Advanced Physical Assessment, Critical Thinking and Diagnostic Reasoning Across the Lifespan CPPD

Course overview

This module aims to contribute to the development of a knowledgeable, competent Advanced Nurse Practitioner capable of fulfilling the competencies and domains (NMC, 2006; RCN, 2012; AANPE, 2008 and DH, 2010) implicit in Advanced Practice.

Advanced Practice encompasses education, management and research and is designed to deliver quality care to individual patients and families.  To achieve this Advanced Practitioners are required to draw on their extensive in-depth knowledge, clinical expertise, professional and clinical judgement.   This module will provide Practitioners with opportunities to develop their knowledge of clinically relevant biological sciences, patient consultation, and physical assessment skills and advance their analytical, critical reasoning, diagnostic and patient management skills. Emphasis will be placed on holistic and humanistic care utilising effective collaborative approaches in patient management, referral and discharge.

Aims of this module are to enable you to:

• Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the concepts of health and how these could contribute to optimal quality of life.
• Adapt your role to changing developments in health, social care and medical practice.
• Build upon existing knowledge and skills by drawing on relevant theoretical, clinical and research perspectives related to effective patient consultation and physical assessment.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of the disease specific pathophysiology related to common acute, long-term and end of life conditions.
• Demonstrate competence in health assessment and utilising critical reasoning in extrapolating clinically significant evidence and formulating diagnostic conclusions.

Module dates