HA7002 - Fundamental skills for Specialist Public Health Practice

Academically, this module reflects a transformational pedagogical approach, where, as an adult learner, you will engage in self-directed learning, critical evaluation, reflection, knowledge and skills acquisition, as well as collaborative working, which underpins and shapes teaching and learning on your programme of study. Your learning will be supported by simulation session technology enhanced learning, which will be embedded into your module teaching and learning.

The module will be delivered through a blended approach to learning with face-to-face teaching, simulated workshops and online supported learning (OSL) learning materials, guided study, seminars, practical, scenario-based activities and peer group action learning sets. Consistent with the ethos of inter-professional working, you will learn alongside other students from a range of nursing backgrounds.

The assessment strategy addresses both the theoretical and practical elements of the module and your summative assessment will be an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Formative assessment will take place in the form of group-based scenarios and feedback to prepare you for the OSCE.

You will be supported by the module team who will guide your academic learning and assessment throughout the module. The Module Lead will provide you with an overview of the module and guide you in your studies and will offer opportunities to discuss content, issues and assessment feedback. Constructive feedback is given on both formative and summative components. Each module is supported by Blackboard Ultra and all modules adhere to the university’s minimum standards. The site includes module information, assessment information, power-point presentations and e-lectures, reading lists and relevant web links.

A discussion board is available to the cohort, through which students can post comments and ask questions of their peers while you are not on campus. As identified above, peer support is encouraged and facilitated via the action learning system embedded within this module and your programme of study. A group tutorial will help you prepare for the summative assessment. Your Programme Lead and Personal Tutor are also available to offer guidance on academic support throughout the programme.

The University Libraries at both Coach Lane and City Campus offer an extensive collection of material, both hard copy and electronic, access to international databases and training in information retrieval. A variety of study-skills-related help sheets and online videos can be found on the library Skills Plus site. You can also access a range of student support and wellbeing services via Student Central at Coach Lane Campus Library or by accessing the student support and wellbeing pages and Ask4Help via your electronic student portal.

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. Synthesise a range of evidence to conduct a thorough, concise and accurate assessment and history concerning a practice-based scenario relevant to your specialist field of practice.
2. Utilising appropriate public health theory, models and approaches to assessment and motivational interviewing develop a robust formulation to evidence your decision making and support your field specific scenario.
3. Interpret, understand, critically and systematically evaluate the contemporary evidence, professional, legal and ethical principles in order to make sound judgments and recommendations for practice.

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:
4. Show ability to synthesise, apply advanced knowledge and skill to articulate, document and defend your judgements and actions effectively to a range of audiences, including peers, colleagues and service users.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Work independently and in collaboration with peers, colleagues, and service users to assess, plan and lead care using a collaborative approach. Demonstrate professional behaviours including resilience to promote and engage in health enhancing activities.

Formative assessment
This will be ongoing throughout the module and you will engage in interactive self-assessment via the ELP and during taught sessions. You will have the opportunity to practice scenarios as a small group, focusing on your assessment and intervention skills. This will formulate your formative assessment and provide the opportunity for informal peer feedback and reflection.
(MLO’s 1-5)

Summative assessment:
This will be an Objective (field specific) Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), which will assess your ability to take a concise holistic focussed assessment, and summarise your findings and plan of action using contemporary public health theories, models and interventions. Demonstrating your awareness of evidence based critical knowledge, skills and behaviours.

During this assessment you will be expected to complete 3 stations of 30 minutes each in duration. Each station will provide you with a case study relevant to your specialist field of practice, on which to base your assessment, intervention summary and plan. (MLO’s 1-5)

Your marks and feedback will be provided electronically via Blackboard Ultra.

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This module focuses Fundamental skills for Specialist Public Health Practice. You will learn how to empower individuals, groups and communities. To develop effective partnerships, to facilitate shared decision making in order to make every public health contact count. This is a practice focused module where you will concentrate on a range of symptom complexes and practice-based scenarios pertinent to your field of practice. You will advance your specialist knowledge with regards to understanding the theory of public health models and how to apply them within clinical specialist practice. During this module you will be able to evaluate routine clinical investigations and assess the severity of symptom complexes relating to your field of practice. Utilising advanced communication skills you will effectively communicate your findings to other members of the inter-professional team, service users, their families and other stakeholders where appropriate. You will apply your advanced analytic and assessment skills through a wide range of scenarios and, from interpretation of your findings, formulate a plan of care, which is compatible with the needs of the service user and the practice context. Promoting health and preventing ill health are key drivers of the NHS. Encouraging and supporting families with regards to lifestyle changes that could improve their health is an element of specialist nursing that you will undertake in a host of community environments. Understanding the development of strategies to tackle ill health and inequalities will be examined alongside the development of techniques to support adults and their family.
A range of health promotion approaches, and models will be examined whilst you develop your skills in promoting behaviour change in your professional practice. You will explore the relationship between the wider health determinants of health, wellbeing and health inequalities incorporating skills required to understand and undertake a community approach.

Your learning will be supported by technology enhanced learning, which will be embedded into your module teaching and learning. The module will be delivered through a blended approach to learning - online supported learning (OSL) and learning materials, guided study, seminars, practical, scenario-based activities and tutorials. This module will prepare you for your specialist role, with learning outcomes benefitting all aspects of your practice, helping to provide you and your peers with contemporary knowledge, skills and values desired in the workplace.

The summative assessment for this module is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).