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Anaesthetic Practice BSc (Hons) / Postgraduate Certificate; MSc; PGDip; Professional Certificate

  • Level(s) of Study: Professional
  • Start Date(s): Certificate – March each year. BSc and MSc – September/ October each year
  • Duration: Certificate: 1 year part time; BSc: 18 months part-time; MSc: 2-5 years part-time
  • Study Mode(s): Part-time
  • Campus: Clifton Campus
  • Entry Requirements: More information

Introduction:

The Institute of Health and Allied Professions at NTU offers a comprehensive suite of continuous professional development (CPD) courses that have been designed and developed to meet the needs of the local health sector workforce.

The Anaesthetic Practice (post-registration) courses have been developed with have been developed with Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust critical care leads, alongside NTU colleagues from the Institute of Health and Allied Professions.

The principle aims for this course is to provide post-qualification continuing professional development pertinent to the students’ area of work and enhance the knowledge skills and values of staff within anaesthesia. These are core attributes required to develop and deliver a workforce, with the capabilities to deliver a safe and world-class service to anaesthetic / theatre patients.

Why do this course?

  • Tailor your learning experience to suit your professional development needs, with a range of qualifications available at different levels.
  • Benefit from our collaborative course design with specialist colleagues from Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust.

What you’ll study

The course is aligned to the National Standards for British Anaesthetic and Recovery Nurses Association (BARNA) and the National Core Curriculum for Perioperative Nursing.

The course values are rooted in a commitment to practice excellence, and in the development and delivery of anaesthetic care by staff to patients. To enable this, the course is co-produced and developed with clear leadership from senior clinical experts and a focus of delivery in a clinical environment.

Therefore, the award and the associated CPD framework is a means by which individual anaesthetic practitioners, and the health service providers, meet and advance the standards of practice.

You will develop academic and practice skills and knowledge, utilising research, critically exploring evidence, and applying this learning to their professional practice as anaesthetic nurses.

The content will include theory on the physiology and  practice of caring for anaesthetic patients using a system based approach. The taught elements of the course will be via a variety of facilitative teaching techniques in order to address the differing learning styles of the students. These include, evidence based lecture style, scenario based learning and the inclusion of clinical skills simulation.. The learning environment and level of teaching will be the same for each level of study (post registration certificate, (level 6) or post graduate (level 7) The level of study and therefore attainment will be differentiated at assessment only, students will be assessed at either Level 6 or 7.

Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

This module focuses on the assessment, management and care of the elective  anaesthetic  patient and covers the core principles of anaesthesia.

Enhanced Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

After studying this module you should be able to have a critical understanding of knowledge and demonstrate in practice the assessment, management and care of the anaesthetic patients in a variety of setting e.g. obstetrics, ENT, emergencies, out of area care.

Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

This module focuses on the assessment, management and care of the elective  anaesthetic  patient and covers the core principles of anaesthesia.

Enhanced Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

After studying this module you should be able to have a critical understanding of knowledge and demonstrate in practice the assessment, management and care of the anaesthetic patients in a variety of setting e.g. obstetrics, ENT, emergencies, out of area care.

Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

This module focuses on the assessment, management and care of the elective  anaesthetic  patient and covers the core principles of anaesthesia.

Enhanced Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

After studying this module you should be able to have a critical understanding of knowledge and demonstrate in practice the assessment, management and care of the anaesthetic patients in a variety of setting e.g. obstetrics, ENT, emergencies, out of area care.

Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care

This module explores contemporary issues and debates in health research. The module will prepare students with the knowledge and skills required to undertake research in their chosen field of professional practice.

Optional Modules

Lifecycle of Clinical Research (30 credits)

This module aims to develop understanding of the practical and regulatory issues associated with carrying out health and social care related research. You’ll explore different types of research studies and their challenges, discuss research design and delivery including the importance of patient and public involvement, and learn how to identify funding and resource requirements.

Leading Health and Social Care Research (30 credits)

This module aims to help you understand the principles of planning, patient recruitment, piloting and feasibility assessments. You will explore how collaboration can enhance study feasibility and quality, appraise the attributes of an inclusive researcher, and develop a critical and reflective approach to leading and delivering health and social care research.

Trial Management (30 credits)

This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to manage a research study, including project planning, resource management and risk management. Your skills and confidence to manage a clinical trial will be enhanced, and you will explore strategies that can be implemented to ensure strategies are completed on-time and within budget.

Research Governance (15 credits)

In this module you will review Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles for conducting and reporting clinical trials. You will discuss quality assurance and quality control systems used for monitoring and audit, and learn to effectively prepare for an inspection.

Research Ethics (15 credits)

In this module you will develop an awareness of the key ethical issues in research, the role of ethics committees, and research governance. You will discuss how research ethics and research integrity protect the safety of research participants, and explore how to identify ethical issues across the design, delivery and management of research.

Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

This module focuses on the assessment, management and care of the elective  anaesthetic  patient and covers the core principles of anaesthesia.

Enhanced Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

After studying this module you should be able to have a critical understanding of knowledge and demonstrate in practice the assessment, management and care of the anaesthetic patients in a variety of setting e.g. obstetrics, ENT, emergencies, out of area care.

Evidence in Clinical Practice

This module recognises the importance of clinical expertise as key to interpreting and applying research and professional evidence into practice. During this module students will learn how to find evidence and critically analyse theoretical, scientific, and ethical aspects of their chosen sources. Students will consider how evidence can inform proactive and make credible recommendations for change.

