School of HealthcareFACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH

The design and delivery of an interdisciplinary MSc in

Advanced Practice

Professor Claire Hale

Development of the Programme

• In 2008 we decided to develop a Multidisciplinary Masters in Advanced Practice

• Under discussion and development for some time

• A number of MSc programmes were coming up for re -validation and professional groups in the School were beginning to talk about Advanced Practice.

• But …..our existing (mainly uni professional) masters programmes were popular and highly regarded

Influencing Factors in the Development of the Programme

• The development of the role of ‘advanced practitioner’

• Policy documents advocating the development of the role and its incorporation into the KSF

• The push for improving multiprofessional working

• The involvement of the professional bodies in the debate about registration of advanced practitioners

• The Yorkshire and Humber multi professional advanced practice competences

• The fact that many of the graduates from our existing masters courses went on to become advanced practitioners

Aim of the Programme

To develop a programme that will enable practitioners to meet the criteria for advanced practice as determined by :

1. employers

2. professional bodies

…and also

• Incorporate a number of the existing masters programmes in the school

• Be a route for further study for those completing a post graduate certificate in the school

• Be a foundation for a Professional Doctorate

• Be multiprofessional

Advantages of Multiprofessional Working

• Multi professional working is a fact of life in the NHS

• It has been on the agenda of the NHS for many years

• Many advanced practitioners work at the boundaries of their practice

• A course which fosters multiprofessional learning and teaching will facilitate the development of good working relationships

• At Leeds we have many years experience in developing multi professional courses at different levels

School of Healthcare

Careful thought had to be given to how we could incorporate the quality of our existing programmes into a new innovative multiprofessional programme designed specifically to meet the advanced practice agenda

Task / Challenge 1 – agree a definition of an advanced practitioner

Definition of an Advanced Practitioner

A highly experienced practitioner who is able to demonstrate a high level of defined competencies and an enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, which enables them to manage patients/clients autonomously. They have the freedom to act and make complex judgements across appropriate practice situations. This incorporates leading and developing practice, diagnostics, therapeutics, decision making and clinical management in collaboration with other members of the team”

(West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority 2007)

SHA Domains for Advanced Practice Competences

• Providing effective healthcare

• Improving the quality and health outcomes

• Evaluation and research

• Leading and developing practice

• Developing self and others

• Working across professional and organisational boundaries

• Innovation and changing practice.

Professional body definitions where they existed– were compatible with the above although the emphasis might differ

Comparing SHA criteria with Professional Body criteria

6%

24%

3%

17%

10%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Evaluation & Research

19%

8%7%

12%

18%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Improving Quality

25%16%

68%

36% 34%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Effective Healthcare

Comparing SHA criteria with Professional Body criteria

12%11%

6%7%

18%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Developing Self & Others

12%11%

5% 5%

11%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Innovation & ChangePractice

19%

14%

6%

17%

6%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Working AcrossProfessional Boundaries 6%

16%

5% 5%

14%

SHA Ph NMC RC RL

Leading & DevelopingPractice

None of the professional bodies that we were dealing with had a register for Advanced Practitioners

This made life easier because we did not have to invite any Professional Bodies to our validation event.

The different emphasis in the different professions views of advanced practice meant that our programme was going to have to be very flexible

Curriculum Design Issues

Advanced Practice and Technical Skills

Advanced Practice is not just about developing new technical skills – but in many advanced practice roles, technical skills play an important role- but these might differ between professions

Curriculum Design Issues

Inclusivity

Student from different professions would need to be able to fulfil the requirements of their own professional bodies for advanced practice

Curriculum Design Issues

Flexibility

• Core modules would be kept to a minimum and students would have a wide choice of option modules

• As far as possible as many modules as possible had to be open to as many professional groups as possible

Curriculum issues

Competence based

We wanted to ensure that there was some way that everyone undertook some form of competence based assessment which would be linked to the achievement of the SHA Advanced Practice competences and the respective professional body competences

Structure of the Programme

Master Degree - composed of 180 M level credits

• 105 M level credits from multiprofessional core modules

• 75 M level credits from option modules

Entry Criteria

• Applicants will be currently registered with the appropriate health care professional body

and

• Applicants will normally possess a 2:1 Honours Degree from a recognised higher education institution in health related discipline

and

• Be working in an area where agreement has been obtained to develop advanced practice skills

and

• Have written support from their manager and the availability of an appropriate mentor .

and

• Satisfactory application and interview

Opportunities for accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) and/or accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) are available

Structure of the Programme Core and Option Modules

Core Modules

Issues and Concepts in Advancing Professional Practice (Advanced Practice 1) 15 Level M credits

Clinical Based Learning (Advanced Practice 2) 30 Level M credits

Research Methods: 15 Level M credits

Dissertation Module: 45 Level M credits

Option Modules -

Most popular option modules

•SLIP ( mentorship)

•Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics

•Independent Prescribing

•Physiology

•Service delivery

Leadership

Evidence based practice

Medicine management modules

Work based learning

Structure of the Programme: Entry and Exit Points

Entry points

• at start of the programme

• with a certificate ( designated)

( APL/ APEL up to 60 credits )

Exit points

• Diploma

• Masters

Structure of Course

Diploma in Advanced Practice (120 M level credits)

2 core module (45credits ) – AP1 and AP2

option modules (75 credits )

Masters in Advanced Practice ( 60 more credits)

Research module - 15 credits

Dissertation - 45 credits

Structure of Programme

Certificate Entry

Rather than have a certificate exit we decided to have a

certificate entry

We have developed/ are developing a number of PG certs which will give successful students priority entry to the MSC Advanced Practice should they wish to proceed

Most popular modules

•Stroke Care

•Leadership

•Independent Prescribing and Clinical Assessment

•Evidence based practice

•Service development

•Innovation and change

SLIP

Physiology

Assessment and diagnostics

Medicine management modules

In preparation

Clinical Assessment

Audiology

Cardiac Physiology

Time Commitment

• Part time course

• Taken over 3-5 years

• Potential for full time students at the certificate level

Key Ingredient for success

Commitment from employers-

• Time and support in the workplace to enable students to achieve the required competences

• Sufficient work based supervisors

Progress so far….

• We over recruited ! 24/20

• Nurses, pharmacists, audiologists, midwife, para medic

• 1 left, 1 suspended studies

• Interest buoyant for next year