1. APPLY CLIENT SENSITIVE PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT SKILLS DEMONSTRATING A SYSTEMATIC KNOWLEDGE AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF APPLIED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
2. COMMUNICATE THE FINDINGS OF PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT TO THE PRECEPTOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH CARE TEAM, DEMONSTRATING PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING SKILLS
3. DEMONSTRATE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF LIMITATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS WHEN UNDERTAKING PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT

A case presentation to the clinical preceptor of a chosen patient's physical health assessment Pass/Fail 0% (contributes to the achievement of learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3)

A 90-minute multiple choice question paper (90 questions) testing knowledge of systems including. anatomy and physiology/pathophysiology/assessment process (contributes to the achievement of learning outcome 1, 2 & 3)

A clinical hour’s log charting at least 30 hours spent with the clinical preceptor (contributes to the achievement of Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3)

All 3 components of assessment must be passed

This module enables students to gain and expand knowledge and skill in the performance of physical assessment across the lifespan, clinical decision making and the development of practice skills. Physical assessment skills development is based upon a systems approach which compares normal and abnormal findings from physical examination of the following:
Skin, Nails, Hair, Head, eyes, ears nose, throat and neck
Musculoskeletal system
Respiratory system
Female and male health
Cardio and peripheral vascular system
Neurological system and movement
Gastro intestinal
Mental health assessment
History taking will be an integral part of the module
Mental health assessment
History taking will be an integral part of the module

This course is designed for registered nurses and other health professionals in clinical practice who wish to acquire physical examination skills to enhance patient care and optimise service provision. Increasingly nurses and other health care professionals are required to perform patient assessments and make autonomous decisions regarding potential treatment and/or referral. This clinically focused module will form the foundation for your on-going learning in clinical assessment. It is a principles module and as such it will give you basic assessment capabilities. It has been designed to introduce you to the fundamental skills and knowledge required to take a comprehensive history and physical examination of the adult patient.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (84 hours)
54 hours structured lectures
30 hours learning with clinical preceptor

Guided Independent Study: (116 hours)
Independent learning prior to the individual study days 75 hours
Exam prep 41 hours

Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking, 13th Edition’ (2020)¿ProtoView. Beaverton: Ringgold, Inc. .
Jarvis, C. (2019)¿Physical examination and health assessment / Study guide and laboratory manual.¿8th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier.

Raftery, A.T., Lim, E.K.S. and Ostor, A.J.K. (2014)¿Churchill’s Pocketbook of Differential Diagnosis. London: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Schroeder, K. (2017) The 10-Minute Clinical Assessment. 2nd Edition. Chichester. John Wiley and Sons.

Library
IT resources
Skills laboratory for taught sessions with appropriate clinical instruments to facilitate physical assessment
Microsoft teams

Blackboard VLE
Clinical practice placement, practice based preceptor

Students wishing to undertake this module must have written support from their employer and an identified clinical preceptor