Course overview

This course is designed to meet the development needs of qualified practitioners already working in a Paediatric Intensive Care environment. The course aims to develop your knowledge and skills, thus enhancing your ability to deliver quality care. This is a demanding field, one that is continually evolving in response to medical and technological advances - which means you will have to commit to becoming a lifelong learner in order to keep pace with this change.

This course considers the importance of shared learning, and will ensure that you learn not only from each other but that the knowledge and understanding gained during the pathway is applied to practice.

When you graduate, you will be able to review differing approaches to the care and treatment of infants, children and young people, and crucially, to utilise a range of therapeutic interventions.

Additional course information

This level three course enables you to independently nurse any infant, child, or young person requiring level one or level two care, both inside and outside the intensive care setting. You will also be prepared to care for the level three infant, child or young person within the intensive care environment with support from the multidisciplinary team.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used to enable the student to develop the requisite knowledge and skills to achieve the pathway learning outcomes. In both modules there is a strong emphasis on student reflection and ongoing constructive feedback from tutors or mentors. Student-led seminars and discussions in particular will be opportunities for students to test and debate ideas and to practice their abilities to develop coherent lines of argument underpinned by evidence/research relating to their given area of practice. Tutorial support is seen as vital in giving students individual support and helping them identify areas for further development and potential sources to aid them in this.

High Dependency Care of the Acutely Ill Child has a 3-hour unseen examination and practice competency document.

Intensive Care Nursing of the Critically Ill Child has a 6000-word client care analysis and practice competency document.

Facilities

High Dependency Module utilises simulation to apply theory to practice.

It is no surprise that the largest provider of health and social care education in the East of England offers its students state-of- the- art simulated clinical skills laboratories; students therefore have the opportunity to gain the hands-on experience they need. The building in Chelmsford was built in collaboration with the Essex Workforce Development Confederation. All of our students are able to use these facilities including nurses, midwives, operating department practitioners, counsellors and social workers.

Our other facilities based in Fulbourn, Cambridge and Peterborough have wall mounted audio visual capture equipment to improve learning and teaching, with the clinical skills laboratories for undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development courses.

Moreover the clinical skills facilities are fitted with a range of health care equipment that mirrors real life clinical situations. The opportunity to observe and then to practice techniques within the clinical skills lab is fundamental to the overall learning experience of students before they transfer to direct patient care. Moving and Handling hoists and standing aids, E.C.G monitors, interpretive and cardiac arrest systems, pain relief delivery systems and a range of diagnostic and patient monitoring systems are just some of the equipment available. Our innovative style of health education delivery means that our students are working ready from day one in their new job.

Special features

There will again be a strong emphasis on enabling the student to make links between theory and practice and increased opportunities for the student to demonstrate enhancement of their knowledge base and practical skills in practice itself. Such an approach will allow the student to:

• Critically reflect on current and future practice
• Acquire new specialist knowledge and develop new skills
• Adapt and apply new skills to new contexts
• Develop existing skills and knowledge to a greater depth and breath
• Extend transferable skills

The emphasis on the student thinking for themselves and taking responsibility for their own learning will encourage students to acquire wider skills related to seeking out and processing evidence in a structured manner and thus facilitate life long learning. Learning and teaching strategies will be varied and include, enquiry based learning, seminars, tutorials, reflection, self directed study, lectures by academic and visiting specialist speakers, skills and the use of Web CT and clinical mentorship.

Work placements

Please refer to module information for current qualifications and work experience required to enter the module.
Whilst undertaking intensive Care Nursing of the Critically Ill Child, you will be expected to undertake the following placements:Neonatal Intensive Care; a placement in a tertiary specialty PICU other than your own; transport of the critically ill infant/child/young person.

Links with industry/professional recognition

This pathway and constituent modules have been developed closely with local service providers to prepare students to work in their chosen areas of practice. Expert practitioners contribute to content delivery and support students in practice.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must currently be working as a Qualified Children's Nurse in a Paediatric Intensive Care environment, and should meet entry criteria for the HDU and PICU modules.