Management of Acute Deterioration (MAD) - 20 credits - Module only - Health CPD courses

Overview

This module offers you, a registered healthcare practitioner with a minimum of 6 months experience caring for acutely ill adults, the opportunity to enhance your management of episodes of acute health deterioration. This module helps you to formulate and contribute to clinical intervention decisions that are responsive to the patient as an individual.

This module aims to help enhance your confidence and ability to rationalise clinical decisions in this often time pressured situation, with a strengthened physiological and evidence base rationale. A focus on early intervention and early management is also a key part of this module, as is navigating the sometimes challenging conflicting pressures on our role.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The module covers contemporary management from a nursing and allied health professional perspective of the most common causes of acute health deterioration such as sepsis, acute exacerbation of COPD, acute kidney injury, acute coronary syndrome, hypovolaemia and acute heart failure.

You will refresh your knowledge of common interventions given during episodes of acute health deterioration such as oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, non-invasive ventilation and analgesia, from a physiological, evidence base and role perspective.

The knowledge and skills gained in this module will be useful to registered healthcare professionals working anywhere where patients sometimes experience an acute deterioration in their health, and they are expected to commence initial interventions, alongside escalating to others for help.

This module is aimed at enhancing your ability to make effective clinical intervention decisions during episodes of acute health deterioration for patients as individuals. Significant evidence exists that indicates that the number of people living with one, two or more long term conditions is rapidly increasing. The population in the UK is also ageing. With the polypharmacy that often accompanies this, the management of episodes of acute health deterioration has become more challenging. You will be supported during the course to develop your clinical decision making skills, to respond to these challenges.

Why Choose Us?

Clinically focused 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 management of acute health deterioration
A strong focus on current issues in acute care, and the practical application of knowledge
The module has a bespoke Moodle virtual learning environment to support your learning at times convenient to you
Ongoing support from university staff to facilitate your development as a learner

Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic

The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply

UK Student
International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: Module

Starting: Apr 2023

Short Course
6 weeks
£756 per 20-credit module

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: Module

Starting: Apr 2023

Short Course
6 weeks
£756 per 20-credit 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.

How to apply

Complete the online application form via the link above, including the name of the module you are enrolling onto.

Course in Depth

Level 6

This module allows you, a registered healthcare practitioner with a minimum of six months experience caring for patients who experience episodes of acute health deterioration, to enhance your ability to quickly and effectively respond to adults who experience acute illness.. Acute episodes of health deterioration occur in a wide variety of healthcare settings. Wherever you work, this module aims to foster and develop your ability to prioritise and rationalise your clinical decisions in order to manage episodes of acute health deterioration confidently. It will also support you to develop your understanding of the current evidence base underpinning contemporary acute illness management.

The Shape of Caring Review (2015 p 21) advised that “successful whole person care requires an appropriate balance between specialisation and generalism, and an increased flexibility within roles and career paths across organisational boundaries”. In particular it advocates that a more flexible, generic skill set will allow registered nurses to work confidently across a range of settings. Whilst this report refers to registered nurses, this ethos is mirrored in many publications related to other health care professionals. The Shape of Training (2013 p 5) for example advocates “patients and the public need more doctors who are capable of providing general care in broad specialties across a range of different settings”. This module in response to this focuses on managing episodes of acute health deterioration, in a wide range of body systems, in a wide range of clinical settings. This aims to ensure that your employability is enhanced.

This change in direction in the health service is being driven by the growing complexity of the UK’s patient population. The number of patients with multiple co-morbidities, of advanced age and who experience health inequalities is rapidly rising at a time of increasing patient expectations. NCEPOD (2011 p 5) published a report which contained “cogent evidence that today’s patients are more challenging than those the NHS dealt with, even ten years ago”. This course that aims to increase your confidence in delivering care for adults experiencing acute health deterioration who are more commonly complex, is therefore of timely value.

This module aligns with the Professional Practice Programme philosophy and is designed to be flexible and practice-led. A blended learning approach is taken, incorporating classroom sessions, skills workshops and online activities via Moodle. You will be encouraged to think critically and share practice experiences with your fellow students, as well as engaging in both directed and self-directed learning activities. You will be an active partner in your own learning and development. In return you will receive regular feedback and feed forward aimed at developing your academic skills. You will have the opportunity to discuss your progress with the module at frequent intervals throughout the course.

This module also aligns with the Recognition, Assessment and Physiological Interpretation of Deterioration (RAPID) module on the acute care pathway. This module should ideally be studied second, if you plan to undertake both.

Level 7

This module allows you, typically a graduate health care professional with a minimum of six months experience caring for patients who experience episodes of acute health deterioration, to enhance your ability to quickly and effectively respond to adults who experience acute illness, who have a complex health history.

Acute episodes of health deterioration occur in a wide variety of healthcare settings. Wherever you work, this module aims to enhance your ability to prioritise and rationalise your clinical decisions in order to manage episodes of acute health deterioration confidently. It will also support you to further develop your understanding of the current evidence base underpinning contemporary acute illness management.

