Critical Care

In the ever-changing world of critical care, where new technologies and therapies emerge all the time, healthcare professionals must constantly develop and maintain their own competence. You are required to deal with ongoing change and advancement even as you help patients to recover from serious and life-threatening illnesses.

The importance of competence within nursing is recognised as one of the 6 ‘Cs’ (besides care, compassion, communication, courage and commitment), which are fundamental to developing the highest standards of healthcare. Our module therefore connects theory with practical competence, as supported by the National Standards for Critical Care Nurse Education.

Our module will enhance your ability to provide safe, high-quality care for people who are critically ill. You’ll learn strategies for helping to improve practice, continually re-evaluating and enhancing care so that you embed safety and quality at the heart of your clinical practice.

An essential element of our module is the time spent working within critical care with Level 2 & 3 patients. A clinical mentor will help you to achieve Step 2 and Step 3 competencies as determined by the Critical Care National Network Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N).

Our module follows the structure of the ABCDE assessment. Airway management is explored as are the principles of invasive mechanical ventilation and non-invasive ventilation. Circulatory assessment and interventions to support the cardiovascular system are also addressed within the module. Neurological assessment and care are examined along with the issues associated with sedation and delirium within the critically ill population. Ex patients from intensive care are invited to come and talk to the students about their experiences of critical care and beyond. Normal anatomy and physiology are explained first to ensure students have a baseline level of knowledge to underpin their practice. The pathophysiology associated with critical illness is also analysed to enable the student to understand the underlying pathophysiology and the interventions taken to manage these within the critical care setting.

How you’ll learn

You’ll learn both in the classroom and in the practice area. You’ll attend lectures, seminars, scenario-based group work and simulations. An essential element of the module is the time spent working within critical care with Level 2 & 3 patients; a clinical mentor will help you to achieve Step 2 and Step 3 competencies as determined by the Critical Care National Network Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N).

Assessment

You’ll be assessed via a self-reflective assignment, a short-answer exam paper based on a clinical scenario and two practice assessment documents based on the Step 2 and Step 3 competencies as determined by the Critical Care National Network Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N).

You can take this module at Level 7 to be awarded a PG Cert Critical Care.