range of learning support services including individual support plans and learner guides delivered in alternative formats.

Course overview

Education

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification as specified in the packaging rules.

Pre-screening

Foundation Education uses LLN Robot to prescreen you before enrolment across five core skills including literacy, numeracy, oral communication, learning and reading.

Parental permission

If you are under 18 your enrolment form will need to be signed by a parent or guardian.

Residency status

You will need to be a permanent Australian resident (or equivalent) or have the right to study in Australia other than a Student Visa.

External requirements

HLTAID011 Provide First Aid must be completed with an external provider.

Physical capabilities

You’ll be required to complete workplace tasks that involve manual handling and may be required to have certain vaccinations or a medical exemption if requested.

Government funding

Foundation Education offers a range of government subsidy schemes that may make your education journey more affordable. Explore the government funding programs on offer and discover whether you’re eligible by visiting www.foundationeducation.edu.au/funding.

Recognition of prior learning

We offer Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an option for those who have gained relevant skills and knowledge through prior experience or training. If you believe you may be eligible, please contact our Career Advisor to discuss the RPL process and how it can be applied to your studies.

Please note: While RPL allows you to gain credit for existing knowledge and skills, it is not necessarily less work than the standard study method. The RPL process requires you to demonstrate your competencies through rigorous assessment, which may involve providing evidence, completing 3rd party observation checklist, knowledge questions, and/or attending competency call (for certain government funded enrolments).

Assessment will include knowledge questions, quizzes, case studies and workplace observation.

Knowledge questions: You’ll be presented with short answer questions that require a written response.

Quiz: You’ll be presented with quizzes that include multiple choice, matching, and true or false questions to test your knowledge.

Case study: You’ll be given a scenario and asked to respond as the circumstances change. The assessor looks at how you effectively manage a range of situations and how you apply your knowledge to each one.

Workplace observation assessment: You’ll be required to complete set tasks with the nominated workplace supervisor, as per the Placement Agreement. This also includes the completion of task documents and templates, which you must complete with observation tasks. This assessment must be completed in a pre-approved Allied Health workplace under the direct supervision of a suitably qualified, pre-approved workplace supervisor or supervisors.

Work placement requirements

You’ll be required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of mandatory work placement in an Allied Health workplace, performing tasks under the direction of a qualified workplace supervisor.

Workplace supervisor requirements

You’ll be required to perform tasks under the direction of a qualified Primary or Secondary workplace supervisor. The supervisor must meet the following criteria:

Primary workplace supervisor requirements

Be an Allied Health professional currently registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Secondary workplace supervisor requirements

  • Option 1: Hold a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance qualification or higher, and have at least 12 months of full-time experience working as an Allied Health Assistant within the last three years (or the part-time equivalent of 12 months of full-time experience)
  • Option 2: Demonstrate that they have worked as an Allied Health Assistant for at least three years (or the part-time equivalent of three years’ full-time experience over the past five years).

You’ll be responsible for sourcing an appropriate work placement host employer/s. Foundation Education may provide support and guidance to identify work placement opportunities.

Work placement logbook

You’ll be required to record your hours performing real and simulated tasks in a workplace environment in a logbook. The logbook must be submitted via our online learning management platform.

To successfully complete this course, it’s essential that your placement provider has the necessary equipment, resources and/or documentation. For detailed information on these requirements, please reach out to our friendly Career Advisors to obtain a copy of the complete list.

For the online part of this course, you’ll need regular access to:

  • Computer: Laptop or desktop computer with working speakers or headphone points. Note that our Learning Management System (LMS) is not compatible with touchscreen
  • Internet: High-speed internet such as Broadband or ADSL, T1/T2, fiber optic (Dial up access is not recommended)
  • Windows: Operating system – Windows 8 or above MAC: Operating system - OS X 10.14 Mojave or later
  • Internet browser: Google Chrome and Firefox are recommended browsers and have Javascript enabled. Browsers like Edge, Safari and out-of-date browsers may cause issues with some material, particularly our interactive elements in the LMS
  • Software: Flash, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Word (or Open Office which is free to download)
  • Office equipment: A printer and scanner may be required to print and upload some of your assessments
  • Audio recording: Devices such as a mobile phone. Some assessment tasks will require you to record and submit audio files

What makes Foundation Education different is being able to have one on one conversations with students over the phone to support them along the way with their course.

