Operating Department Practice Diploma of Higher Education

Course content

Units marked with IP will be delivered interprofessionally, which means you will be learning with other students including social workers, nurses, midwives, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. This is intended to reflect the working environment you are preparing for.

Learning will include a range of strategies including seminars, lectures, e-learning, shared learning with paramedic students, interprofessional learning, clinical skills and student presentations.

Year One - Level C

• Communication and Group Working

Good personal and interpersonal communications are central to collaboration, the efficiency of group working and the resulting quality of care. In this unit you will learn with the paramedic students to develop communications skills and explore group process in both professional and partnership settings.

• Foundations in Anaesthetic Care

Many patients within anaesthetics are highly anxious and modern anaesthetic technique demands the carer to have an in-depth knowledge of how to care for the patient before, during and after anaesthesia.

• Foundations in Surgical Care

In this unit you will explore the factors in surgical care that require consideration in order to deliver the duty of care owed to all patients.

• Foundations in Postanaesthetic Care

This unit will give you the requisites to practice post-operative care.

• Foundation Knowledge and Practice: Portfolio 1

This is a practical unit where you will have opportunities to learn from a variety of clinical experiences and contexts where you will be facilitated, supported and assessed by registered practitioners.

Year Two - Level I

• Exploring Evidence to Guide Practice (IP)

This unit aims to raise your awareness of a range of evidence and you will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how different forms of evidence can effectively guide practice.

• Care in Anaesthesia

This unit will give you a framework to explore the multi-dimensional nature of the practice of anaesthetic care and gain insight and understanding of your individual responsibility in the co-ordination of safe and competent care.

• Care in Surgery

In this unit you will explore the multi-dimensional nature of the practice of intra-operative care and gain insight and understanding of your individual responsibility in the co-ordination of safe and competent care.

• Care in Postanaesthesia

This unit will prepare you for the autonomous role of delivering effective practice of postanaesthetic care.

• Advancing Knowledge and Practice: Portfolio 2

This is a practical unit with an opportunity to gain experience in different areas of practice to enable you to develop the required standard of proficiency practice to meet client/patient needs.