Acute Care (Professional Practice)
This award will help you develop your your skills in the management of acutely ill adults, prepare you to address the increasingly complex patient population and take your professional knowledge in the field of acute care one step further. You will gain enhanced skills in the recognition of acute health deterioration and develop your knowledge of contemporary evidence-based approaches that contribute to the effective management of acute deterioration. You'll also be able to access a range of optional modules in this area to help you get the learning experience you need.
This course will help you to gain confidence in both assessment and clinical decision making during acute episodes of physical illness.
There is a wide variety of appropriate clinical modules that you may choose to build your award with this pathway.
What's covered in the course?
You will learn more about the pathophysiology of common causes of acute health deterioration, and the homeostatic mechanisms that exist in to respond to them.
Through the use of contemporary case studies you will gain enhanced confidence in your assessment and interpretation of clinical observation related data, particularly in patients with complex health problems.
You will increase your knowledge and understanding of how to respond effectively to episodes of acute health deterioration. We will work with you to ensure that the rationales supporting your decision making, are clear and evidence based.
The core modules of this programme are delivered by a team of qualified nurses with extensive experience and expertise in both acute and critical care settings. The modules are also supported by colleagues from clinical practice.
The programme is delivered using a blended approach of innovate learning and teaching styles. All modules are based on the University’s City South Campus.
Why Choose Us?
- Clinically focussed content that addresses the challenges of the increasingly older and more complex patient population.
- An opportunity to develop your confidence and skills specifically in the recognition and management of acutely ill adults
- A strong focus on current issues in acute care, and the practical application of knowledge
- Each module has a bespoke Moodle virtual learning environment to support your continued learning off campus
- A big choice of optional modules allows you to build a bespoke learning experience, most appropriate to your career plans.
- Ongoing support from university staff to facilitate your development as a learner.
New £10,609 postgraduate loans
If you are completing the MSc Professional Practice, you may be able to take advantage of the government’s plans to make loans of up to £10,609 available for postgraduate study.
This course is not open to International students
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Post Registration Education Provider of the Year Winner
UK or EU students
| Award | Start | Mode | Duration | Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2018 | PT | TBC | £656 per module | ||
| Jan 2019 | PT | TBC | £656 per module |
International Students
| Award | Start | Mode | Duration | Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2018 | PT | TBC | £656 per module | ||
| Jan 2019 | PT | TBC | £656 per module |
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead.
The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Course structure
You can choose to study this programme as a complete pathway award (full or part-time) or as a standalone module, dependent on your individual need and the needs of your organisation. All programmes offer a convenient part-time format to fit around home and work commitments.
Pathway awards in Acute Care can lead to:
- Module only Professional Practice Level 6
- Module only Professional Practice Level 7
- BSc Professional Practice
- BSc (Hons) Professional Practice
- Grad Cert Professional Practice
- PG Cert Professional Practice
- PG Dip Professional Practice
- MSc Professional Practice
How to apply
Complete the online application form via the link above, including the name of the pathway or module you are enrolling onto.
This course is available part-time
Professional practice routes
Have a look at all of our professional practice healthcare routes available.
Degree (Level 6)
How it worksYou can choose to study this programme as a complete pathway award or as a standalone module. |
Postgraduate (Level 7)
Degree (Level 6)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
Postgraduate (Level 7)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
Student Nursing Times Award Winner
Post Registration Education Provider of the Year
Course dates
Please check the course dates to see when your chosen modules are available throughout the year.
Assessment breakdown
- RAPID will be assessed by oral examination (up to 30 minutes duration)
- 'Management of Acute Deterioration' will be assessed by a written assignment (3,000 words)
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities.
We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that medical staff may come across.
These resources are essential in offering students a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice. Much of our teaching is carried out within our state-of-the-art, £30m Seacole Building, which houses cutting-edge facilities.
Take a virtual tour of our skills suites at Seacole
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that students learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. These include the only mock operating theatre in an English university and a cutting-edge radiography virtual clinical training facility, virtual ward and virtual case creator.
Virtual Case Creator
For pre-registration midwives, Virtual Case Creator software contains a range of scenarios to let you experience birthing situations and decide on appropriate interventions in a safe environment.
Hospital Ward
Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. They contain ‘Sim Men’, which are demonstration dummies that develop ailments, allowing you to treat them as you would a real patient and build your confidence in reacting to the changing needs of patients.
The Hospital Ward can be adapted from a low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
Part of the package is our SIM baby, SIM man and Mega code kid. There are also nursing manikins for fundamental skills teaching and various equipment to support essential skills teaching, such as blood pressure monitoring venepuncture and cannulation equipment.
