Management of Chronic Cardiac & Respiratory Symptoms

The management of long term conditions remains high on the NHS Mandate and Improvement Plan to improve self-management, reduce avoidable admissions and to recognise the potential for complications and deterioration.

You can take the module on its own, or as part of our BSc Acute Care (Top-up) course.

You’ll focus on the pathophysiological and psychological perspectives of managing patients with long term cardiac and/or respiratory conditions, developing the knowledge required to meet their diverse, chronic needs in primary and secondary care settings. There is a strong emphasis on applying knowledge of disordered physiology to support symptom management and the formation of care planning strategies reflecting patient/carer preferences. This will involve debating psychological, pharmacological interventions and therapeutic approaches to optimise patient well-being and critically evaluating the contributions that different health professionals provide in the long term management of these conditions.

Course content

• Cardiac and respiratory anatomy and physiology
• Management of the individual with Heart Failure
• Management of the individual with COPD
• Pharmacology, psychological aspects, rehabilitation
• Symptom management
• National and international initiatives
• Health promotion and role of primary prevention
• Inter-professional ways of working

How you’ll learn

Learning and teaching methods in the classroom include lectures, seminars and group work. As this is a blended learning module, three days will be delivered by distance learning, to fit around career commitments.

Assessment

You’ll take a 3-hour examination based on case scenarios for a cardiac and respiratory patient.