Clinical Assessment of Patients with Long-term Health Conditions
University Certificate in Professional Development

Course overview

The provision of care to those with long-term health conditions continues to be a significant challenge. This award equips registered health care practitioners engaged in the field of long-term health conditions with the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the effective assessment and management.

It is suitable for registered health care practitioners working in the field of long-term health conditions.

• HEENE-funded places are available for eligible applicants.
• Standard University fee applies once all funded places have been allocated.

Running over seven weeks, the course facilitates the development of practitioners who are able to respond in analytical and innovative ways to the challenging needs of those with long-term health conditions. This is achieved through the development of a robust knowledge-base, use of appropriate physical and clinical examination skills, to undertake the assessment. This can be of those patients with complex health care needs or those presenting with more acute exacerbations. You will learn how to use a range of evidence-based assessment tools and consultation models to enable accurate differential diagnostic decision making. Furthermore the health care practitioner will be able to assess the health-related needs of families and other informal carers. Exploring developing therapeutic relationships and utilising creative problem-solving that enables shared decision-making for the development of care plans, anticipatory care and the delivery of care packages to provide excellence in patient care.

Course details

What you study

To enable you to respond in analytical and innovative ways to the challenging needs of those patients/clients with long-term health conditions, this module will cover:

How you learn

A variety of teaching and learning activities including interactive seminars, discussion groups, peer workshops and open-distance learning, delivered through Blackboard are utilised.. You are assessed by a 45-minute objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), in week seven. The OSCE integrates diagnostic reasoning, clinical assessment and development of a patient-specific management plan. The stations within the OSCE are based on the module content and all elements must be passed to achieve a pass award for this module.

How you are assessed

The summative assessment (100%) consists of an OSCE:

A 45-minute OSCE consisting of three 15-minute elements running consecutively. The initial 30 minutes is based upon the medical case history, from a fictitious case scenario issued seven days prior, followed by the advanced physical and clinical assessment of this patient with multiple long-term health conditions. The final 15 minutes is a viva voce regarding the management and support proposed for the fictitious case. This enables you to articulate a systematic and critical understanding of the depth and breadth of knowledge underpinning your practice. It demonstrates your rationale for evidence-based and informed decision-making skills alongside the necessary skills of empowering patients in the management of their condition.  A module retake will be offered on any element referred. For the whole OSCE, unsafe practice will result in a zero award.

This assessment take places in week seven and assesses all learning outcomes. You are given each systems marking schemata to assist in your learning following classroom activities.  All elements have to be passed to be awarded the module

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You must be a registered health care professional working with clients with long-term health conditions

Employability

Work placement

You must be a registered health care professional working with clients with long-term health conditions. You need to be able to work with a supervisor who practices advanced clinical assessment skills for a minimum of 12 hours across the module.