Advanced Clinical Practice PgDip/MSc

30 credits

This module prepares health and social care professionals with advanced knowledge, skills and capabilities to expertly make clinical decisions through assessment, diagnosis and management of patients presenting with an undifferentiated illness. A minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision is required from an appropriately qualified practitioner.

30 credits

This module aims to equip students to mentor and coach fellow professionals at post-registration levels. It promotes critical evaluation of theoretical, professional and policy approaches to mentoring and coaching in professional practice in social work and health and social care. The knowledge, understanding, values and skills necessary for, mentoring and coaching professional practice in social work and health and social care and related settings are examined. Students are assisted to develop strategies and techniques to enhance their skills in professional self-development, developing services, coaching and mentoring professional colleagues in different practice settings. Students are required to provide a minimum of four mentoring or coaching sessions to a colleague as part of the practicum for this module.

15 credits

This module is a core compulsory module within the MSc Healthcare Practice programme. It will foster an in-depth understanding of the processes, stages and management of research, enable students to demonstrate critical appraisal and develop research skills applicable to both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The module introduces the theories of research and provides flexible opportunities for students to apply and synthesise newly developed knowledge. It allows the students to practically follow the early stages of research by developing a research proposal, the design and corresponding methodologies for research projects as well as the late stages of research by analysing, discussing, interpreting and presenting data provided by the module leader(s). Emphasis will be placed on ethical principles, which students will discuss and apply in their research proposal. The module will also enhance literacy skills, oral and written communication skills, numerical and data analysis skills, information technology (ICT) skills, and independent learning skills. Competence in research will enhance the healthcare professional's ability to develop and implement research projects, appraise projects, evaluate reported findings, effectively communicate information, collaborate with other professionals and work in or manage a multidisciplinary team.

15 credits

This module is designed to support the learner to establish a comprehensive foundation in clinical leadership which will support the ongoing development of self and others as leaders in advanced clinical practice. It may also be taken as a free-standing or option module. The module draws on contemporary research, opinion and wider leadership theory to equip aspiring advanced clinical practitioners with the knowledge and skills which underpin effective clinical leadership, including approaches to operational and strategic service configuration and quality improvement within and across traditional professional and operational boundaries. Opportunities to learn with and from colleagues include membership of multi-professional learning sets and pathway-specific tutorials for individual learners to plan and contextualise learning within clinical specialty.

15 credits

This module is designed to introduce students to this relatively new and expanding science that has grown from national and international ambition to bring about quality improvements and enhance patient safety by closing the theory practice-gap, encouraging more effective use of research evidence within practice. Implementation and Improvement Science examines the practice of generating evidenced based innovations and approaches to facilitating and sustaining effective implementation of policy and interventions in practice. It draws on theory and practice from a broad range of other professional disciplines (e.g. sociology, management, behavioural psychology, science and technology). The module encourages students to critically explore a range of strategies to support the integration of research findings with practice, whilst considering this within the context of an ever changing working environment and policy landscape.

Throughout the module, students engage with a wide range learning activities which aim to develop both knowledge and skills; offering practical insight into how to make best use of resources and evidence, subsequently optimising chances of success in effectively implementing ideas within the context of their own professional practice.

30 credits

This module is a core compulsory module and is essential for students undertaking MSc Healthcare Practice and MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programmes. The module provides students with the opportunity to work on a substantial piece of independent project work which consolidates and further develops the skills and knowledge they have acquired across the whole of their degree. In doing so they will develop their critical reflective, analytical, and transferable employability skills. Healthcare professionals are expected to be able to critically review research and to evaluate the evidence underpinning specific aspects of their own practice. Students will implement the knowledge and skills developed during the Research Methods Module by conducting a project of their choice with the support of a research supervisor. A project can be a systematic literature review, a work-based project an evaluation or a research project. The topic needs to be related to an identified gap, problem or need for improvement related to healthcare practice, clinical intervention/practice, healthcare education and professional development, clinical leadership, service-redesign or service-improvement.

