Prosthetic and orthotic technician

You will be able to:

You will know and understand:

Governance

and Safety

• Work safely and within limitations of practice
• Undertake risk assessments using a range of techniques
• Work collaboratively in partnership with other team members, individuals and carers
• Within your scope of practice ( eg repairs / maintenance) obtain and document informed consent for prosthetic/orthotic care
• Safeguard individuals, including vulnerable adults and children
• Safeguard confidential information relating to individuals at all times
• Maintain records that are fit for purpose and process them accordingly.
• Comply with local and national standards regarding reporting of medical device failures and incidents
• Work as part of a team, seek help and guidance when you are not sure, escalate concerns in a timely manner to the correct person
• Support or supervise colleagues as required, delegate well- defined tasks appropriately

• How to work collaboratively with those who provide services to individuals; recognising the limits of prosthetic/orthotic technical practice and when to seek advice
• What is meant by informed consent and how to secure it across the age range and in line with cognitive ability; the importance of providing individuals with information that allows them to make informed decisions and safely manage their condition and supplied devices
• What is meant by duty of care; medical ethics; safeguarding of adults and children and how it applies to your role;
• Health and safety legislation, policies and procedures; ways to assess risks that ensures safety and security of the prescribed device
• How to maintain confidentiality and apply the principles of information governance
• The importance of managing records and data in accordance with legislation, protocols and best practice.
• Quality guidelines and device design principles that apply to individual devices; incident reporting and escalation
• The need to keep skills and knowledge up to date and the importance of career-long learning; the use of valid research and best practice evidence to inform reflection on practice and the need to record the outcome of such reflections
• Models and theories of support and supervision and how to safely delegate in line with legal and professional guidelines

 Prosthetic/ Orthotic Care

• Manufacture the prescribed device using manual and computer aided technologies and correct materials to agreed timescales
• Ensure the devise is fit for use and purpose and complies with the manufacturer/department/company quality assurance and legal requirements
• Test that the device is working correctly and modify if required
• Support patient/carer to maintain the devise
• Check that the completed device meet the prescription provided
• Act within the limits of your competence and authority
• Use and maintain manufacturing machinery to carry out your duties
• Identify problems with the manufacturing machinery and report any defects

• The basic structure and function of the human body and function of the musculoskeletal system relevant to prosthetics and orthotics and required for the role . There will also be an understanding of the main conditions that lead to the use of prosthetic / orthotic devices such as Diabetes , Multiple Scelorisis.  In particular features of conditions such as neuropathy and phantom limb pain which may directly affect the wearing of devices.
• The structure and properties of materials and their appropriate application to prosthetic or orthotic hardware and clinical practice; a range of modelling techniques; how to measure and adjust a model
• How manufacturing machinery and equipment works and how to maintain it to a high standard at all times, when and where to report faults; quality control and how it applies in prosthetic/orthotic design and delivery
• How to and where to correctly record the relevant manufacturing details in line with your department/company’s policies your responsibilities and duties; the limits of your competence and authority why it is important to work in ways agreed by your employer
• the patient, measurement, material and component information required to manufacture the device that has been requested
• Computer aided design technology relavant  to the manufacturing of related devices.

Person Centred Care

• Provide on-going support to Prosthetists/ Orthotists and in some instances patients\ carers
• Apply a range of communication interventions and interpersonal skills to support individuals receiving prosthetic/orthotic care.
• Utilise IT systems to read and record information, and where appropriate using IT systems as part of the manufacturing process.

• Equality, diversity and inclusion legislation; how to treat people with dignity and respect; understanding how disability affects and influences prosthetic and orthotic management; the requirement to adapt practice to meet the needs of individuals dealing with emotional needs due to a range of circumstances and experiences
• How to recognise how communication affects engagement of an individual; taking into account an individual’s emotional state, age, capacity, learning and physical ability, culture, ethnicity and religious beliefs
• Ways to assist the communication requirements of individuals; including recognising the need to use interpersonal skills to encourage the active participation of individuals
• the limits of prosthetic/orthotic technical practice in the context of individual care and when to refer back to the Prosthetist/ Orthotist

Professional Development

• Manage your own time, resources and personal behaviour.
• Be proactive in your own development, willing to commit to lifelong learning by use of a Personal Development Plan (PDP), personal reflection and continuous improvement

• The principles relating to evidence-based approaches to learning, clinical and professional practice and decision making; including using a range of sources of evidence
• The consequences of your actions, attitude and behaviour
• How to assess and reflect upon your own capabilities and limitations