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Critical Care 1 (NHS: 4442) - Entry

Course Details

  • Credits 20
  • Duration 18 weeks
  • Start Date January
  • Study Mode

    Part Time
  • Location

    Bangor

    Wrexham

    Online

About This Course

This is a part-time, level 7 short course delivered on our Bangor campus, with some content accessed online (blended learning method)

Who is this course for?

This short course is suitable for NMC registered nurses, midwives or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPH) with at least 12 months experience working within critical care settings.

Why study this course?

The aim of this level 6 short course will be to support the learner to:

  • Use a systems-based approach to gain an in-depth understanding of anatomy and physiology
  • Apply principles of person-centred approach to caring for the critically ill
  • Critically evaluate evidence-based medicine and its application to the critical care environment
  • Begin to build a range of clinical skills used in caring for the critically ill

How long does this course take to complete?

This part-time short course runs over 18 weeks, usually during semester 2 of the academic year. 

The next course will start in January 2025, and will run on a Thursday: 

  • The first 12 weeks includes 8 taught sessions, delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face methods. Face-to-face delivery will be on our campus in Bangor. 
  • 1 simulation day 
  • 3 asynchronous directed study sessions. You will not be expected to attend the campus on these days. However, there will be set work for you to complete which might include watching pre-recorded content, researching content on various websites, reading chapters or articles.
  • The last 6 weeks of the course are directed study days to allow time for the learner to complete and submit their written work and competencies.

 Further Information

Assessments on this short course will include:  

  • an unseen Anatomy and Physiology Exam on 3 April 2025 (which will be the last day of the short course).
  • 4 x 500-word blog on topics related to the care of patients in a critical care setting.
  • Completing clinical competencies from the Critical Care Network National Competency Steps Framework for Adult Critical Care Nurses (Steps 2 and 3 competencies).

Tutor

Eirlys Walker

A headshot of Eirlys Walker

Eirlys has more than 30 years' experience of working in the Critical Care environment both as a nurse and as an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner and has recently moved over to the academic side assisting with the delivery of the Critical Care Programme.

 

Course Content

What will you study on this course?

This module focuses predominantly on building and developing the learners’ knowledge of the Anatomy and Physiology of 5 of the main body systems that are commonly affected by ilnesses necessitating Critical Care Admission: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Renal, Gastrointestinal and Neurological. 

The module will prepare the student for the next module of the programme by giving them an understanding of the normal functioning of the body before moving on to look at abnormal function. 

The module also includes, but is not limited to:

  • Arterial blood gas interpretation
  • Introduction to pharmocology
  • Recognition of a deteriorating patient
  •  Delirium
  • Nutrition in the Criticallly ill
  • Professionalism and leadership
  • ECG interpretation
  • Non-Invasive ventilation
  • Shock and sepsis
  • End of life care
  • Fluid Management
  • Chest Auscultation

The module also includes a day of simulation, where students will run through clinical scenarios in the simulation suite with a manequin, assessing illness and making treatment and management decisions based on the assessment.

Funding

  • Enquiries regarding Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) funding should be directed to bcu.nurseeducation@wales.nhs.uk.
  • Funding opportunities may be available for those working locally (i.e. in the north Wales and Powys areas), please contact the relevant module co-ordinator for details.
  • All other application and funding related enquiries should be directed to the module co-ordinator .

Please see our Postgraduate Fees and Finance page for further information.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must fulfil the following criteria to be considered eligible for this course:  

  • NMC registered nurse, midwife or Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPH)

Working in a Critical Care role with at least 12 months experience/completed the Steps 1 Critical Care Competencies. Students will need a workplace mentor.

Application

To apply for this course, you need to create an account in our APPLICANT PORTAL

You will need access to the email address you specify while creating your account to confirm it.

After creating an account, you will see a homepage with several tabs:

  • Personal
  • Programme
  • Info
  • Contact
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Language 
  • Finance

You need to complete all sections before submitting your application.

When a section is complete, a ‘tick’ symbol will appear below it

  1. Click on ‘Non-graduating applications / Stand alone Modules’, then select ‘Non-graduating Postgraduate Taught’.
  2.  In the next section, select Non-Graduating Taught Modules in Health(NGGT/HEALTH) Click Save and Continue.
  3.  On the next page, the default for the first question is Full Time. You need to change this to ‘Part time’:
  4. You now need to input the module code. Critical Care 1: the code is NHS:4442. This section must be completed for your application to be processed.
  5. You also need to state the start date. Please make your selection, then click ‘Save and Continue’.
  6. IMPORTANT: You do not need to write a personal statement to apply for this course. Instead, please upload the document including employment, experience and education information that you have created prior to starting the application that contains the name of your current employer, the number of years of experience you have, and your highest qualification to date. Click Save and continue.

You only need to enter the details of your highest qualification to date, e.g. if you have a postgraduate qualification, please only only include this.

You will be asked for evidence of the qualification. Please either upload a copy of your qualification if it's easily accessible, or upload the Word document again (that you prepared earlier)

(details not required as you've already prepared this

Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘I have no employment history’ (as you have already provided this in your Word document)

If you are HEIW / Health Board funded, please answer the questions as follows:

  • How will you finance your studies? Sponsored
  • Exact name of funding authority: Health Board
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Give details of the amount of the award? Fully funded.
  • Sponsorship will cover: Tuition Fees
  • Have you been awarded this funding? Please select ‘yes’ * Note that you will be required to upload evidence of the funding. If you wish to confirm ‘yes’ to this question, but do not have any written confirmation to upload, you can upload your Word document here again.

If you are self-funding, please provide all details as appropriate.