The Shape of Caring Review (2015 p 21) advised that “successful whole person care requires an appropriate balance between specialisation and generalism, and an increased flexibility within roles and career paths across organisational boundaries”. In particular it advocates that a more flexible, generic skill set will allow registered nurses to work confidently across a range of settings. Whilst this report refers to registered nurses, this ethos is mirrored in many publications related to other health care professionals. The Shape of Training (2013 p 5) for example advocates “patients and the public need more doctors who are capable of providing general care in broad specialties across a range of different settings”. This module in response to this, focuses on managing episodes of acute health deterioration, in a wide range of body systems, in a wide range of clinical settings. This aims to ensure that your employability is enhanced.

This change in direction in the health service is being driven by the growing complexity of the UK’s patient population. The number of patients with multiple co-morbidities, of advanced age and who experience health inequalities is rapidly rising, at a time of increasing patient expectations. NCEPOD (2011 p 5) published a report which contained “cogent evidence that today’s patients are more challenging than those the NHS dealt with, even ten years ago”. This course aims to increase your confidence in delivering care for adults with a complex health history, who experience acute deterioration.

This module aligns with the Professional Practice Programme philosophy and is designed to be flexible and practice-led. A blended learning approach is taken, incorporating classroom sessions, skills workshops and online activities via Moodle. You will be encouraged to think critically and share practice experiences with your fellow students, as well as engaging in both directed and self-directed learning activities. You will be an active partner in your own learning and development. In return you BCU Module Specification V1.00 2017/18 16/05/18 will receive regular feedback and feed forward aimed at developing your academic skills. You will have the opportunity to discuss your progress with the module at frequent intervals throughout the course.

This module also aligns with the Recognition, Assessment and Physiological Interpretation of Deterioration (RAPID) module on the acute care pathway. This module should ideally be studied second, if you plan to undertake both.

Course structure

Through engaging teaching and the use of contemporary case studies you will gain enhanced confidence in your management of episodes of acute health deterioration, in adults with complex health histories This is achieved through a blended learning approach involving 6 interactive scheduled virtual classroom study days and a wide variety of engaging on line learning activities via Moodle. During a study day you can expect to collaborate with your peers and be supported in your learning by experts in the field. You can also expect to be well supported with the preparation of your assessment.

You have the opportunity to study this module for 20 level 6 or level 7 academic credits. Please contact the module lead for further advice, if you are at all unclear about which level is right for you.

This module aligns with the Professional Practice Programme philosophy and is designed to be flexible and practice-led. As well as engaging in both directed and self-directed learning activities, you will be an active partner in your own learning. In return you will receive regular feedback and feed forward aimed at developing your academic skills. You will have the opportunity to discuss your progress at frequent intervals.

Assessment

Written Assignment

The case study based written assignment will enable you to demonstrate your understanding of a treatment intervention of your choice required by an adult experiencing an acute episode of health deterioration. Your written assignment will demonstrate your understanding of relevant physiological and pathophysiological theory, and your critical appreciation of the current evidence base. It will also demonstrate your ability to reflect upon your role in ensuring evidence based interventions are implemented as early as possible, for an adult who presents with acute health deterioration. This can serve as a useful piece of evidence for professional revalidation processes.

In the assignment you demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes of the module through critical discussion of an episode of patient care that you have encountered, in your own clinical area. In doing so it reflects the aim of the Professional Practice Programme to offer learning and teaching which is responsive to the challenges of practice, which is focussed on knowledge which has practical application.

You will receive regular support with your developing work. There is also a wide range of support available from the Academic Development Department if you are nervous about writing academically.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
Learn where to find financial support for your studies.

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

Our School of Nursing and Midwifery is based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.

We’ve spent £41million expanding our facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice.

In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that you learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. Alongside physical spaces such as a mock operating theatre and wards, we also make use of online and virtual technology, such as our virtual ward and virtual case creator.

See more of our skills facilities at City South

Centre for Skills and Simulation

The Centre for Skills and Simulation offers a range of different spaces which replicate situations that you will encounter in practice. These include hospital wards, an operating theatre and a home environment room.

Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. The hospital wards can be adapted from low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.

The home environment room is the perfect space for teaching communications skills and allows us to simulate a community setting for our students. It is particularly useful for mental health nurses, learning disability nurses and midwives.

Simulation Manikins

We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and simulation babies (SIM babies) which are anatomically correct manikins 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 manikins contain software which replicates real symptoms, and can manipulate indicators such as blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM man can even ‘talk’ to the students as they are treating him, to add another dimension to learning.

Computer Facilities

The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.

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.

In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.

Our staff

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...

More about Claire

Enquiries

Module Leader

If you have any queries about this course please contact the Module Leader, Claire Perkins on:
- Email: Claire.Perkins@bcu.ac.uk

Professional Navigators

Our Professional Navigator, Nicola Clarke, is also on hand to offer guidance and will help you to choose which modules are best for you, taking into account your aims, professional or clinical experience, KSF requirements and your academic achievements.

Call Nicola on +44 (0)121 331 6162.