Independent Study

This module provides you with the opportunity for originality and intellectual independence into specific area of your practice. Students will be able to choose between an impact study (e.g. service evaluation or audit), a clinical change project, or critical review of practice.

Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

This module focuses on the assessment, management and care of the elective  anaesthetic  patient and covers the core principles of anaesthesia.

Enhanced Anaesthetic Practice (30 credits)

After studying this module you should be able to have a critical understanding of knowledge and demonstrate in practice the assessment, management and care of the anaesthetic patients in a variety of setting e.g. obstetrics, ENT, emergencies, out of area care.

Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care

This module explores contemporary issues and debates in health research. The module will prepare students with the knowledge and skills required to undertake research in their chosen field of professional practice.

Independent Study

This module provides you with the opportunity for originality and intellectual independence into specific area of your practice. Students will be able to choose between an impact study (e.g. service evaluation or audit), a clinical change project, or critical review of practice.

Optional Modules

Lifecycle of Clinical Research (30 credits)

This module aims to develop understanding of the practical and regulatory issues associated with carrying out health and social care related research. You’ll explore different types of research studies and their challenges, discuss research design and delivery including the importance of patient and public involvement, and learn how to identify funding and resource requirements.

Leading Health and Social Care Research (30 credits)

This module aims to help you understand the principles of planning, patient recruitment, piloting and feasibility assessments. You will explore how collaboration can enhance study feasibility and quality, appraise the attributes of an inclusive researcher, and develop a critical and reflective approach to leading and delivering health and social care research.

Trial Management (30 credits)

This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to manage a research study, including project planning, resource management and risk management. Your skills and confidence to manage a clinical trial will be enhanced, and you will explore strategies that can be implemented to ensure strategies are completed on-time and within budget.

Research Governance (15 credits)

In this module you will review Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles for conducting and reporting clinical trials. You will discuss quality assurance and quality control systems used for monitoring and audit, and learn to effectively prepare for an inspection.

Research Ethics (15 credits)

In this module you will develop an awareness of the key ethical issues in research, the role of ethics committees, and research governance. You will discuss how research ethics and research integrity protect the safety of research participants, and explore how to identify ethical issues across the design, delivery and management of research.

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How you’re taught

Delivery Mode

The teaching strategy is multi-modal and adopts a blended approach, with a clear commitment to face-to-face teaching and learning supported by online learning materials, small group discussions, presentations and practical exercises. Lectures will develop students’ subject knowledge and understanding and will aim to build on previous learning.

Throughout the course, each module will encourage students to not only examine the knowledge and skills requirements for advanced and competent practice, it will also explore specific themes, based upon experiences in practice. In this way students will be able to integrate learning across the “theory and practice” divide and to emphasise the importance of the practice component. Where appropriate, learning on the course will be led and enhanced by the contributions of external professional staff with specialist expertise. This co-delivery of education will enable learners to benefit from both clinical and academic expertise to augment their learning and provides a symbiotic approach to professional development.

Clinical Area

Working in a Theatre/ Anaesthetic  setting is a compulsory component of the course to enable you to develop the necessary competencies required for the course. You will spend time in a variety of  clinical areas working with dedicated Clinical supervisors who will guide and develop your skills and knowledge and assess you in practice alongside other competent anaesthetic and theatre staff .

You will continue to work your standard shift patterns this will include unsociable hours including days, nights, weekends and bank holidays.

How you’re assessed

  • Critical evaluation
  • Critical reflection
  • Case study analysis –
  • Skills stations –
  • Observations of practice - observations may be carried out by mentors, managers or peers depending on the level and context of the module
  • Multi Choice Questions (MCQ) -
  • Clinical Competency assessed against the National Standards for British Anaesthetic and Recovery Nurses Association (BARNA) and the National Core Curriculum for Perioperative Nursing – via portfolio.
  • Observed structured clinical examination (OSCE)

Campus and facilities

The purpose-built Health & Allied Professions (HAP) Centre is home to our world-class teaching, practice, research and scholarship in the Institute of Health and Allied Professions (IHAP).

Entry requirements

  • Applicants will be registered nurses or healthcare professionals currently working in a theatre  setting (if any doubt exists as to whether the clinical area will meet the clinical competency requirements a discussion should be held with the course lead regarding the possibility of a clinical placement )
  • Applicants for the Professional certificate must have a level 5 qualification, applicants for the Post graduate certificate must have a level 6 qualification or evidence of the ability to study at Level 6
  • Applicants should have at least 1 years theatre experience
  • Applicants must be supported by the managers and have an appropriate clinical supervisor to assess their competencies

Fees and funding

Fees for courses starting between September 2024 and July 2025

Level of study Course cost
ProfCert and PGCert £2,650
BSc £4,900
MSc £7,950

Fees for courses starting between September 2025 and July 2026

Level of study Course cost
ProfCert and PGCert £2,700
BSc £5,000
MSc £8,100

*Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

How to apply

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can.

Download and complete our application form and return it to SOC.cpd@ntu.ac.uk. Please make sure you have read through the above course entry requirements carefully before you do.

This course is not open to international students

Keeping up to date

After you've applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder. You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU in our postgraduates’ guide.

Good luck with your application!

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