Introduction to Long Term Conditions

Delivered by academics and clinical experts, this course aims to provide nurses with an introduction to the care and management of clients with long-term conditions, with a focus on primary care and community settings.

Content includes:

• principles of health promotion and change management
• management of specific conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory disease
• working with vulnerable adults
• case management and care coordination
• mental health and mental capacity
• adult safeguarding
• the use of emerging technologies
• understanding the therapeutic alliance and active support for self-management.

Who is it for?

Although initially developed for nurses working in primary and community care, the principles of long-term condition prevention and management apply equally to all nurses and the course therefore also has relevance to those working in secondary care or considering a career move to primary or community care.

Timetable

This course usually runs in summer as five full days on a Thursday. Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, this course will likely run as a combination of face-to-face and online learning, but the proportions will depend on Government guidance at the time.

May: Thursday 13 and 27 May 2021
June: Thursday 10 and 24 June 2021
July: Thursday 8 July 2021

Benefits

This course is worth 15 credits at Level 6, and can be undertaken as part of the BSc (Nursing Studies) programme or as a stand-alone course.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:

• Evaluate the impact of variables, conflicts and uncertainties within the wider environment on the care and management of clients with long-term conditions and the health and wellbeing of families and carers (F, S).
• Critically evaluate how changes within the NHS have impacted on the care and management of clients with long-term conditions in your practice setting (F, S).
• Apply your knowledge of pharmacology and audit in the clinical decision-making process and assess how digital technologies can be utilised to enhance the care and management of clients with long-term conditions (F).

Skills:

• Critically evaluate the impact of self-care, behaviour change and health promotion initiatives on clients, families and carers (F).
• Critically assess how effective collaboration within a multi-agency, multi-professional context can enhance the care for clients with long-term conditions, whilst always adhering to the guidelines of the Nursing and Midwifery Council [NMC] (2018) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives and DH (2012) Compassion in Practice (F, S).
• Critically evaluate what transferrable skills you can bring to the care and management of clients with long-term conditions and how the acquisition of new knowledge can enhance the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care (F, S)
• Critically evaluate how evidence-based practice can be utilised to ensure the timely identification of changes in health status, effective anticipatory care and hospital avoidance (F).
• Act as a catalyst for practice development in the care and management of clients with long-term conditions (S).

Values and attitudes:

• Critically discuss how the psychosocial effects of long-term conditions can impact on a client’s wider health and wellbeing (F, S).
• Promote and develop shared decision-making and concordant relationships with clients, families and carers to positively influence health outcomes (F).

(F=Formatively assessed, S=Summatively assessed)

Teaching

A range of teaching strategies will be used, including provision of PowerPoint slides, small group work and discussions, group presentations and practical exercises.

Assessment

This course will be assessed through your development of a clinical protocol and a 1,500-word supporting essay to demonstrate that your evidence base is contemporary to support your clinical protocol.

This course is worth 15 academic credits at Level 6.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Registered Nurses current on the NMC register

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

• Bonita, R., Beaglehole, R., Kjellström, T. 2006. Basic epidemiology. 2nd ed. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
• Cox, C. Hill, M.Lack, V. (2012). Advanced Practice: Implications for Healthcare Professionals. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon.
• Greenhalgh, T. (2010). How to read a paper: the basics of evidence based medicine. 4th Ed. London: BMJ Books.
• Hamer, S. and Collinson, G. (eds) (2005). Achieving evidence based practice. A handbook for practitioners. 2nd Ed. Edinburgh: Balliere Tindall.
• Lubkin, I. L. and Larsen, P. D. (eds) (2013) Chronic illness: impact and intervention (8th edn.) Burlington: Jones and Bartlett Learning
• NHS Modernisation Agency and National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (no date) A step-by-step guide to developing protocols.
• Northway, J. and Jenkins, R. (2013) Safeguarding Adults in Nursing Practice. London: Learning Matters.

Web sites (Recommended):

• Clinical Knowledge Summaries
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
• NHS Website (includes NHS Choices)
• Public Health England
• Best Evidence (database of research evidence, labelled by strength – login required)

Additional material will be suggested during the course.