This unit will provide the necessary learning and skills to be able to safely diagnostically reason through the process of critical thinking and evidence-based practice. Students will be able to understand the theory of clinical reasoning and the ability to apply this knowledge to their own practice areas.

This unit builds upon learning from the History Taking and Physical Examination for Advancing Practice unit and progresses consultation and therapeutic communication skills while teaching students to focus their physical examination skills depending on the presentation of the patient. You will learn how to select and analyse focussed, reasoned and proportioned investigations within the differentiation of a diagnosis whilst understanding the process of critical decision making.

Interdisciplinary collaboration and delegation will be explored and how this affects safe diagnostic reasoning and also health promotion, restoration and maintenance principles will be applied within evidence-based treatment and management plans.

The unit will explore potential causes of diagnostic error and teaches students how to mitigate these through the process of critical thinking. You will learn strategies to mitigate and manage risk within autonomous clinical practice.

This unit consists of 8 taught seminar days in university which requires facilitated group work and the opportunity to apply learning to case studies delivered by Advanced and Consultant level Practitioners. You will be expected to apply your learning in clinical practice and enhance your own knowledge around pathophysiology through self-directed study.

On completion of the unit you will have developed knowledge and insight into your own clinical and diagnostic reasoning skills and will have developed critical thinking and metacognitive skills to be a safe and considered decision maker.

It is expected that students have completed History Taking and Physical Examination for Advancing Practice or equivalent qualification prior to starting this unit as you will need to have demonstrated advanced applied anatomy and physiology and physical examination skills. You will then proceed on this unit to be able to synthesise and interpret assessment findings based on clinical reasoning, judgement and evidence-based practice to guide safe clinical decision making.

Learning outcomes

Having completed this unit, the student is expected to:

1. Demonstrate and critically appraise their developing advanced skills and knowledge utilising a range of assessment methods to ensure safe and effective decisions for patients, based on best practice and a sound evidence base;
2. Critically reflect on their critical thinking, clinical and diagnostic reasoning and decision-making skills in order to manage complex health problems;
3. Critically appraise their ability to work in partnership with others, collaborating and delegating appropriately, to optimise health outcomes;
4. Devise and critically evaluate appropriate strategies for promoting optimal health and preventing disease;
5. Demonstrate and critically reflect on their ability to establish a therapeutic relationship that empowers and educates patients, to their preferred approach to learning, motivation and developmental stage. 

Assessment

Learning outcomes 1-5 will be assessed by coursework (100%). 

Students are required to produce a case based critically reflective assignment which will enable them to achieve the learning outcomes. The assignment will allow the application of critical thinking, clinical and diagnostic reasoning in practice whilst demonstrating inter-professional collaboration, delegation and the achievement of a therapeutic relationship to differentiate a diagnosis.