This module enables health care professionals to gain and expand their knowledge and skills in the performance of assessing adults/ children with minor injuries.

It focuses upon the practice of minor injury assessment and how the use of history taking and observation informs diagnosis.

Principles of clinical assessment, musculoskeletal assessment and underlying physiology to enable students to undertake a comprehensive and focused examination and assessment of adults/ children with upper and lower limb injuries, wounds, ENT complaints/injuries, eye injuries, minor head injuries.

In addition, history taking and consultation skills, clinical decision-making skills will be developed.

Professional accountability, guidelines and protocols, legal and ethical issues, appropriate documentation, autonomy and competence, patient group directions will also be explored.

The module will facilitate the individual to relate the core content to their own clinical role.

A written assignment which critically analyses the clinical assessment of a minor injury undertaken in clinical practice. It should examine, in detail, appropriate evidence-based aspects of the physical examination of a minor injury (history taking, look, feel, move) and any appropriate diagnostic tests or referral pathways that may be required (Los 3 & 4).

Completion of a clinical competency document which has been signed off by an appropriate clinical preceptor (LOs 1 & 2)

All elements must be passed. If this is part of a professional award, no compensation will be considered.

Additional Assessment Details (include formative feedback / assessment):

Formative feedback: skills laboratory practice, practice feedback, tutorial support, scenario discussions, role play

Group tutorial on assignment with formative feedback on assignment plan
Formative feedback from clinical preceptor in a clinical practice setting.

Scheduled Learning and teaching activities (40 hours)
lectures, skills practice, assignment tutorials, group work, problem-based learning

Guided Independent Study (110 hours)
40 hours of practice with a clinical preceptor in practice, skills acquisition, demonstration of skills acquired and assessment in clinical practice, completion of competency document.

35 hours reading, study and blackboard
35 hours assignment preparation

Module Learning Outcome

1. PRACTICALLY DEMONSTRATE A SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES IN RELATION TO PATIENTS WITH MINOR INJURIES

2. APPLY THE RELEVANT METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN “NORMAL” AND “ABNORMAL” FINDINGS AND IDENTIFY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ONGOING PATIENT CARE

3. CRITICALLY EVALUATE APPROPRIATE EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES IN THE RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH MINOR INJURIES AND REFLECT UPON YOUR ROLE IN THIS PROCESS

Skill laboratories, Blackboard VLE, video demonstration materials, IT facilities, access to workplace placements.

BICKLEY, L. (2016) Bates Guide to Physical Assessment and History Taking. 12th Ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

PURCELL, D. (2017) Minor Injuries: A Clinical Guide. 3nd Ed. London: Churchill Livingston.

SOLOMAN, L. WARWICK, D, J. AND NAYAGAM, S. (2014) Apley’s concise system of orthopaedics and trauma. 4rd Ed. Hodder Arnold

A qualified and registered healthcare professional with at least one-year post registration experience.

Students must be clinically based (with appropriate liability insurance provision, in employment, or have an honorary contract) and have the written support of their manager who will support the student to achieve protected time for clinical and classroom-based learning. Students must also provide written confirmation of an identified clinical preceptor, who must be a senior clinician, experienced in the field in which the assessment is to take place and be prepared to accept the role as assessor.

Throughout this module you will gain and expand your knowledge and skills in assessing adults and children with minor injuries. You will focus upon the practice of minor injury assessment and learn to use history taking and observation to inform your diagnosis and treatment plans. You will draw upon your own experience and relate the core content of this module to your own clinical role.