Clinical Examination and Diagnostic Skills for Advanced Critical Care Practitioners

Module objectives

After studying this module you should be able to:

• Critically evaluate the functional anatomy and altered pathophysiology of a range of body systems relevant to common conditions within critical care.
• Assimilate the information gained by taking a complete clinical history and synthesise salient points.
• Adapt a standard approach to performing a full systems clinical examination, providing reasoned rationale for the adaptive approach.
• Critically appraise the patients presenting clinical features and formulate a reasoned and informed working and differential diagnosis.
• Demonstrate the appropriate use of clinical investigations and diagnostics to assist in differential diagnosis and treatment of the patient within critical care.
• Provide a detailed plan of justified investigations and a treatment plan based on a critical appraisal of best evidence, appropriate to the patient’s presenting complaint and fulfil professional requirements related to record keeping and documentation.
• Critically appraise the advantages and limitations of clinical investigations in practice and relate this to best practice and current evidence.
• Develop critical appraisal skills in assimilating and synthesising patient variables in order to support autonomous practice and improve patient experience.
• Provide a detailed portfolio of autonomous practice, incorporating detailed case study incorporating critical appraisal of relevant literature and critical reflection on practice.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of professional practice within the critical environment.

Assessment

OSLER (Objective Structured Long Examination Record)

Portfolio of evidence of own clinical practice

Module Dates 2025/2026