Cost and payment

You can pay for your course upfront via VISA/MasterCard or a bank deposit. Alternatively, we offer instalment plans that can be paid over several weeks or fortnights.

Your course fee includes

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Delivery and assessment of your qualification

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Study materials (including all resources)

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Ongoing support from our Education Team

We offer two payment methods

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Full fee upfront

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Instalment plans

For more information about the course costs, please call us on 1300 616 197.

Units

Achieve your qualification by completing the following units of competency:

HLT43021 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a first aid response to a casualty in line with first aid guidelines determined by the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and other Australian national peak clinical bodies.

The unit applies to all persons who may be required to provide a first aid response in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings. Specific licensing/regulatory requirements relating to this competency, including requirements for refresher training should be obtained from the relevant national/state/territory Work Health and Safety Regulatory Authorities.

*This course contains the unit, HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, which must be completed through an external RTO. Foundation Education has an agreement in place with Red Cross Australia (RTOID 3605) which allows students to receive training for this unit at a reduced price. Please note that the cost of this external training is not included in any of your course fees. Upon completion, you will need to submit a copy of your first aid certificate for us to process a Credit Transfer against this unit on your student record. If you have chosen your own third-party provider, you must submit a certified copy of your certificate. If you have undertaken training with Red Cross Australia, you must forward Foundation Education the email you receive which contains the electronic copy of your certificate.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to follow organisational infection prevention and control procedures, including implementing standard and transmission-based precautions and responding to infection risks. This unit applies to individuals working in health and direct client care contexts.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to an Allied Health Professional. Work includes following treatment plans for therapeutic interventions or conducting programs.

This unit applies to allied health assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Allied Health Assistant Framework, Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. This unit applies to all workers.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to an Allied Health Professional. Work includes preparing for and participating in a structured process of clinical supervision and receiving delegations. This unit applies to allied health assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to understand and respond to instructions; to carry out routine tasks and communicate with a range of internal/external clients in a medical environment; as well as use appropriate medical terminology.

It applies to individuals who apply a broad range of competencies in various medical administration contexts. They may exercise discretion and judgment using appropriate knowledge to provide technical advice and support to a team.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to an Allied Health Professional. Work includes working with the person in their home and community to facilitate rehabilitation goals through supporting independence in daily living and optimising community access and participation in the context of a rehabilitation plan.

This unit applies to Allied Health Assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Allied Health Assistant Framework, Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to facilitate the empowerment of people receiving support, and to deliver rights-based services using a person-centred approach. It should be carried out in conjunction with individualised plans.

This unit applies to workers in varied care and support contexts.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to recognise the impact of health conditions of a person undertaking an intervention or therapy program. Work includes using a basic understanding of the human body to assist in interpreting information about person's health status to promote ways to maintain a healthy functioning of the body.

This unit applies to Allied Health Assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Allied Health Assistant Framework, Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to an Allied Health Professional. Work includes supporting the individual to participate in developmental activities that will enhance or maintain functional status.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to support people who require assistance with basic physical movement which may be due to incapacity. This unit applies to workers in a range of community services or health contexts who provide front line support services within the context of an established individualised plan.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to an Allied Health Professional. Work includes planning, preparing and implementing group activities to meet individual outcomes. This unit applies to Allied Health Assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to a registered Allied Health Professional. Work includes supporting individuals or a group of individuals participating in physical or manual therapy programs. This unit applies to Allied Health Assistants and should be performed under the direct, indirect or remote supervision and delegation of an Allied Health Professional (AHP).

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work in partnership with a person and their family, carer or others identified by the person to recognise and report the risk of falls. This unit applies to support workers in a residential or community context. Work performed requires some discretion and judgement and may be carried out under regular direct, indirect or remote supervision.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to respond effectively to behaviours of concern of people. Skills are associated with handling difficult incidents rather than managing ongoing behaviour difficulties. 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, management and other industry providers. This unit applies to a range of health and community service contexts where workers may communicate face-to-face, in writing or using digital media and work with limited responsibility under direct or indirect supervision.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for a worker to participate in safe work practices to ensure their own health and safety, and that of others in work environments that involve caring directly for clients. It has a focus on maintaining safety of the worker, the people being supported and other community members. This unit applies to all workers who require knowledge of workplace health and safety (WHS) to carry out their own work, in both centre-based and home-based service provision.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work positively with the carer and family of people using a service based on an understanding of their support needs. This unit applies to workers across a range of community services contexts. Work may be carried out under direct, indirect or remote supervision.

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