About This Course
This is a part-time, level 7 short course delivered on our Bangor or Wrexham campus, with some content accessed online (blended learning method)Ìý
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for any registrant HCPC, GPhC & NMC or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPH).Ìý
Why study this course?
The aim of this level 7 short course will be to support the learner to:Ìý
- Assess, diagnose, manage, treat or refer patients presenting with an acute condition/ minor illness appropriately without medical supervision.Ìý
- Critically review appropriate additional diagnostics required for accurate patient assessmentÌý
- Develop confidence in taking safe, targeted histories for a variety of patient presentationsÌý
- Discuss patient management, including referral requirements and signposting for safe practice
How long does this course take to complete?
This short course runs over 13 weeks, during semester 2 of the academic year.Ìý
The course dates for the 24/25 academic year are as follows: Ìý
7 March 2025
14 March 2025
4 April 2025
11 April 2025
16 May 2025
23 May 2025
Assessment day: 6 June 2025Ìý
Assessments on this short course will include: 
- Reflective blogÌý
Students will be expected to post a reflective journal entry (minimum 300 words) weekly for 8 weeks. Discussing any anonymised patient encounters, associated with taking a clinical history or related to any minor ailment/illnesses covered in the module or managed in clinical practice. Ìý
- Practice Assessment Document (Clinical Competencies)Ìý
To be achieved in clinical practice with your mentor. Ìý
- Clinical Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Ìý
Three OSCEs in the University comprising of:Ìý
- Taking clinical history
- Managing a patient presenting with a minor illnessÌý
- Performing a respiratory examinationÌý
Tutor
Heather Bloodworth
Lecturer in Healthcare, School of Health SciencesÌý
Heather has extensive knowledge and experience relating to advanced practice, endocrinology, emergency care and general practice nursing.
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
The aim of this level 7 short course will be to support the learner to:Ìý
- Assess, diagnose, manage, treat or refer patients presenting with an acute condition/ minor illness appropriately without medical supervision.Ìý
- Critically review appropriate additional diagnostics required for accurate patient assessmentÌý
- Develop confidence in taking safe, targeted histories for a variety of patient presentationsÌý
- Discuss patient management, including referral requirements and signposting for safe practiceÌý
What will attendees get out of the course?
This module is designed to equip health professionalsÌý with the underlying knowledge and principles required to facilitate integrated, autonomous assessment and management of minor illness.Ìý
Course Cost
- Enquiries regarding Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) funding should be directed toÌýbcu.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 .
Please see ourÌýPostgraduate Fees and FinanceÌýpage for further information.
Entry Requirements
Applicants will require an undergraduate degree at 2:2 or higher, and must fulfil the following criteria to be considered eligible for this course:  ÌýÌý
- Any registrant HCPC, GPhC & NMC or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPH).Ìý
ÌýIf you do not meet the academic requirements detailed above but have at least 3 years of relevant work experience and have evidence of recent study or professional development (to demonstrate an ability to study at level 7) we may consider your application.Ìý
Please contact the course lead to discuss further.ÌýÌý
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 ourÌý
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
- ³¢²¹²Ô²µ³Ü²¹²µ±ðÌý
- 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 Postgraduate Taught’.
- ÌýIn the next section, select Non-Graduating Taught Modules in Health(NGGT/HEALTH) Click Save and Continue.
- ÌýOn 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.ÌýMinor Illness: the code isÌý±·±á³§:4546Ìý. 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).
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 areÌýHEIWÌý/ÌýHealth Board funded, please answer the questions as follows:
- How will you finance your studies?ÌýSponsored
- Exact name of funding authority: Health Board
- Country: United Kingdom
- Give details of the amount of the award?ÌýFully funded.
- Sponsorship will cover: Tuition Fees
- Have you been awarded this funding?ÌýPlease 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 notÌýhave any written confirmation to upload, you can upload your Word document here again.
If you areÌýself-funding,Ìýplease provide all details as appropriate.