Skills Practice and Clinical Enhancement facility
The SPACE (Skills Practice And Clinical Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.
It is fully stocked with the specialist items and equipment needed for procedures such as taking blood pressure, giving an injection, abdominal examination of a pregnant woman and caring for ill babies in an incubator.
Biomedical Laboratories
We have recently installed new laboratory facilities to help you explore understand the scientific principles underpinning many of our courses. The physiology laboratory is equipped to help you learn about the way the human body works by performing investigative experiments. The biomedical science laboratory is undergoing an upgrade over the summer and will allow you to learn about anatomy, cellular processes, immunology and enzymology in a hands-on way that links directly to day-to-day health care.
Simulation Mannequins
We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and Simulation babies (SIM babies) which are leading edge, anatomically correct mannequins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills.
The SIM men and SIM baby mannequins are complete with software, which is used to replicate real symptoms, and are enhanced by the manipulation of for example blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM Man can also “talk” to the students which adds another dimension to their use in teaching clinical skills and in simulation exercises.
Mary Seacole Library
The Seacole library, based at City South Campus, is one of the UK's largest specialist health education libraries. The state-of-the art facility offers an extensive range of range of information and reference materials set out in a relaxing environment, conducive to studying. There are comfortable seating areas, group study areas, a silent study area and private study rooms.
You will have access to all of the University’s libraries, including the main Kenrick Library on the City North Campus, which is open for almost 90 hours a week and holds more than 320,000 books, 2,000 print journals and carries more than 4,000 electronic journals online.
Computer Facilities
The Seacole building houses a large open access IT Suite which comprises of 96 PCs, full colour printers, photocopiers and scanners. Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
The IT Suite offers extended opening hours and is supported by a specialist Open Access Assistant during term time. In addition to the open access PCs within the IT Suite, there are 12 networked student PCs available within Seacole library.
Claire Perkins
Senior Lecturer
Claire trained as an undergraduate registered nurse in multiple hospitals in London 1993-6. Subsequent clinical registered nursing roles in A & E and multiple HDU’s and ITU’s across the West Midlands, including a Senior Sister post in critical care at University Hospital Birmingham. During a post-registration intensive care course (ENB 100) in 1999, experience was gained in multiple specialist critical care units including the PICU at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Specialist nursing knowledge was further developed through successful completion of an MSc in Nursing in 2006 and some international clinical and education visits. Clinical skills recently refreshed in a local private critical care unit.
Claire has a long standing interest in nurse education which began with employment as part of the link teaching initiative (at UCE 1998-2003), a role created to develop the application of physiology to clinical practice within the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Education skills were then further developed between 2001-2004 in both junior and senior professional development posts within the NHS. A lecturer role in higher education was commenced in 2004 and senior lecturer in 2005, following successful completion of a PG Cert in higher education. Multiple further courses have been studied since to ensure both education and clinical skills continue to evolve. Recognition of this via fellowship of the higher education academy has been achieved.
Claire's key area of interest remains the application of physiology and pharmacology to clinical nursing practice, with a particular emphasis on the recognition and management of acute physiological deterioration.
Steven Grant
Senior Lecturer
Steve qualified as an RGN in 1999 and since then has worked in a variety of clinical environments such as Acute medicine, General surgery, ITU, Coronary care and HDU. Additionally he has worked in Practice Development and Training as a Clinical nurse specialist in Acute Care. He is also dual qualified in both adult and pediatric nursing.
Steve joined the Faculty of Health in 2010 and since then he has been involved in both pre and post registration teaching. He is currently the module coordinator for RAPID which is studied at both level 6 and 7. He is also the joint module coordinator of Nursing Practice 4 which is studied at level 6. He has a passion for ensuring that nurses are able to competently interpret observations and apply a physiological rationale to enhance the care they give.
Steve has an honorary contract with a local trust which enables him to work with the Practice Support Team which provides support in practice to mentors and students on clinical placement. This is to ensure the teaching and learning experience for students is optimised.
Course Enquiries
For all course enquiries please contact the Acute Care Pathway Leader, Claire Perkins on:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 6050
- Email: Claire.Perkins@bcu.ac.uk
International Enquiries
If you are an international student please contact the international office for more information on entry requirements:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 5389
- Email: international.enquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Professional Navigator
The Professional Practice Programme consists of a selection of modules that can be studied on their own or as part of an award. For help in deciding which modules to study or your outcome award please contact our Professional Navigators on navigator@bcu.ac.uk
Professional practice routes
Have a look at all of our professional practice healthcare routes available.