15 credits

This module is suitable for nurses and others registered healthcare professionals wishing to develop their ability to use a 12 Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) as an assessment tool in clinical practice. It will enable students to gain confidence in ECG interpretation through the development of knowledge relating to cardiac physiology, the principles of electrocardiography and the criteria associated with conditions commonly observed on the ECG.

15 credits

This module is suitable for experienced adult critical care nurses and other healthcare practitioners involved in the care of polytrauma patients during their critical care phase. The module addresses Critical Care Trauma Competencies, Sections 1 to 12, as specified in the National Major Trauma Nursing Group (2017) National Competency Framework for Adult Critical Care Nurses: Trauma, Version 1.

15 credits

This module is designed for nurses and other registered healthcare practitioners who wish to develop skills and knowledge in the holistic assessment and evidence based treatment of patients with minor health problems in first contact, urgent and primary care settings.

A suitably qualified practice supervisor/assessor is required for completion of the practice competencies.

15 credits

The module is designed for nurses and other registered healthcare professionals working at/or towards advanced levels of practice, who wish to develop knowledge and skills in managing minor injuries in children and adults. It is intended to enhance independent practice through the efficient use of resources and will enable practitioners to implement management plans for patients with minor injuries presenting to walk-in clinics, urgent care centres, accident & emergency or other community settings.

A suitably qualified practice supervisor/assessor is required for completion of the practice competencies.

15 credits

The module is suitable for nurses and other registered healthcare professionals working with adult patients in a range of acute clinical settings including cardiology, cardiac surgery, pre-hospital and emergency care, intensive care and acute medicine. Successful completion of the module will enable the practitioner to effectively use cardiac monitoring to facilitate clinical assessment and deliver evidence-based care for adults with cardiac arrhythmias.

30 credits

This module is suitable for nurses and other registered healthcare professionals working with adult patients in a range of acute clinical settings including cardiology, cardiac surgery, acute medicine, pre-hospital and emergency care. It will enable students working within such areas to develop the in-depth knowledge and skills to appraise evidence-based interventions and to optimise patient care. However, the course can also be undertaken by practitioners working as paramedics, in A&E or in cardiac research units who would like to expand their knowledge in the care and management of cardiac patients. This is a compulsory specialist module within the PgCert Cardiac Care pathway.

30 credits

This module is intended for registered midwives/nurses working in an obstetric unit and will enable participants to explore issues related to the provision of care to women in high dependency situations. The module will enable the participants to reflect on their current skills developing further skills as necessary. Inter-professional working will be highlighted.

30 credits

The Independent and Supplementary Prescribing module is suitable for NMC registrants from all fields of nursing practice (adult, mental health, learning disabilities and children's nursing), midwifery and specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN). It builds on existing physical assessment and clinical reasoning skills, to develop the practitioners' pharmacology knowledge base, as well as the theory and practice of prescribing to meet the NMC Standards for prescribing programmes (NMC, 2018).

The module is delivered using a blended learning approach, which incorporates both face-to-face and online activities. A variety of strategies and techniques are employed, including simulation-based learning, to encourage critical enquiry and problem-solving, in recognition of the complexities that may be encountered in prescribing practice.

The module forms the second part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Independent/ Supplementary Prescribing award, with the first part comprising the ‘Advanced clinical reasoning in health assessment: lifespan perspectives' module, or equivalent 30 credits at Level 7.

30 credits

This module will enable registered midwives and other registered healthcare professionals to critically appraise the intersectionality of the socio-political, racial, economic and cultural context of the care of women and birthing people with antenatal and postnatal mental health problems. It will look at the history and underlying paradigms that inform care and approach this from a feminist and critical social theory perspective. It will equip students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to meet current challenges in improving outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged families and to critique services in order to advocate for them. It will enable students to understand the importance of providing effective high-quality care through effective interprofessional collaboration and development of managed care pathways.

