Inherent requirements for human movement and nutrition sciences programs

Exercise and nutrition science professions are governed by competency standards, codes of ethics, professional conduct and professional boundaries where professionals are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts. 

Student demonstrates knowledge of and engages in ethical behaviour in practice. 

• Compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people and services they engage with. This ensures the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of any individual is not placed at risk. 

Adjustments must ensure the standards, codes, guidelines, and policies are not compromised or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Complying with requirements relating to informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality with client information in academic and clinical settings.

• Demonstrating the ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in a demanding role. 

• Consistent and appropriate awareness and control of own behaviours and emotions and their potential impact on others. 

• Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing, challenging, stressful, unpredictable environments. 

• Students may be exposed to emergency situations and challenging/stressful or potentially traumatic environments and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events. 

Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in all course related activities. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Responding appropriately and professionally to stressful situations, issues and constructive feedback. 

• Managing own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with culturally and socially diverse groups in the clinical setting. 

Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of exercise and nutrition sciences. 

• Sensitivity and respect towards people of different gender, ability, sexuality and age, and from diverse religious, socio-economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. 

• The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner. 

• The ability to provide clear and audible instructions in the context of the situation. 

• Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others develops trusting relationships. 

• Communication may be restricted to verbal because of limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions). 

• Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management in exercise and nutrition professions. 

Adjustments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure appropriate treatment and management. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Establishing rapport with peers during group activities, establishing effective communication of information to a wide variety of stakeholders.

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to exercise and nutrition science and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, honest and non-judgmental. 

• Sensitivity and respect towards individuals of different gender, ability, sexuality and age, and from diverse religious, socio-economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. 

• The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues. 

• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours, and the ability to modify these where the situation requires. 

• The ability to maintain appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, posture and personal space. 

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships. 

• Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships. 

• Being sensitive to individual differences displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships. 

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients. 

• Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management.

Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective nonverbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser 

• Recognising and responding appropriately in classroom situations inside and outside the University.  

• Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the environment. e.g. client or peer pain or distress. 

Effective and efficient written communication, in English, is a fundamental responsibility in exercise and nutrition professions, with professional and legal ramifications. 

Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to circumstances. 

• Comprehension of a range of information relevant to an academic/professional environment is critical. 

• Communicating with respect and empathy for others develops trusting relationships. 

• Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice. 

Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Student Adviser. 

• Constructing an essay to academic standards. 

Consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and competent exercise and nutrition science services.

• The capacity to locate and organise appropriate and relevant information. 

• The ability to process information relevant to practice. 

• The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice. 

• The ability to engage in scientific, clinical, rational and ethical reasoning specific to the field. 

• Safe, appropriate and effective practice in exercise and nutrition services is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately. 

• The ability to reason is fundamental to professional practice. 

Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items. 

• Appropriately applying knowledge and clinical reasoning in relevant settings. 

Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective delivery of exercise and nutrition services. 

• The ability to accurately acquire information and convey appropriate, effective messages. 

• The ability to read, comprehend and synthesize a range of literature and information. 

• The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner. 

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective practice in exercise and nutrition.

• The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of exercise and nutrition services. 

Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Actively listen to information in course-related situations e.g. in class, on placement. 

• Produce accurate, concise, clear and appropriate documentation in course-related situations e.g. report on community engagement activity, report for organisation related to placement. 

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective exercise and nutrition services. 

• The ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria. 

• Accuracy undertaking arithmetic calculations. 

• Accuracy interpreting electronic numerical data from exercise testing equipment. 

• Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in exercise and nutrition science services. 

Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Interpret assessment data relating to physiology and anthropometry. 

• Interpret electronic numerical data from exercise testing equipment (e.g. 12-lead ECG, spirometers, blood pressure sphygmomanometers, pulse oximeters, BMI). 

Exercise and nutrition science practice requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflection in order to consider the effect of one's own actions, values and behaviours in practice. 

