Advanced Cardiac Care

Overview

With the increased demand for access to critical care beds, the requirement for enhanced care provision has become more common within acute hospital trusts.

This has been particularly salient throughout the pandemic of COVID-19 where many patients who would have traditionally required critical care admission were nursed outside of critical care areas, instead being cared for in level 1/enhanced care areas.

Local Trusts have recognised that there is a requirement for these patients to be cared for in not only an appropriately equipped clinical area but also by appropriately knowledgeable and skilled healthcare professionals.

There have therefore been multiple requests for a module which meets these requirements from a cardiac care perspective, in recognition that this is not available elsewhere in the region.

Recognising the vulnerability of the deteriorating patient in acute care settings, the Critical Care National Network of Nurse leaders and National Outreach Forum have developed a set of competencies for practitioners who care for level one/enhanced care patients.

This module seeks to provide practitioners with adequate knowledge and skills pertinent to the cardiac section of these competencies. It is intended to run alongside the ‘Advanced Respiratory Care’ module to form the Postgraduate Certificate in Enhanced Clinical Practice though can be undertaken as a single, standalone module.

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.

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. 

Entry requirements

• Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional

• Relevant postgraduate experience/access to relevant clinical area, including coronary care units, high observation areas, or critical care units.

What you will study

This module is provided as part of an 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:

Anatomy & Physiology of the Cardiovascular System

Understanding ‘usual’ anatomy and physiology will help students to understand how and why patients experience altered physiology when things go wrong for them and their health. This learning will be consolidated with simulated clinical learning.

Pathophysiology

Commonly observed cardiac conditions which result in a requirement for enhanced care will be covered. These include shock, acute coronary syndrome, hypotension, hypertension and pulmonary oedema. In addition to pathophysiology, management plans will also be discussed and implemented through simulated clinical learning.

Detecting Cardiac Abnormality

This day will cover 12 and 3-lead ECG interpretation in addition to cardiac biochemistry. This learning will be consolidated with simulated clinical learning.

Management of Blood Pressure

Detail will be provided on the determinants of blood pressure, management of fluid status, and caring for central venous access devices. This learning will be consolidated with simulated clinical learning.

Pharmacology and recognition of life-threatening conditions

Pharmacology of commonly used medications in cardiac care will be provided in detail to facilitate safe and effective practice in enhanced care areas.

Additionally, this day will include a patient experience session on cardiac rehabilitation and simulated clinical practice related to recognising and responding to life-threatening emergencies.