AC7145 - History Taking and Clinical Skills in Contemporary Healthcare Settings

What will I learn on this module?

This module aims to develop practitioners to undertake history taking and examination within contemporary healthcare settings. You will be able to demonstrate the in-depth knowledge and skills required to critically assess, and respond appropriately to health needs, whilst working independently within legal, ethical and professional guidelines.

You will demonstrate mastery in knowledge of biological systems in order to provide a systematic approach to history and clinical examination resulting in an ability to assess, examine and manage patients with a wide range of clinical presentations across the age spectrum (except very young children). The systems covered in your learning are:
Cardiovascular.
Respiratory
Gastrointestinal
Neurological
Musculoskeletal
Gynaecology
Dermatology

It is expected that this module will give you the knowledge to assess and manage the patient’s ability and appropriateness to receive health interventions and refer to other health care professional as required. Summative assessment will include the achievement of clinical examination skills via multiple station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Learning will be research led by current clinical evidence including local, national, and international guidelines.

How will I learn on this module?

This module applies Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to remove barriers to learning and create an inclusive, flexible experience that accommodates diverse learning styles. By offering multiple ways to engage with content, varied formats for accessing and understanding material, and ample opportunities for diverse action and expression, you can develop and showcase key employability skills. Through a blend of online resources, and live seminars, the module ensures an active, authentic learning journey that supports your success in real-world contexts. (La, Dyjur, & Bair, 2018). This means learning will be via a blended delivery using a combination asynchronous (30 hours of web-based resources), synchronous (16 hours of face-to-face online seminars) learning followed by 12 hours of in-class activity to consolidate your learning. A ‘flipped classroom’ approach (Bergman & Sams, 2012), promotes the front loading of theoretical content as preparatory independent study provided via online supported learning (OSL) and reading, prior to the face-to-face online seminar and on-campus practical sessions where your understanding of concepts and application of theory will be explored. This approach to module delivery promotes active learning as it works to accommodate your learning needs and abilities by offering flexibility and direction gained from the preparatory web-based materials which are then explored and applied during the live online seminars creating new knowledge. Offering multiple ways of learning helps you to engage along with giving you the opportunity to express your learning through action and/or expression. This encourages a positive learning environment where you are likely to feel more engaged and motivated in your learning. Authentic assessment means that any assessments throughout the module will mirror real life activities that you will be faced with in your professional practice. Authentic assessment will be an on-going key feature of the module, via tasks within the web-based materials and online simulated practice learning. These will not only support your learning of the theory related to professional practice but will also support assessment literacy through developing your skills and knowledge of the assessment process. All assessments within the programme will be operated in accordance with standard operating procedures and marked and moderated in accordance with the Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards (ARTA) ensuring the academic standards required for student awards are met.

Bergman, J., & Sams, A. (2012) Flip your classroom. Reach every student in every class every day. Washington D.C., International Science of Technology in Education.
La, H., Dyjur, P., & Bair, H. (2018). Universal design for learning in higher education. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. Calgary University of Calgary

How will I be supported academically on this module?

You will be supported by the module lead who will guide your academic learning and assessment throughout the module. The module lead was involved in developing the e-learning materials, assessment exercises, and will provide some of your live online seminars, and feedback, supported by other staff. This module is supported by Blackboard Ultra and adheres to the university’s minimum standards. The site includes module information, assessment information, power-point presentations and e-learning packages, reading lists and relevant web links. Blackboard Collaborate will be used for the delivery of the live online seminars.

A discussion board is available to the cohort, through which students can post comments and ask questions of their peers throughout the duration of the module. You will have a live online group tutorial 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 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 or by accessing the student support and wellbeing pages and Ask4Help via your electronic student portal.

You will also have an allocated personal/guidance teacher who will provide advice and support in relation to academic, procedural, and (where desired and appropriate) personal matters during the programme of study you have enrolled on. You will have access to 24/7 generic IT support and specific support from the programme team with any specific IT issues related to the e-learning package.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

On completion of this module:
Knowledge & Understanding:
1. You will have undertaken an assessment of the patient’s physical and psychological needs, and critically analyse the significance of the assessment and presenting health issues in the body systems;
2. You will have synthesised the evidence for the factors which contribute to illness and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the associated pathophysiology that supports accurate history taking and examination skills

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. You will have critically discussed the importance of collaborative working and leadership abilities when managing care of ill patients presenting in primary care.
4. You will have critically appraised and defend the rationales for clinical decisions, proposed management, and demonstrate the ability to analyse and apply results in the care/treatment required by utilising contemporary sources of evidence

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Systematically identify and critically discuss /communicate consultation findings in line with legal, professional and ethical principles of your role.

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessments
Formative assessment will take the form of in-class seminar discussion and practical sessions to assess your level of knowledge and understanding gained from course materials to prepare you for your summative assessments. Formative tests and quizzes will also be embedded within e-learning materials. You will also receive verbal feedback throughout the module from the module lead. (MLO 1-5)

Summative assessment
Summative assessment will be in two sections
Part 1: A multiply stationed OSCE to demonstrate your history taking and physical assessment skills.
(MLO 1,2,3,4,5)

Summative feedback is released via Blackboard Ultra within university timeframes.

Pre-requisite(s)

Students will have evidence of previous level 6 study and achieved a degree award of 2:2 or above

To undertake this module, applicants must hold a valid current professional registration (i.e. NMC/GMC/HCPC)

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

This module aims to support you to develop mastery in undertaking clinical histories and examinations within contemporary health care settings. You will be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to assess, and respond appropriately to presenting health needs, whilst working independently and autonomously within legal, ethical, and professional guidelines. This module is designed to equip you with the knowledge and competence to recognise opportunities to provide interventions, therefore preventing or identifying disease. The module is designed for health professionals and will provide you with an increased ability to assess and manage patients across all of the age ranges of patients (except very young children). You are expected to apply and robust evidence base and analytical assessment skills to provide differential diagnoses and communicate accurate and concise management plans for presenting symptoms. Academic assessment is a multiple station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) where you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your mastery in the effective assessment of patients in contemporary healthcare settings, developing and enhancing your clinical practice and the care you provide.