AC6728 - Health History & Physical Assessment

There are a range of approaches employed for your learning. There will be lectures based upon the systems and common clinical conditions. You will be expected to learn as a group and be involved in groups work to solve problems. There will be demonstrations of clinical skills of which you will be required to practice in class as well as in the clinical environment. On-line material will be available to support your learning throughout the module via the University’s eLearning Platform (eLP) Blackboard Ultra.
You will also learn by practicing new skills development in practice under supervision
You will have access to 24/7 generic IT support and access to a full range of student administration and support services offered by Northumbria University which includes library and learning support outlined in the module handbook.

During this module you will be supported in a number of ways. Firstly, you will be supported by the module tutor who will guide you through the requirements of the module. The module tutor will provide you with academic advice, guide you through the module examinations, and provide individual tutorials, as well as individual progress reports and feedback. You will have the opportunity to practice your skills under supervision within the scheduled module hours.
In order to support your learning in practice, you will also need to identify a person who is suitably qualified to supervise you and assess your clinical skills in practice. Your supervisor can be a doctor, or any allied health practitioner (e.g. Nurse, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Paramedic) who is qualified to perform these clinical skills themselves.
Should you have any additional or specific learning needs, these can be discussed with the module tutor as and when they arise. If you have an existing disability which affects your learning or may believe you have a disability that impacts upon your ability to learn, you may be eligible to access help from the university student support team. The student support team will liaise with the module tutor to ensure you are offered appropriate support to help you get the most from 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:

1. Demonstrate a structured approach to the completion of a thorough and concise clinical history and develop mastery of targeted physical examinations.
2. Reflect on clinical decisions and clinical actions in relation to role and professional regulations.
3. Demonstrate achievement of clinical competence through objective structured clinical examination and unseen examination.

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:

4. Communicate effectively with service users and clinical colleagues.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

5. You will work collaboratively with peers in a learning community, this will help you to develop professional networks and peer support opportunities, professional goals as part of a strategy for lifelong learning and professional learning.

Formative Assessment
• You will receive verbal feedback throughout the module from the module lead, through in-class work and direct supervision of practice in class (MLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Summative Assessment
The summative assessment for this module has two parts:

1. You are required to undertake 8 clinically focused examinations within your area of practice. Three examinations are health history elicitation and the remaining five are physical examinations relating to different physical systems. You will require a clinical supervisor who can help you develop your skills and assess your competence. You will submit your completed portfolio of evidence for review.
2. Unseen written examination. Duration 2 hours. A multi-question examination paper aimed at evaluating your knowledge and understanding related to the module content (MLO 1, 2 & 4).

“ To undertake this module you must hold a valid current professional registration” (i.e.: NMC / GMC / HCPC)

None

This module has been designed to enable you to become competent in the history and examination of patients. The module has been designed to provide an essential foundation for development of skills regardless of your clinical professional background. Teaching and learning methods will include lectures, demonstrations, practical application, classroom-based supervised practice, use of clinical evidence and personal reflection. You will be assessed in two ways; 8 clinically-based examinations to demonstrate competence and safety in the assessment of patients, and a written examination all focused upon module content as applied to the clinical context.