Program Overview
This Operating Department Practitioner degree apprenticeship prepares students to provide compassionate perioperative care. Through a combination of theoretical and practical experience, apprentices develop skills in anesthesia, surgery, and recovery, aiming to meet the Standards of Proficiency for Operating Department Practitioners and become eligible for HCPC registration.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This Operating Department Practitioner degree apprenticeship will enable you to provide high standards of compassionate care at each perioperative stage – from anaesthetic through surgery to recovery. You will learn from highly experienced staff, develop your confidence using modern simulation centre facilities and benefit from personalised feedback throughout the course. Over half of your study time (60 per cent) will be spent gaining experience in clinical practice in your employing organisation. This apprenticeship is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The course aims to develop you into a perioperative practitioner who:
- is safe, compassionate and confident
- is professional and accountable
- can work effectively as part of a mixed specialist team
- is research-minded and able to use problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to inform the clinical decisions you make in practice
- is able to integrate theory to practice, promoting innovation and effective change
- is an independent, highly motivated, reflective lifelong learner
Outline:
Year 1
- Compulsory Modules
- Human Anatomy and Physiology: This module enables you to understand and gain experience of the structure and function of the main organs within the human, how homeostasis is maintained through regulation via processes such as alteration in blood flow, neuronal input, and endocrine control. This module also enables you to understand the common methodologies used to analyse and measure physiological parameters and to interpret common abnormalities found in the clinical investigation of patients.
- Principles of Perioperative Practice: This module will provide you with core theoretical knowledge which can be applied to, and support, the development of your anaesthetic and surgical clinical skills. You will identify the legal framework of perioperative practice and regulatory requirements and be introduced to the concept of human factors, risk assessment and teamwork.
- Essential Skills for Higher Education and Healthcare: On this introductory module you will get to grips with the worlds of higher education and healthcare, both of which are transforming rapidly. You will learn about the University and your role within it. You will also be encouraged to think innovatively about modern healthcare practice and the values expected of all healthcare professionals. This will help you to use information effectively, which is essential if you are treating illness or improving or promoting the health of others.
- Clinical Skills for Perioperative Practice 1: You will gain essential experience required to meet the clinical learning outcomes for your first year of the course. You will take a reflective approach to the learning and assessment opportunities available.
Year 2
- Compulsory Modules
- Becoming an Effective Professional Practitioner: On this module you will explore the theory and concepts that underpin the role of the emerging advanced practitioner. You will then have real-time opportunities to put these theories into practice in the workplace, allowing you to develop as an advanced practitioner. You will also be able to show how your development can enhance your own and others' practice.
- Anaesthesia and Post Anaesthetic Practice: On this module you will develop theoretical knowledge and clinical skills to enhance and support the development of anaesthetic and post-anaesthetic competence across a range of specialities. You will be encouraged to reflect on the delivery of patient care and your role as ODP.
- Surgical Practice: You will develop the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills needed to support the development of surgical competence across a range of specialities. You will be encouraged to reflect on the delivery of patient care and their roles and responsibilities as an ODP. You will develop awareness of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and understand their implications in the operating theatre.
- Clinical Skills for Perioperative Practice 2: You will gain the essential experience required to meet the clinical learning outcomes for your second year of the course. You will take a reflective approach to the learning and assessment opportunities available.
Year 3
- Compulsory Modules
- Enhanced Perioperative Practice: This module aims to examine the perioperative needs of patients with specialist requirements, in relation to advanced anaesthetic and surgical techniques. Additionally, it will consider future roles of the ODP and supporting others while they learn in practice.
- Patient Safety and Leadership: You will develop an understanding of leadership principles and qualities and styles that can be employed in the perioperative environment to promote quality care. You will understand the importance of patient safety, human factors and usage of non-technical skills.
- Dissertation for Operating Department Practice: This module will allow you to demonstrate a full understanding of a topic of relevance to current perioperative practice by completing an in-depth review of the literature.
Assessment:
The module assessments have been designed to enable you to demonstrate the learning outcomes for each module and cumulatively the overall BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice, Operating Department Practitioner Apprenticeship learning outcomes (meeting the requirements of the HCPC Standards of Proficiency - ODP, 2014). They will be spread across the three years providing frequent opportunities for you to receive feedback and feed-forward:
- Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE’s)
- MCQ and short answer exams
- Reflective logs
- Essays
- Portfolio
- Presentations
- Practice assessment document
End Point Assessment (EPA):
The end point assessment (EPA) comprises the below:
- UWL EPA Award Board – where your degree and apprenticeship award will be ratified
Teaching:
A wide range of approaches to teaching and learning will be utilised:
- Technology-enhanced learning
- Lectures and seminars
- Simulated learning
- Service user and carer involvement
- Inter-Professional learning
- Practice-based learning
- Reflection The days of attendance may vary each week, but teaching time will be 9:00am – 4:30pm. Over three years you will complete:
- 1,837.5 hours – theoretical block release
- 2,736 hours – practice placement
Off the Job:
- Theory weeks – 15 per year The use of simulation techniques will help to accelerate the development of your clinical skills and offers you the opportunity to contextualise and apply your learning. Simulation is integrated with both the theory and practice components of your apprenticeship. It is led by academic staff and may include practice partners and service users/carers. Learners studying at the Fountain House campus will be required to travel to the Paragon, West London campus during the apprenticeship to access the specialist simulation facilities (year 1 = three times, years 2 and 3 = twice per year). The cost of your travel will be reimbursed by the University on these occasions.
Placements:
Practice-based learning is a compulsory component and is integrated across the three years of your apprenticeship. The structure, duration and range of practice-based learning settings will support your achievement of the course learning outcomes and the Standards of Proficiency – Operating Department Practitioners (2014). Placements will primarily be with your employer. Should you need to be allocated to another clinical placement area outside of your employing organisation this will be negotiated by your employer in liaison with the University. You will travel to placements at your own expense. Placements will follow clinical shift patterns and will include unsociable hours including days, nights, weekends and bank holidays. Over the three years, you will be allocated clinical placements covering anaesthesia and surgery across a range of surgical specialities and the related post-anaesthetic care components of care. In addition to your primary placement in the Operating Department, you will also experience short placements in:
- Surgical wards
- Intensive Care Units
- Accident and Emergency Departments In clinical placements, you will be supervised by a mentor/assessor and undertake a total of 2,736hrs of practice across the 3 years.
Careers:
On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an Operating Department Practitioner. As a qualified ODP, you will be expected to work in your employing organisation. As your career develops there are a number of different areas you may be interested in working in:
- Anaesthetics
- Surgery
- Recovery
- Leadership/management in these areas
- Resuscitation teams
- High-dependency areas
- Educational and research roles
- Emergency department
- Intensive care unit
Other:
- To meet the HCPC requirements for entry on the professional register, you will work to develop these broad skills:
- Effective communication
- Effective team-working
- Problem-solving
- Life-long learning.
- Facilities and support: We will provide a supportive learning environment to help you gain confidence. You will learn using high-tech, innovative resources that make your classes fun and engaging. In addition, you will have:
- Teaching staff who are highly committed, passionate subject specialists
- A personal tutor to guide you through your course
- Regular personalised feedback on your progress in theory and practice components
