Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Course modules

Students must complete a total of 180 credits.

Year one

MPHE 5801 – Advanced Consultation and physical examination skills

This is the physical examination / history-taking module and will enable the student to critically appraise the underlying principles of consultation and physical examination. It is assessed with an assignment and OSCE’s. Runs in Semester 1. Allied issues such as requesting investigations, inter-professional team working, patient referral mechanisms and professional accountability in an advanced role are also addressed. It is aimed at those health care practitioners who will be professionally supported in this active interventionist role. It is relevant to Registered Paramedics, Nurses and Allied Health Professionals working within a variety of primary and secondary care settings.

If you do not work in an environment where you will have the opportunity to see / examine all systems, then you will need to be able to take time to access such an environment.

MPHE 5804 – Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Clinical Practice

The module will enable the student to make informed judgements, problem solve and identify complex health needs and issues specific to an advanced clinical role. It covers pathophysiology, diagnostic reasoning and the application of specialist knowledge (e.g. rheumatology, haematology, hepatology) to general ACP practice. It runs in Semester 2 and is assessed with a portfolio and case study.

MPHE 5204 – Independent Study – Advanced Practice

This Semester 1 module allows you to develop and explore in depth an area of developing and/or developed health and professional practice. In negotiation with your manager or module leader, an area of new or continuing developed study will be identified.

Building on prior achievements concerning your knowledge and experience you will take forward an area of developing health and professional practice using the framework of independent contracted learning

This is an independent study module and you will be required to negotiate individual tutorials with the relevant supervisor/s to discuss the learning outcomes of the module. The content for this module will be influenced by your choice of topic to study. You will be required to critically examine a topic independently.

It is anticipated that the module will provide the opportunity to critically examine an issue which is relevant to your current practice. Critical analysis of professional practice is also encouraged using a national and international perspective.

Year two:

SPEC 5610 – Research methods for health professionals

Taken in Semester 1 of year 2, this module introduces the student to research methodologies and is critical for developing understanding building towards the service improvement plan and the prescribing course.

Prescribing

• PRES5005 – Applied Prescribing (NMC & HCPC Registrants)
• PRES5006 – Pharmacology for prescribers (NMC & HCPC Registrants)

Or

• PHAR5557 – Practice certificate in independent prescribing (GPhC Registrants)

If the student is from a profession that is legislatively able to prescribe, then they MUST undertake the non-medical prescribing course as part of this programme. Please see the non-medical prescribing course web page for further information. This is a 45 credit course.

If the student is not legislatively able to prescribe currently (e.g. ODP) then they must make up the 45 credits from the wider DMU M level portfolio, using modules with a clinical / advanced practice focus.

Year three

MPHE 5806 – Service Improvement Project

All students must complete the Service improvement project, a 12.000 word piece of work which focuses on the education and leadership aspects of advanced practice. This replaces a traditional dissertation. This module runs over two semesters, (1 and 2)

It is possible to exit the course without doing the dissertation (if the other modules are completed) and gain the award of PG Dip in Advanced clinical practice. A PG cert is also available if a student completes a physical examination module and a research module, but please note; this is NOT a PG cert Advanced Clinical Practice.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is a mix of lectures, tutorials, practical sessions and self-directed learning. As this is a Masters level programme, it is expected that you will take responsibility for devising your own learning plan, and accessing support where you require it.

Assessments are designed to test the module and programme learning outcomes and are a combination of assignments, case studies, exams, OSCEs and a final project. Some modules will also have a practice portfolio element.

Any educational course in advanced practice that claims to make the student ‘competent’ should be avoided; this is just the start. The real learning occurs in practice and as such you should be able to access time away from your clinical role to consolidate your learning and address areas of learning need – perhaps examining systems that you don’t see regularly, or observing how services have developed in other areas.

Staff teaching on the course are either highly experienced ACP or senior medical clinicians. Those without a clinical focus are research active, mostly doctoral level academics, with an interest in advanced practice.

Most modules run over a full day for the taught elements, usually one day per week though not necessarily sequential weeks. Please see details of individual modules for more information.

There is a one day programme induction event, usually held in mid-September. Details of this are available once enrolled on the programme.

Teaching contact hours

Contact hours in a typical week will depend to some extent on the optional modules you choose to study. However, typically you will have up to seven contact hours of teaching.

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: Three hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) over the course of a module (one hour as a group, up to two hours individually)

Medium group teaching: Seven hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Personal study: Eight hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.