Acute and High Dependency Care Core Skills (Level 7)

This course focuses on specific areas of knowledge and understanding that underpin essential care for the acutely unwell, deteriorating patient. These patients typically have renal, respiratory, or cardiac failure, shock or sepsis and may need higher levels of support such as non-invasive ventilation.

The purpose of this course is to advance knowledge and skills specific to your clinical area and facilitate informed decision-making. You will develop skills in physical assessment and are expected to develop a critically reflective approach to the care of the deteriorating patient.

Who is it for?

For a range of health care professionals who have successfully studied at degree level. Participants must be a qualified nurse or midwife either in the UK or overseas, and have recent evidence of study at degree level.

You will be currently working in an acute and high-dependency clinical area and want to advance your clinical practice within your specific patient/cilent field.

Timetable

Term 1

Benefits

This is a 15-credit CPD course and can be taken as a stand-alone course or as part of an Advanced Practice Masters Programme.

By the end of the course you'll be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

Utilise your knowledge of disordered anatomy and physiology and critically apply this to patient care

Synthesize and apply theoretical and evidence-based knowledge to demonstrate informed decision-making.

Skills

Recognise areas for practice development and identify the evidence to be able to create educational opportunities to take these forward

Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and effectively to communicate patient information within the multidisciplinary team.

Utilise your professional experience to systematically assess the deteriorating patient and critically evaluate the care provided.

Values and attitudes

Critically reflect upon your practice within the high-dependency care area and identify strategies to address your personal and professional development needs

Respect the needs of the dying patient and their family within the high-dependency environment

The assessment for this course is a 500 word graded essay plan and a 2500 word summative essay in which you are asked to evaluate one specific patient problem that you have encountered whilst caring for a Level 2 patient in depth. Ideally you should identify someone with either a respiratory, cardiovascular or neurological problem.

You will also need to critically evaluate your learning whilst caring for this patient and develop an action plan for your future learning needs.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, seminars, and simulated practice. You are expected to undertake independent study in preparation for these sessions. You should also be supported in practice so that you are able to apply and develop your skills.

This is a 15 credit CPPD course and you will receive written confirmation on successful completion.

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

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

• You must have at least 6 months’ experience of working within an acute and high-dependency care area, be currently working in this field and ideally have a clinical mentor.

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.

There is a comprehensive reading list provided at the start of the course and each study day has specific pre-reading material.