• The ability to accurately reflect on your professional performance. 

• The ability to accept feedback on your academic and professional practice and respond constructively. 

• Working with people and understanding and responding to them requires well developed understanding of oneself and the ability to effectively manage one's reactions to situations that may arise. 

• Reflective practice is considered standard practice in exercise and nutrition science where individuals are able to consider their responses to situations and think about how they might respond differently to improve an outcome. 

Adjustments must demonstrate a level of self-awareness and capacity to effectively reflect and respond appropriately. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.

• Identifying when a practice issue is outside one's scope or expertise or when one's practice may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions. 

• Continual reflection on previous interactions with individuals to adjust as well as improve own practice. 

Building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders on a number of levels (individuals, groups, communities, government and non-government agencies etc.) is key to practice in exercise and nutrition science. 

• The ability to build and maintain relationships and rapport with key stakeholders including clients, academic staff, supervisors and peers. Skills include empathy, trustworthiness, patience, active listening, approachability, and reliability. 

• The ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group situations and experiential learning groups. 

• Highly developed skills in building and maintaining relationships, developing a network and engaging both on an individual and group level is critical for students to be able to be successful in their exercise and nutrition science-related careers. 

Adjustments must demonstrate an ability to demonstrate minimal acceptable level of effective relational skills across the range of tasks and client populations required to successfully complete their studies. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Rapidly building rapport with a client. 

• Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage relationships with peers and others in different contexts. 

Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective exercise and nutrition science services. 

Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills. 

• Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care to self and others. Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective practice in exercise and nutrition science. 

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser 

• Observe changes in individuals. 

• Observe and utilise visual scales such as pain rating, nutrition education charts. 

Adequate auditory ability is required to provide safe and effective exercise and nutrition services.  

Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills. 

• Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage situations consistently and accurately. Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective exercise science and nutrition practice. 

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Detecting care request by activation of call bell or calls for help. 

• Recognise warning signs and emergency situations. 

Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe exercise and nutrition practice. 

Student demonstrates sufficient tactile function to undertake the required range of skills. 

• Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective exercise and nutrition science practice. 

Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Detecting any changes in circulation observations e.g. temperature and pulse palpation. 

• Conducting a physical assessment and detecting any anatomical abnormalities. 

Competent information and communication technology skills are essential for practice in exercise and nutrition science. 

• The ability to engage with academic and professional staff, peers, university systems, learning resources and assessment tools using current digital technology. 

• The ability to use appropriate current technology in completion of activities. 

• Safe, appropriate and effective practice requires the ability to effectively use a range of information and communication technologies suitable for academic and professional environments. 

Adjustments must ensure that safety of self and others is not compromised or impeded. Strategies to address ICT related impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise completion of assessment tasks, community engagement or work placement requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Access library resources to develop skills in video development, prepare video and submit online in an appropriate format and timely manner. 

• Access and utilise online learning content. 

Exercise and nutrition science involves physical demands and requires gross motor function. 

The ability to perform gross motor skills to function within scope of practice. Student can mobilise safely in a variety of environments. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending.

• Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate and prioritise care. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. 

Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Demonstrate and safely supervise physical tests to assess balance and physiology. 

Exercise and nutrition science encompass professions that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills. 

Student demonstrates the ability to use fine motor skills to provide safe effective exercise and nutrition science services. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects and individuals. 

• Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate and prioritise services. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. 

Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate services. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Effectively manipulate small objects when operating equipment and demonstrating fine dexterity assessments and activities of daily living. 

Exercise and nutrition science practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level.

• Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time. 

• The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration until it is completed appropriately. 

• The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance for extended periods. 

• Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective professional practice in the workplace. 

Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser. 

• Provide consistent performance in a range of environments. 

• Attend clinical or practicum placements in a range of physical settings (e.g. urban, rural, hospitals, clinics) and for the required number of hours, within a reasonable period.