Advances in Paediatric Critical Care II HEA4511

Overview

HEA4510 Advances in Paediatric Critical Care I, must be completed before commencing onto this module

Module code:	HEA4511
Level:	7
Module credits:	30
Cost for new students:	£1500 per module for 2024 / 2025 academic year

If your tuition fee is being paid by a sponsor or you are a sponsor paying a student’s fee, you are required to send a copy of a purchase order to [email protected].

For further guidance please visit: Sponsored students – Edge Hill University

Who is this module for?

This module builds on the knowledge and skills attained from HEA 4510 Paediatric Critical Care 1 and focuses upon the enhancement of individual expertise required to move the clinician from a position of basic effectiveness within the clinical team to a position of refined functioning, on an individual level, within the speciality.

HEA4510 Advances in Paediatric Critical Care I, must be completed before commencing onto this module.

This module content includes neurosurgical and neurology emergencies, trauma, infection and sepsis in children, nutrition in the critically ill child, surgical and neonatal emergencies, psychological support, counselling, and palliative care in addition to the parent’s experience of having a child in PIC.

All applicants will normally fulfil the following criteria:

BSc (Hons) in a nursing or health related subject (normally 2:2 minimum classification).

Registered Child Nurse, or equivalent, with the Nursing and Midwifery Council OR

Registered Adult Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council AND a minimum of 2 years working in paediatrics. Applications from registered healthcare professionals (non-nursing) will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Current employment within a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Level 2/3 care, with a minimum of 12 months experience (18 months for new graduate)

Successful completion of Paediatric Life Support (PLS) within the last 12 months.

Applicants without an honours degree but who otherwise fulfil the entry criteria above may be admitted to the programme if they can demonstrate their ability to succeed at Level 7 study by:

• Being a practitioner, in an appropriate clinical area, who demonstrates extensive practice experience within a PCC setting (as captured in applicants revalidation portfolio or other similar professional portfolio).
• Demonstrating, through their professional portfolio, a comprehensive knowledge of the discipline and an in-depth awareness of current issues, equivalent to that of degree level study, relating to either a health or social care setting.
• Evidencing, at interview, (i) skills of critical analysis and evaluation through discussion or from previous academic study and (ii) their ability to learn in a flexible manner, utilising autonomy, and self-direction.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requirements

Work-based learning in students’ place of work is a requirement of the course, therefore all applicants must have a reference from their employer which confirms a declaration of good character and evidence of a current enhanced DBS.

What are the key aims of the module?

Completion of this module will contribute to the quality improvement in services of Paediatric Critical Care Level 3 and those children and families that require Paediatric Intensive Care.

The aligning the module’s learning outcomes and clinical competencies with the PCCS Standards for Nurse Education (2017), PCCS Quality Standards (2021) states 70% of staff working within PIC should have a formal specialist qualification in this field, thus ensures quality assurance and promotes patient safety within the specialist field.

In addition to this the module has also been aligned with the findings of the National Paediatric Critical Care and Surgery in Children review, NHS England, and NHS improvement (2019), key recommendations of this report state the importance of children being cared for within PIC by specialists in care for critically ill children.

The module will support staff within the Northwest Critical Care Network to be competent in supporting children receiving critical care. Finally, the module supports the newly published recommendations of the National Paediatric Critical Care GIRFT Programme National Speciality Report (2022).

The module curriculum is aligned with the Paediatric Critical care Society (PCCS) standards for education in Paediatric Critical Care Level 3 specialist Nursing (2017). In addition to meeting the PCCS Quality Standards for the Care of Critically Ill or Injured Children requiring PIC (2021).

How will I study?

A student-centred approach will be employed with students expected to take responsibility for their learning within a supportive and collaborative framework. Examples of what the student will experience include:

• face to face and virtual teaching by experienced clinicians, expert in their field of practice, drawn from a wide variety of professional subject disciplines and sharing international perspective where appropriate.
• student and tutor led presentation of case studies to explore Paediatric Critical Illness conditions in depth and breadth
• student led debates on ethical issues arising from contemporary and complex paediatric intensive care cases
• participation in Action Learning Sets
• Simulation, hands on clinical experience of real life paediatric critical illness scenarios to enhance the students’ clinical skills and improve patient safety.
• using technology to demonstrate key techniques and interventions relevant to contemporary paediatric intensive care practice.

During the module students will be exposed to the blended learning approach with face to face & virtual teaching, underpinned by effective tutor support. In addition to greater independence and self-directed approach to learning through timetabled action learning sets and student led seminars; thus, integrating specialist knowledge with academic and practice application. This combination of approaches will promote a questioning and problem-solving ability commensurate with post graduate student attributes such as excellence in communication skills, an increasing expertise in their subject knowledge as informed by professional and academic debate and awareness of cultural differences and values.

What will I study?

A critical review of the evidence base in relation to practice

Continuing assessment, monitoring and management of:

• Pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury and raised intracranial pressure
• Neurology emergencies
• Brain stem death and organ donation
• Paediatric Trauma and burns
• Immune physiology, infections, and management of sepsis
• Pain and sedation, withdrawal, and delirium
• Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics
• Transport of the critically ill child (NWTS)
• Oncological emergencies
• Surgical management of the neonate, common pathologies
• Interpretation of blood results
• Acute renal failure and renal replacement therapies
• Metabolic and endocrine emergencies
• Psychological effects of PICU, counselling skills and palliative care
• Legal issues, ethics, and clinical governance
• The role of the professional nurse advocate, wellbeing, and resilience

How will I be assessed?

A two-part assessment strategy has been devised, with two assessment points clearly identified during and at the end of the module. The assessment tasks reflect arrange of methods intending to reflect students’ differing strengths and capabilities including viva in practice and supporting written assignment and clinical competencies portfolio.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment will be an integral component within this module and will be evident in both terms and feed directly into summative assessment tasks. For example, students will take part in various clinical simulations which will be integral in completion of their clinical competencies, inclusive of advanced airway support and mechanical ventilation, complications associated with post op paediatric cardiac surgery and emergency management.

Summative assessment

The assessment of this module, benchmarked against the PICS competencies, comprises the following:

Part one:

• Poster presentation – 20-minute student selected poster presentation
• A supporting paper synthesising the evidence base upon which the poster is based (1500 words).

Part two:

Completion of clinical portfolio competencies (Pass/Fail) designed to evidence the consolidation of core critical care skills.

Students must pass all assessment elements to pass the module.

On successful completion you will:

On successful completion of the module, you will be awarded 30 credits towards PGCert in Paediatric Critical Care and will actively contribute to a specialist paediatric workforce with essential knowledge and skills that meet key clinical priorities both locally and nationally.

Study dates and venues

How to apply

For details of how to apply, please visit the apply page.

Module availability varies from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Due to the popularity of some modules, it may be that the module is fully booked when your application is received. We will include your details on a waiting list and allocate you a place on the next available intake.

If you have any other queries about studying with us, please see the FAQ page.

Contact us

For further module information, please contact Alex Knight: Module lead on [email protected], Sam Ellis: Alder Hey PICU Education/Programme Lead [email protected] or Brenda Harris: Academic Partnership Liaison Tutor on [email protected].

For any other queries, you can contact the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health on [email protected].

Pathways

HEA4510 Advances in Paediatric Critical Care I, must be completed before commencing onto this module.