This degree level course is made up of two units: 

• Unit 1: Systematic Assessment of the Critically Ill Patient (20 credits)
• Unit 2: Developing Competence in the Care of the Critically Ill Patient (40 credits)

You must complete both units. You must successfully complete unit 1 before you can continue onto complete unit 2.

Upon successful completion of both units 1 & 2 at level 6 will be eligible to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Critical Care.

Unit 1: Systematic Assessment of the Critically Ill Patient

The aim of this unit is to enhance the student’s knowledge base relating to physiological processes, to develop their ability to assess critically ill patients and to enable them to plan appropriate nursing management for patients in their care. The unit will enable you to develop the knowledge of how to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the critically ill patient, apply your finding to the underlying pathophysiology and interpret the results. You will be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills appraising best practice utilising the existing research and guidance and evaluating the effectiveness of care interventions. 

Unit 2: Developing Competence in the Care of the Critical Ill Patient

This unit will enable students to continue to develop their professional practice and leadership skills in the field of critical care and its service delivery. The unit will enable students to work toward the National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care to support the safe delivery of high-quality care for all. Alongside this you will consider the critically ill patients’ and relatives’ psychological, social and ethical aspects of care, critically evaluating and applying appropriate responses to their coping strategies. You will also reflect on collaborative working within the critical care team to promote change and improve personal effectiveness.

Learning and Teaching methods

Each unit requires approximately 200 hours to complete which will include lectures, seminars and self-managed learning. In addition to the taught sessions you will spend a minimum of 90 hours per unit engaged in direct practice in your own clinical area, where you will be allocated a practice assessor.

You will also be required to undertake further study to complete the learning outcomes of the units and assessment which is the equivalence of approximately 80 hours per unit , and you should negotiate this additional student-managed time on a personal basis with your line manager.

This course requires 100% attendance.

Assessment

Unit 1: A written assessment based on a client they have nursed who has multi-system failure (failure of two or more systems)  (3,000 words equivalent)

Unit 2: Students will complete two elements of assessment:

• A practice portfolio of evidence of competence (5,000 word equivalence)
• An MCQ exam (pass/fail) 

Both elements of assessment must be passed.