Advanced Physical Assessment of the Newborn and Infant

The purpose of the course is to equip healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to competently undertake the physical examination of the newborn within the first 24-72 hours and at 6-8 weeks.

The aim of this course is to:

• Provide an opportunity for you to develop specific knowledge and skills in order to facilitate informed decision-making and provide high-quality newborn and infant physical assessment
• Facilitate competent physical examination of the baby within the first 24-72 hours after birth and at 6-8 weeks
• Equip you with skills and knowledge required to determine normal and abnormal parameters, physical appearance and behavioural responses in term babies and infants at 6-8 weeks.

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for midwives and neonatal nurses responsible for discharging newborn and neonates during the first 72 hours and up to 6-8 weeks.

Timetable

Term 2

Jan: Tuesday 26 January 2027
Feb: Tuesday 2, 9, 16, and 23 February 2027
Mar: Tuesday 2, 9  and 16 Mar 2027

Portfolio Submission: 23rd  May 2027

Students must be allocated a minimum of 7 days by the trust over the three months period for NIPE clinical practice.
Students must identify a NIPE named mentor before starting the module.

Benefits

The key takeaway of this course is the ability to undertake physical examination of the newborn.

This course is worth 15 credits at level 7.

This course can be undertaken as part of the PGDip/ MSc pathway.

This short course module is designed to be flexible in allowing you to study and reach your goals at your own pace. Our health CPD courses are credit-bearing modules that contribute to a University degree or award.

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

As a health care professional, once you've completed this course you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

This course covers the following content:

• Foetal development and assessment of the transitional events in the neonatal and 6-8 week period
• Applied pathophysiology of specific body systems
• Normal morphology of the newborn and deviations from normal
• Obtaining and recording a comprehensive history and clinical and physical assessment and examination of the new-born
• Psycho-social assessment of the needs of the newborn and the infant at 6-8 weeks including the needs of their family
• Aspects of screening
• Problem solving and diagnostic reasoning
• Principles of differential diagnosis
• Discharge process
• Referral systems
• Professional autonomy and accountability.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

• Utilise a holistic, systematic approach to comprehensively examine the newborn and infant
• Demonstrate application of relevant biological and foetal developmental theories to underpin the examination of the newborn and infant
• Critically examine any unusual, expected or abnormal findings and make appropriate referral.

Skills

• Critically evaluate the relationship between antenatal and intrapartum events that may impact on the newborn’s health status and subsequent events that may impact on the infant at birth and at 6-8 weeks
• Competently undertake a holistic, systematic approach, to comprehensively examine the new-born and infant
• Participate in peer-development programmes and clinical teaching
• Maintain and further develop professional competence in examination of the new-born/6-8 weeks
• Critically facilitate informed decision-making within your own practice and make appropriate referrals to specialists
• Demonstrate the ability to practice within a safe and conducive environment when undertaking the physical examination of the new-born and infant.

You will be assessed through a skills portfolio that will enable you to demonstrate achievement of competences in the physical examination of the neonate.

The portfolio provides a list of skills that must be proficiently achieved by the end of the course. In addition, you are also expected to undertake 25 neonatal physical examinations. The 25 checks must be recorded in the record sheets provided in portfolio.

Make sure you negotiate one day per week for NIPE checks with your clinical lead.

Your clinical portfolio must be signed and dated by a qualified ANNP with at least one-year experience or a designated medical mentor.

Teaching styles for this course include:

1. scenario based learning
2. one-to-one NIPE check
3. group discussion
4. demonstrations of NIPE on manikin.

Once completed, your transcript will be sent to your university email address followed by a confirmation letter of completion once the examination board has ratified your results. The letter will state that you have been awarded 15 credits at level 7.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Medical Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Course requirements include:

• Current professional registration as a neonatal nurse or midwife
• A current relevant job contract in a clinical area and at least two years' relevant clinical experience
• If you are undertaking this as part of a programme, you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and be able to confirm mentorship from either a doctor or Advanced Nurse Practitioner within your workplace
• You must work at least one day per week in a clinical setting in which advanced practice skills can be acquired
• A satisfactory academic reference and a satisfactory clinical reference.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

• Examination of the Newborn: an evidence-based guide, edited by Amme Lomax, 2021
• Examination of the newborn and neonatal health: a multidimensional approach, edited by Lorna Davies & Sharon McDonald, 2021.
• Physical Assessment of the newborn: a comprehensive approach to the art of Physical examination, by Ellen P Tappero & Mary Ellen Honeyfield, 2019.
• Rennie and Roberton’s Textbook of neonatology by Janet Remmie 2012.
• Examination of the newborn: a practical guide by Helen Baston 2017