Advancing Practice in Peripheral Vascular Disease - Module / MSc

Program Overview

This online course provides healthcare professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in diagnosing and managing peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Through an interdisciplinary approach, students explore practice development, leadership, and evidence-based care. With a global perspective, the program addresses the growing prevalence of PVD and prepares students for strategic roles in service delivery. Graduates will possess analytical skills, critical thinking abilities, and the capacity to effect positive change in PVD care.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This newly designed course has been developed to meet the needs of interdisciplinary healthcare practitioners working in partnership with people in relation to peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which encompasses both arterial, venous and lymphatic diseases. This 100% online course aims to address the very significant challenges associated with PVD, providing a global perspective, whilst drawing upon existing expert knowledge and experience of working with international partners. The course team are dedicated and committed staff who are experts in the speciality and this course is a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Vascular Team. It is suitable for healthcare professionals including hospital-based doctors, specialist nurses and podiatrists, sonographers and specialist roles in other healthcare sectors. The primary aim of the course is to support and enable students to critically explore and analyse existing and developing theories and concepts that underpin PVD and will equip students to embrace a strategic leadership role in the development and delivery of efficient, innovative, evidence based PVD services. Students will develop a wide range of skills, learn about new and emerging evidence, advance their knowledge and practice and gain critical understanding in the management of peripheral vascular disease. Students will acquire knowledge to develop and improve clinical practice in the care of people at risk of or living with PVD across the age span. Through taking an evidence-based holistic approach to the provision and delivery of individualised PVD care.

Outline:

This course has been designed in close collaboration with clinical colleagues and blends theoretical approaches with practicalities of service development and person-centred care approaches. The international dimension and application of culturally appropriate surgical interventions in different environments and resources underpins this course. Through different modules, students will explore their employment situation, recognise the potential for excellence in practice-led care, extend and enhance their employability and extend their career progression. Students will also identify ways in which they can improve their practice and services in order to pioneer new interdisciplinary service developments. There will be a strong focus on relevance to practice, practice development, leadership, transformation and strategic planning. An important focus will be the development of higher levels of understanding with decision-making, critical analysis appraisal of evidence-based practice and clinical guidelines as a strong theme throughout the course. The programme will enable practitioners working in various aspects of care, with people either at risk of or living with PVD, to develop knowledge and skills in diagnosis and management. Students will develop analytical skills through interactive online learning opportunities so that they are able to critically examine practices within the context of the legislative and professional frameworks of their own countries. The following modules can be studied as stand alone modules:

• Assessment and Management of Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Foot Care Complexities and Treatments in Diabetes and Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Leadership in Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Principles of Limb Salvage

Teaching:

During the course students will experience a range of learning and teaching approaches delivered online in both a synchronous and an asynchronous manner. They will attend online lectures, discussion forums, small group discussions, simulations and chat facilities with their peers, visiting experts and members of the teaching team. These approaches recognise that students have different learning styles with some reacting best to the voice while others prefer the written word, therefore a range is offered to suit all needs. Students can access the learning materials via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment – Moodle, Microsoft Teams and other means subject to the modules undertaken. In addition to the scheduled teaching, students will be given directed learning activities pre and/or post classroom activities and they will be expected to undertake any reading required e.g., access to policy documents or guidelines. They will also be expected to spend time on their own independent study to give them the opportunity to explore subjects in more depth in preparation for assessment activities. It is expected that students will fully engage with all of the resources available to them to maximise their learning opportunities. The library will play a key role in the learning journey and students will receive both written and verbal guidance regarding accessing and utilising library resources.

Careers:

The course specifically aims to enable a range of healthcare professionals from across the world to share and reflect on their own experiences and gain a deeper insight into advanced PVD practice and leadership. The programme will enable practitioners working in various aspects of care, with people either at risk of or living with PVD, to develop knowledge and skills in diagnosis and management. Students will develop analytical skills through interactive online learning opportunities so that they are able to critically examine practices within the context of the legislative and professional frameworks of their own countries. The underpinning philosophy of the course will support you, as a specialist student, to blend new learning with your existing knowledge and experience in a way that is highly relevant to your own professional practice and chosen clinical area to impact positively on PVD practice and service delivery.

Other:

This newly designed innovative course has been developed to meet the needs of interdisciplinary healthcare practitioners working in partnership with people living with PVD. This course aims to address the global increase in the number of people both at risk of developing PVD and living with PVD, and the developments in care needed to support these people. The course has a global perspective and draws upon existing expert knowledge and experience of working with national and international partners. The Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences (HELS) has a history of provision in healthcare and diabetes education previously with optional taught modules being available for practitioners in the region. This new course extends the reach of practice through online education to all multi-disciplinary and multi professional partners.