Course Catalogue

Public and Allied Health

The aim of the module is to provide an educational package that meets the needs of nurses and other allied professionals who are required to act autonomously within a variety of ambulatory care settings where they will have regular clinical contact with infants, children and young people. The module will provide an opportunity for professionals who are the first point of contact for children, young people and their families, to further develop their knowledge and skills of consultation, structured clinical examination and assessment across this age group.  Enhanced clinical assessment skills will be developed alongside holistic consideration of developmental, anatomical, and physiological differences that are unique to the paediatric population. The module will explore the underpinning evidence base for clinical decision making and critically examine the interprofessional context of care-delivery and professional boundaries. Completion of the module will support students to safely manage the clinical care of infants children and young people who present with common childhood illnesses and minor injuries.

 

Outline Syllabus:
System specific sessions on all major body systems and common illnesses related to those systems including:

• Respiratory
• Cardiac
• Ears, eyes, nose, throat
• Genito-urinary / abdomen
• Dermatology
• Musculo-skeletal
• Neurology

 Genomics and epigenetics

Professional development.

Module Overview:
This module will centre on the major physiological systems and build upon students’ prior knowledge and expertise. This will inform greater understanding of the causes and management of common childhood illnesses, and their diagnosis. Wider determinants of health and associated risk factors will be considered to inform decision making and ensure safe practice. Issues related to professional development will be discussed.

Additional Information:
Teaching sessions will relate to specific body systems, and common illnesses related to those systems. These will include, respiratory, cardiac, ear, eyes, nose and throat, genito-urinary/abdomen, dermatology, musculoskeletal and neurology. Learning will be structured utilising an inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation (IPPPA) approach of key body systems with frequent opportunity to practice and receive feedback on skills development using high fidelity paediatric manikins and equipment within a contemporary skills and simulation centre.  An overview of commonly presenting conditions unique to children and the associated pathophysiology and management will support practitioners in applying enhanced clinical assessment skills to autonomous decision making, diagnosis, management and/or escalation and referral.

Interactive lectures are used to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of clinical practice. Other teaching and learning methods used, include lead lectures, practical demonstrations, group discussions, student history presentations and role-play. 

Student contribution to classroom discussion is widely encouraged and invaluable to support learning. There will be opportunity for facilitated practice of clinical examination skills within the classroom and there is an expectation that students will practice these skills outside the classroom in their own clinical setting.

All equipment is provided for classroom practice. It is expected that you will actively participate in examination sessions within the classroom on yourself and your colleagues (in small groups) so that you can develop these skills in a safe environment. The assessment takes an integrated approach to measuring knowledge and skill acquisition, related to the practice of physical examination skills, and management of common childhood illnesses.

Please note: This module has a competency assessment element. The competency element must be satisfied prior to the release of credit for this module. Students who do not pass the competency will be deemed to have failed that attempt at the module.

The competency element is an observed structured clinical examination (OSCE). Students must achieve a mark of 60% or more in each of the 3 clinical OSCE assessment stations to satisfy the competency.