Advanced consulting and clinical skills (masters level)

Improve your assessment and examination skills
Advanced consulting and clinical skills (masters level)

Key features

This 20 credit masters-level module is designed to give healthcare practitioners the opportunity to develop existing professional expertise in consultation and clinical examination skills to promote safe, sound, evidenced based practice in an advanced role which involves seeing and managing patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions.

You will be taught by practicing clinicians with students from across disciplines to promote effective integrated learning from and with your peers. We use clinical demonstration and practice with small group work to give you the confidence to go out and then practise these skills in your clinical area. Where you will develop your confidence and competence through experience in clinical practice supported by a mentor where you will be encouraged to develop your understanding of and utilise relevant theoretical models to enhance your clinical professional practice.

Please note - This module will be discontinued at the end of the academic year 2016/17 and replaced by the masters-level module 'Advanced assessment for clinical practice' for the 2017/18 academic year.

Module code

MCH505

Credits

20

FHEQ level

Level 7 - masters degree

Location

Blended learning approach with face to face delivery in Plymouth


Course details

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

  • Receive a history and analyse the findings in relation to the patient’s clinical presentation.
  • Critically evaluate their practice using different theoretical models of consultation.
  • Conduct a comprehensive health assessment and justify the findings in relation to anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology.
  • Initiate and interpret patient/client investigations to determine a diagnosis and treatment option/s.
  • Formulate and implement a management plan that accurately meets patient/client needs.
  • Critically evaluate their development, identifying their own learning needs, within specialist areas through use of clinical examinations and consultations.

Assessment

There are three parts to the assessment for this module:

1. completion of clinical logs.

2. a 2,000 word critical analysis and evaluation of a video recording of an actual consultation, relating to the theory of consultation using recognised consultation models.

3. skills based assessment examining set clinical competencies (under exam conditions).

(Please note that these assessment details are provisional - if you require further information please contact the module lead or the Professional Development Unit)

Module dates

This module has now ended for the academic year 2016/17. It has been replaced by the masters-level module 'Advanced assessment for clinical practice' for the 2017/18 academic year.

This module can be taken as a standalone professional development module or can count towards the following programmes:

Module lead - Catherine McDougall

"If you are currently working in a clinical area where you need to improve your clinical consultation and clinical examination skills or wish to develop your clinical career pathway, then this is the module for you. It is the first module of the MSc Contemporary Healthcare in Advance Practice and as such is the corner stone of learning for healthcare professionals across disciplines who are working at an advanced level of clinical practice. Successful completion of the MSc pathway will prepare and support you to understand and apply evidence based theory to clinical practice.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me on catherine.mcdougall@plymouth.ac.uk - I look forward to hearing from you."

Catherine McDougall RN MSc AHCP, Senior Lecturer 

Our students say...

  • A "I really enjoyed the theory in this course which backed up the practical elements of my role."
  • A "It was good to be taught by those currently working in clinical practice."

Fees and funding

Funding

This module is commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) at masters level only and you may therefore be eligible for funding through your employing trust.

To apply please contact your Trust’s Educational Co-ordinator who will guide you through the application process.

If you work in the private, independent and voluntary sector, please contact your employer who will advise you.

Fees for 2016/17 academic year

For those who are self-funding, please see our Professional Development Module Fees page.

Entry requirements

Students wishing to undertake this module as part of a professional development pathway:

  • must be a registered practitioner working in clinical practice in order to meet the module outcomes
  • must have access to a clinical mentor
  • be in possession of previous study at degree level

Individuals without a degree may be eligible to apply providing they have appropriate practice-related experience relevant to the programme, please discuss with the Professional Development Unit prior to application.

Each student will be considered and advised individually (where required) by the programme team and Professional Development Unit. Please contact the PDU or programme lead if you have any queries regarding your situation.

How to apply

To apply for this module, please contact

Professional Development Unit

Level 4 Rolle Building

Plymouth University

Drake Circus

Plymouth

PL4 8AA

Email: pdu@plymouth.ac.uk

Phone: +44 1752 586951