DA7007 - Life Science for Advanced Clinical Practitioners

The module will be delivered through a combination of taught, directed and self-directed study. The module will be summatively assessed through a 3,000-word essay, critically analysing a chosen organ dysfunction and discussing the manifestation of this at a cellular level. This will be commensurate with the standard required for advanced clinical practice, working towards Health Education England’s Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England (2017).

You will be supported by the module team, who are specialists in their clinical field. Formative feedback will be provided in group-led seminars and will also be available via individual tutorials throughout the module. You will also receive feedback from your peers, as many of the activities are designed to be student-led with module tutor facilitation. Contact with the module team is available in person, via telephone, email, and the electronic learning portal.

You will be able to access both library and student support services. The latter is offered via a 24-hour IT Helpline, Student Support and Wellbeing Services, Skills Plus to support your academic work and an Ask4Help Service for other enquiries. These are all available in person at Student Central on Coach Lane Campus and online. You will be allocated a personal tutor who will provide appropriate pastoral support and guidance during your studies.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding (K&U):
K&U 1. You will critically discuss the manifestations of pathology and analyse the consequence upon health status.

2. You will apply a critical understanding of normal and altered physiology and relevant clinical investigations.

Intellectual/Professional skills & abilities (IPSA):
IPSA 3. You will demonstrate a critical awareness of the metabolic and homeostatic mechanisms required to maintain health, linking directly to your developing advanced clinical practice role.

4. You will evaluate quantitative research relating to altered physiology.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
PVA 5. You will critically reflect on your learning and its application to your advanced clinical practice.

Formative

There will be regular multiple-choice questions to enable you to assess your current knowledge and to guide your learning. You will present your summative assessment topic during the module for peer and module tutor feedback. This academic and peer feedback will enable you to reflect on your learning, whilst developing a robust plan for summative assessment. This will guide your learning and future self-directed study.

(MLOs- 3, 4, 5)


Summative

You will be expected to:
Electronically submit a 3000-word critical appraisal of literature, based on a relevant organ dysfunction of your choosing. This will represent 100% of your total mark.

Feedback will be electronic and individualised to identify good practice and suggest areas for development.
(MLOs- All)

None

None

The Life Sciences module aims to deepen your knowledge of life sciences appropriate to advanced clinical practice (ACP). This enables further development within your ACP role in relation to all four pillars of advanced clinical practice. You will critically examine the complex interaction of normal physiological processes involved in the control and regulation of metabolism. Within your study you will analyse the manifestations and consequences of altered physiology in response to disease processes. You will also critically appraise the means and methods of measuring the parameters of normal and altered physiology and explore metabolic and homeostatic mechanisms at a cellular level.

The module will be delivered through a combination of taught, directed, and self-directed study, including structured lectures and seminars; within the seminars, feedback will be given by lecturers and peers. Where appropriate, core lectures followed by applied seminars will enable you contextualise learning to your specialty. This will be via case-based discussion to explore the complex clinical decision making and evidence base relevant to your specialty. The module will be summatively assessed through a 3,000-word critical appraisal essay. There will also be opportunity for formative assessment of your ideas through seminar feedback.

The module utilises a core lecture and applied seminar approach and you will be encouraged to attend the seminar that is most suited to your learning needs; however, if you are completing a specialist named award you will be required to attend the seminars that are identified as being a core component of your recognised curriculum or standard.