Advanced Respiratory Practice
Module
- Attendance mode
- Part-time
- Start date(s)
- January
- Duration
- 6 months
- Location
- City Campus
UK students can apply
Overview
The application deadline for the next intake is: 15 December 2023
Impoverished respiratory health is a common cause of hospital admission/ increased healthcare input. Many admissions to critical care units and many referrals for critical care review are driven by deterioration in a patient’s respiratory health.
This module develops students’ knowledge and skills in relation to caring for patients with a range of respiratory pathologies with specific attention to the use of invasive and non-invasive ventilation strategies, tracheostomy/laryngectomy care, chest drains, the contribution of physiotherapy and associated pharmacology and care of vulnerable patients.
The module is designed to appeal to critical care nurses and physiotherapists, urgent care nurses, healthcare professionals in respiratory care areas such as acute respiratory care units (ARCUs), and healthcare professionals with a special interest in respiratory health.
The module is available at both Level 6 and Level 7 and also forms part of the Critical Care CCE/PGCert.
The module has six days of teaching, one day of assignment preparation support, and one day of assessment.
This module is subject to having a viable number of students to run.
Fees, finance and scholarships
Tuition fee
30 credits: £1,836
Additional costs
There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.
Financial support
Health Education England may fund some health courses/modules at the University of Bradford for healthcare staff providing NHS services working within West Yorkshire and Harrogate, against organisational training priorities identified through the organisations training needs analysis.
You are therefore advised to contact the SSPRD Signatory within your organisation regarding their organisational training priorities.
See our fees and financial support section.
Scholarships
Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.
Entry requirements
- Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional
- Relevant experience/access to relevant clinical area (e.g. ICU/HDU/A&E/Acute respiratory care/High Observation Area)
- First level degree or equivalent
What you will study
This module is provided as part of a interdisciplinary Framework within the Faculty of Health Studies. The Framework enables students to create an individualised programme of study that will meet either their needs and/or their employers’ needs for a changing diverse workforce within a modern organisation.
Module content comprises of:
Respiratory pathologies
Common and less common respiratory pathology resultant in critical care admission: COPD and acute/infective exacerbation of COPD; management of asthma include acute and stable presentation; pneumonia including ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and sepsis secondary to chest sepsis; COVID-19/ARDS/ALI; pulmonary embolism (PE); unusual anatomy and physiology and ramifications for respiratory health: kyphosis, scoliosis, spinal cord lesion; alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency; cystic fibrosis.
Invasive ventilation
Indications and contraindications for invasive ventilation; settings and modes of invasive ventilation including rationale for these. Nursing practices of care of the invasively ventilated patient to include tracheal tube management, humidification, suctioning, patient positioning. Patient challenges during invasive ventilation: time-critical emergencies: bronchospasm/laryngospasm, compromised airway, blocked/misplaced tube, difficult intubation, tension pneumothorax and non-time critical emergencies: ventilator asynchrony; weaning; deterioration including prone positioning and referral to ECMO.
Non-invasive ventilation
Indications and contraindications for non-invasive ventilation (NIV); settings/modes to include BIPAP and CPAP and interfaces (face masks, nasal cannulae and hoods) used/not used to deliver these modes. Nursing practices in the care of the patient during NIV to include: pressure area care, eye and mouth hygiene, hydration and nutrition needs. Patient challenges during NIV: non-concordance; cardiovascular effects; failure; ethical decision-making – to invasively ventilated or not, managing ceilings of care.
Tracheostomy and laryngectomy care
Based upon the content of the Electronic Learning for Health e-learning programme: Tracheostomy Safety (NTSP). This programme covers: Understanding Tracheostomies and Laryngectomies; Emergency Care; Basic Care Done Well; Emergency Front of Neck Airway. Following this study day students will be advised to complete the ELfH e-learning programme if they have not already done so.
Therapeutics: chest drains, physiotherapy and pharmacology
Indications and contraindications for chest drains, types of chest drains, their use and care. The contribution and scope of respiratory/chest physiotherapy including the role of the specialist physiotherapist. The indications, side-effects, contradictions and doses of a range of medicines to include: beta-agonists such as salbutamol, antimuscarinic bronchodilators such as ipratropium and tiotropium, theophylline and aminophylline, corticosteroids such as beclomethasone, budesonide and fluticasone, leukotriene receptor antagonists such as montelukast and antihistamines such as cetirizine and chlorphenamine. Anti-bacterials, antifungals and anti-virals used in the treatment of respiratory disease will be covered briefly. Mucolytics and isotonic/hypertonic saline in respect of secretion management will also be covered briefly. In this session the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drug families will be focused upon with brief reference only to afore mentioned examples of name drugs/medications.
Career prospects
This module forms part of the PGCert/CCE in Critical Care which meets the Guidelines for the Provision of Intensive Care Services (GPICS) recommendations for postgraduate critical care nurse training. A qualification in this area is highly regarded by employers, and will support career progression in your chosen field.
Career support
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.
Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.