30 credits

This module is designed for health and social care professionals who have been locally selected to act as professional advocates. The professional advocate role is underpinned by the Advocating-Educating for Quality ImProvement model (NHS, 2017). This model supports health and social care staff to evaluate their working environment through a continuous improvement process and to support individuals to build professional resilience.

The A-EQUIP model works for the people cared for by through supporting staff to act as advocates, facilitating staff to develop through restorative clinical supervision processes and in developing opportunities for quality improvement.

Participants will identify a small quality improvement project which may include undertaking an audit, developing a poster, or presenting at a conference, producing guidelines or introducing ideas for improving staff wellbeing such as identifying ‘safe spaces'. Participants will then write a rationale for their project which can be a reflection, report, or essay.

The academic team offer participants support with their written work and project development through group tutorials and formative assessment. As the Professional Advocate (PA) role is practice and work based, it is expected that the participants will be supported by either a professional advocate in their workplace or line manager to support them in completing the project and negotiating time to participate in the role. Participants will keep a portfolio of evidence to record their activities as PA in their workplace. This portfolio is not marked but is a requirement for module completion along with the e-learning for health (e-lfh) modules.

15 credits

This module is suitable for nurses and other registered healthcare professionals working with respiratory patients in an acute setting. It is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to assess and manage patients with acute respiratory presentations.

15 credits

This module has been developed to enable professionals in health and social care settings to develop their knowledge and skills in supporting adults at risk. The introduction of the Care Act 2014 and ‘Making Safeguarding Personal', developed by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, promotes a cultural shift towards outcome-focused, person-centred approaches in how we support adults at risk. The Care Act 2014 puts safeguarding adults on a statutory footing and sets out the legal responsibilities for all partner agencies across health and social care in supporting adults at risk. Safeguarding Adults Reviews alongside Serious Untoward Incidents within the NHS have identified that practitioners and organisations need to understand their legal roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding adults. This module will develop practitioner confidence, enabling them to critically reflect on their practice to ensure it is person-centred, legally literate and informed by current research, legislation and policy. This module will explore key topics in contemporary practice, including working with people who self-neglect, ‘Making Safeguarding Personal', the legal framework for adult safeguarding (which includes but is not limited to the Care Act 2014).

15 credits

This module is designed for registered healthcare practitioners who are undertaking work related projects. This may include clinical audit, producing clinical guidelines, role development, in-service study programmes or other experiential learning. It offers a flexible approach that is primarily for recognition of learning in the clinical environment/employment setting. By formulating a learning agreement between the participant, clinical supervisor/ employer and module leader, a range of work-based activities or related study can be used and presented in a written form for assessment and the award of academic credit.

30 credits

This module is designed for registered healthcare practitioners who are undertaking work related projects. This may include clinical audit, producing clinical guidelines, role development, in-service study programmes or other experiential learning. It offers a flexible approach that is primarily for recognition of learning in the clinical environment/employment setting. By formulating a learning agreement between the participant, clinical supervisor/ employer and module leader, a range of work-based activities or related study can be used and presented in a written form for assessment and the award of academic credit.

60 credits

This module is designed for registered healthcare practitioners who are undertaking work related projects. This may include clinical audit, producing clinical guidelines, role development, in-service study programmes or other experiential learning. It offers a flexible approach that is primarily for recognition of learning in the clinical environment/employment setting. By formulating a learning agreement between the participant, clinical supervisor/ employer and module leader, a range of work-based activities or related study can be used and presented in a written form for assessment and the award of academic credit.

30 credits

The module is for nurses and other registered healthcare professionals and aims to equip mental health practitioners with an understanding of the theoretical background and research evidence, as well as the clinical skills, to undertake family intervention for psychosis in practice. Applicants must be able to work with at least one family/carer or significant other living with severe and enduring mental illness for the duration of the module. (Bespoke module for organisations.)