AC7128 - Advanced Clinical Assessment Skills for Community Specialist Practice

This module draws upon the department and universities approach to universal design for learning principles, recognising that each person has their own learning needs and styles. As such, this module provides opportunities to engage in directed learning activities as well as self-directed learning, critical evaluation, reflection, knowledge, and skills acquisition, including collaborative working, which underpins and shapes teaching and learning on your programme of study.  The module will be delivered through a combination of face-to-face seminars, practical workshops with practice-based scenarios using simulation to enable formative development of knowledge and skills including, tutorials as well as tutor directed learning using Online Supported Learning (OSL), packages.  

The assessment strategy adopts an authentic assessment approach, drawing on real world employment tasks, addressing both the theoretical and practical elements of the module, and as such, your summative assessment will be an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), relevant to the advanced clinical assessment of those being cared for within a community setting. You will be taught by appropriately skilled experts who will have significant knowledge and experience relevant to the taught session, allowing for a diverse variation of academic delivery across the module. You will also have the opportunity for formative assessment in tutorials, to prepare for your summative assessment.

Each pathway will have bespoke teaching relevant to you specialist area of practice. Each pathway will focus specifically on the contemporary needs of your clinical practice and will be evident in the field-specific sessions delivered by the programme team. You will also have the opportunity to work alongside students from other pathways, engaging in simulated learning and taking a multi-disciplinary approach to clinical assessment and patient management. Your learning will be tailored and relevant to your field of specialist clinical practice, reflected in your summative assessment. The programme utilises a core lecture and applied seminar approach to shared modules across pathways. You will be required to attend the seminars that are identified as being a core component of your recognised curriculum or standard. Students will be required to complete the assessment applied to their programme pathway.

You will be supported by the module team who will guide your academic learning and assessment throughout the module. This module utilises Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in the design of teaching, learning and student assessment. UDL principles are designed to assist students to achieve and excel in their studies irrespective of their individual learning needs and as such UDL is designed to promote inclusive curriculum design. The Module Lead will provide you with an overview of the module and guide you in your studies and will offer opportunities to discuss content, issues, and assessment feedback. Constructive feedback is given on both formative and summative components. Each module is supported by Blackboard Ultra and all modules adhere to the university’s minimum standards. The site includes module information, assessment information, power-point presentations and Online Supported Learning OSL packages, Peer support is encouraged and facilitated via group work embedded within this module and your programme of study. Group tutorial and formative sessions delivered through practice-based learning sessions will help you prepare for the summative assessment. Your Programme Lead and Personal Tutor are also available to offer guidance on academic support throughout the programme. The University Libraries at both Coach Lane and City Campus offer an extensive collection of material, both hard copy and electronic, access to international databases and training in information retrieval. A variety of study-skills-related help sheets, and online videos can be found on the library Skills Plus site. You can also access a range of student support and wellbeing services via Student Central at Coach Lane Campus Library or by accessing the student support and wellbeing pages and Ask4Help via your electronic student portal.  Part time students will receive academic support from an allocated AA relevant to your pathway of study.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

Demonstrate ability to effectively conduct a comprehensive clinical assessment, focusing on practice-based patient scenarios relevant to your field of practice.

Interpret, synthesise, and utilise contemporary evidence as part of effective clinical judgement and decision-making within the assessment process.

Recognise abnormal physical features and pathophysiology in association with diagnostic test results interpret clinical and psychosocial data and recognise the ill and/or deteriorating patient.



Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:

Demonstrate the application of advanced skills in articulating, accurately documenting and defending your clinical judgements and actions, critically evaluating emergent findings to inform case management


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):



Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively with peers, colleagues, and service users to assess, plan and lead care high quality care in accordance with legal, professional, and ethical principles.

Formative assessment -Full Time

This will be ongoing throughout the module; you will engage in interactive self-assessment via the ELP; simulations and taught sessions.



You will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive tutorial to prepare you for your summative assessment. In addition, group work within class will provide the opportunity for informal peer assessment.

(MLO’s 1-5)



Formative assessment – Part Time

This will be ongoing throughout the module; you will engage in interactive self-assessment via the ELP; simulations and taught sessions. Field specific group tutorials will provide the opportunity for informal peer assessment. 

(MLO’s 1-5).  

 

You will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive tutorial to prepare you for your summative assessment. 

 

You will also have your PAD document which is your record of ongoing achievement. You will receive organised tutorial support throughout the year where progress will be formatively assessed. 



Summative assessment- Full and Part Time:

This will be an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), which will assess your ability to conduct a comprehensive clinical assessment, summarise your main findings and defend your plan of action.



During this assessment you will be expected to complete 2 stations of 30 minutes duration. Each station will provide you with a practice-based scenario relevant caring for babies, children, young people, and families, on which to base your clinical assessment, summary, and plan case management. (MLO’s 1-5)





You must achieve a pass in both stations to pass the summative assessment.



Station 1 – 50% weighting  

Station 2 – 50% weighting  

 
If you refer on one or more station(s), you will be reassessed on these referred stations only. Your marks and feedback will be provided electronically via Blackboard Ultra.

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This module will help you to advance your clinical assessment skills, critical thinking and decision-making skills through comprehensive clinical assessment. This module is for students studying either the full time or part time programmes. If you are studying full time, the delivery of this module will be semester one of the programme. If you are studying part time, the delivery of this module will be yearlong, starting in semester one, year one. This is to accommodate for the inclusion of the programme Practice Assessment Document (PAD), which is your record of ongoing achievement, with formative assessment of practice through year one of your programme. This is a practice focused module where you will have the opportunity to advance your critical thinking and decision making through developing enhanced knowledge and skills in relation to comprehensive clinical assessment based on community and primary care clinical settings. During this module you will be able to evaluate routine clinical investigations, assess the severity of symptom complexes, explore both physical and mental health dimensions of assessment. A range of communication skills will be developed including effectively communicating findings to other members of the inter-professional team and service users. A systems-based approach is used during the module to provide you with the clinical skills and underpinning theoretical evidence to undertake clinical consultation and assessment. This module will enable you to be able to recognise the early onset of acute illness and provide objective clinical data to multi-disciplinary colleagues, enhancing patient safety and the effectiveness of patient care. You will apply your analytical and assessment skills to a range of scenarios and, from the interpretation of your findings, formulate a plan of care, which is compatible with the needs of the service user and the practice context. Learning will be supported through a combination of online supported learning/face to face lectures and seminars, On-line Supported Learning (OSL), practice-based scenarios facilitated in the simulation suite, and small group tutorials. The assessment strategy addresses both the theoretical and practical elements of the module, and your summative assessment will be an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). This module will prepare you for your specialist role, with learning outcomes benefiting all aspects of your practice, helping to provide you and your peers with contemporary knowledge, skills and values desired in the workplace. Part time students will also be formatively assessed on their PAD throughout the year.