About This Course
This is a part-time, level 6 short course delivered on our 69´«Ã½ campus, with some content accessed online (blended learning method)
Who is this course for?
This short course is suitable for NMC registered nurses, midwifes or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPH) with at least 12 months experience working within critical care settings
Why study this course?
The aim of this level 6 short course will be to support the learner to:
- Use a systems-based approach to gain an in-depth understanding of anatomy and physiology.
- Apply principles of person-centred approach to caring for the critically ill.
- Critically evaluate evidence-based medicine and its application to the critical care environment.
- Begin to build a range of clinical skills used in caring for the critically ill.
How long does this course take to complete?
This part-time short course runs over 18 weeks, usually during semester 2 of the academic year.
The next course will start in January 2025, and will run on a Thursday:
- The first 12 weeks include 8 taught sessions, delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face methods. Face-to-face delivery will be on our campus in 69´«Ã½.
- 1 simulation day
- 3 asynchronous directed study sessions. You will not be expected to attend the campus on these days. However, there will be set work for you to complete which might include watching pre-recorded content, researching content on various websites, reading chapters or articles.
- The last 6 weeks of the course are directed study days to allow time for the learner to complete and submit their written work and competencies.
Further Information
Assessments on this short course will include: 
- an unseen Anatomy and Physiology Exam on 3 April 2025 (which will be the last day of the short course).
- 4 x 500 word blog on topics related to the care of patients in a critical care setting.
- Completion of clinical competencies from the Critical Care Network National Competency Steps Framework for Adult Critical Care Nurses (Steps 2 and 3 competencies).
Tutor
Eirlys Walker
Eirlys has over 30 years experience of working in the Critical Care environment both as a nurse and as an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner and has recently joined the academic team within the School of Health Sciences as a lecturer on the Critical Care Programme
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
This module focuses predominantly on building and developing the learners’ knowledge of the Anatomy and Physiology of 5 of the main body systems that are commonly affected by illness necessitating Critical Care Admission: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Renal, Gastrointestinal and Neurological.
The module will provide an understanding of the normal functioning of the body before moving on to look at abnormal function.
The Module Content will include but is not limited to:
- Arterial blood gas interpretation
- Introduction to pharmocology
- Recognition of a deteriorating patient
- Delirium
- Nutrition in the Criticallly ill
- Professionalism and leadership
- ECG interpretation
- Non-Invasive ventilation
- Shock and sepsis
- End of life care
- Fluid Management
- Chest Auscultation
The module also includes a day of simulation, where students will run through clinical scenarios in the simulation suite with a manequin, assessing illness and making treatment and management decisions based on the assessment.
Course Cost
- Enquiries regarding Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) funding should be directed to bcu.nurseeducation@wales.nhs.uk.
- Funding opportunities may be available for those working locally (i.e. in the north Wales and Powys areas), please contact the relevant module co-ordinator for details.
- All other application and funding related enquiries should be directed to the module co-ordinator .
Entry Requirements
Applicants must fulfil the following criteria to be considered eligible for this course:
- NMC registered nurse, midwife or Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPH)
- Working in a Critical Care role with at least 12 months experience/completed the Steps 1 Critical Care Competencies. Students will need a workplace mentor.
Application
How to Apply
Please make sure you read and follow the step-by-step application guide as this will specify which sections of the application form are compulsory for the type of course you want to apply for and save you time.
Please prepare the following information (in a Word document):
- Current employment details;
- Years of experience, and employment history (where relevant)
- Name of staff member and organisation that have approved your funding for this module.
This will speed up the process of completing the application form.
To apply for this course, you need to create an account in our
You will need access to the email address you specify while creating your account to confirm it.
Step 2 - Application Tabs (Personal, Info, Contact)
After creating an account, you will see a homepage with several tabs:
- Personal
- Programme
- Info
- Contact
- Education
- Employment
- Language
- Finance
You need to complete all sections before submitting your application.
When a section is complete, a ‘tick’ symbol will appear below it.
- Click on ‘Non-graduating applications / Stand alone Modules’, then select ‘Non-graduating Undergraduate’.
- In the next section, select Non-Graduating Taught Modules in Health(NGU/HS) Click Save and Continue.
- On the next page, the default for the first question is Full Time. You need to change this to ‘Part time’:
- You now need to input the module code. Fundamentals of Critical Care: the code is NHS:3209. This section must be completed for your application to be processed.
- You also need to state the start date. Please make your selection, then click ‘Save and Continue’.
- IMPORTANT: You do not need to write a personal statement to apply for this course. Instead, please upload the document including employment, experience and education information that you have created prior to starting the application that contains the name of your current employer, the number of years of experience you have, and your highest qualification to date. Click Save and continue.
You only need to enter the details of your highest qualification to date, e.g. if you have a postgraduate qualification, please only only include this.
You will be asked for evidence of the qualification. Please either upload a copy of your qualification if it's easily accessible, or upload the Word document again (that you prepared earlier).
(details not required as you've already prepared this)
Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘I have no employment history’ (as you have already provided this in your Word document).
If you are HEIW / Health Board funded, please answer the questions as follows:
- How will you finance your studies? Sponsored
- Exact name of funding authority: Health Board
- Country: United Kingdom
- Give details of the amount of the award? Fully funded.
- Sponsorship will cover: Tuition Fees
- Have you been awarded this funding? Please select ‘yes’ * Note that you will be required to upload evidence of the funding. If you wish to confirm ‘yes’ to this question, but do not have any written confirmation to upload, you can upload your Word document here again.
If you are self-funding, please provide all details as appropriate.