MSc ADVANCED PAEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE PRACTICE

This module is designed to develop the foundations of knowledge, skills and understanding required when assessing the critically unwell child. Conceptualisation and critical thinking skills are developed and linked with in-depth clinical reasoning, to address the presentation, resuscitation, stabilisation and the ongoing management of a critically ill child with specific conditions.

This module will consolidate an individual’s knowledge and skills in order to apply it to complex paediatric critical care clinical situations. The focus is upon complex clinical reasoning, generation of hypotheses, appropriate differential diagnosis, prioritised decision making and the initiation of relevant treatment plan. This can be applied across the context of Paediatric Intensive Care and Retrieval Medicine. Students must have successfully completed the Foundations in Advanced Paediatric Critical Care module prior to the commencement of this module.

The purpose of this module is to consolidate and extend students' knowledge of research approaches and methods and enhance their ability to be critical users of research evidence and application of research findings to practice.  The module examines philosophical and theoretical perspectives underpinning research in practice. It will build on existing knowledge to build a critical understanding of the research process, research designs, data collection and analysis and knowledge translation. The module will develop practical skills for identifying, critical reviewing and synthesising research evidence relevant to professional practice by gaining an understanding of gaps in evidence and where further research is needed. It will also explore co production in research.

The focus of this module is to consolidate previous learning with a particular focus upon the creation of further and extended knowledge relating to clinical skills, complex case management across a wide range of paediatric conditions frequently encountered in the PICU and Retrieval medicine. The students will be equipped with the knowledge to manage critically ill children without direct consultant or other medical supervision, in both the PICU and retrieval setting.

This module analyses and expands the knowledge required to safely and competently prescribe in clinical practice. It includes a systems approach to clinical presentations across the ages and encourages students to apply common presenting themes to their own area of clinical practice. Accountability, ethics, legal and professional issues relating to prescribing in clinical practice are explored, encouraging the student to reflect on and critically evaluate their own clinical practice. This module covers pharmacology and applied therapeutics related to the pharmacological treatment for common conditions likely to be encountered by the student in clinical practice as independent / supplementary prescriber.

This module provides the student with the opportunity to undertake original enquiry in a chosen area of professional practice, either through a systematic review of the literature or a research/work-based project such as service evaluation or audit. Students will be able to consolidate and extend their knowledge and understanding of research and evaluation design and associated methods of enquiry during six taught sessions. They will subsequently be supported by a named supervisor to develop the practical skills necessary to plan and carry out their chosen project.

The aim of this module it to allow the student to investigate an area of their own choice, relevant to their field of practice. This module is work based learning module, consisting of an agreed plan of learning, negotiated between the student and module coordinator. Learning from this plan is student managed with tutorial support from the module coordinator. The student will develop a negotiated, plan of study and work with agreed outcomes (formulated as a learning contract). The learning that has been negotiated is an agreement to undertake a specific course of action leading to learning and professional development. Learning contracts combine elements of planning, objective setting, and clarifying outcomes, devising criteria and formulating action plans.

This module will enhance and develop further knowledge and skills in relation to evidence synthesis and appraisal which inform evidence-based practice (EBP). The individuals will gain a deep appreciation of how the evidence underpins all aspects of clinical care including the role of shared decision making with patients/clients. The individuals will select one chosen area within a professional portfolio to synthesise, examine and evaluate. They will then present their findings and disseminate via a research poster and make recommendations for future practice.