How you will learn

This innovative programme reimagines traditional critical care education for a flexible online environment. Purposefully designed for online delivery, the programme offers a flexible blend of live (synchronous) teaching and guided self-directed (asynchronous) learning, allowing you to engage with expert academics and peers while balancing the demands of shift-based clinical work.

You’ll be guided through high-quality online learning materials and engaging activities designed to support the development of your knowledge and clinical reasoning. Weekly study units help you build understanding progressively, with clear direction on how learning links to practice and assessment.

You’ll be encouraged to contribute to discussion boards, sharing insights and experiences with fellow critical care professionals. This collaborative approach supports peer learning and helps you develop confidence in articulating clinical decision-making and professional perspectives.

• This is a highly specialised programme relevant to nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (or equivalent in their home country for non-apprenticeship nurses) and who are working in a critical care environment.  

• The programme is aligned to the Step Competency framework of the Critical Care Network Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N) 

• The programme will develop the knowledge skills and behaviours of the Enhanced Clinical Practitioner standard enabling them to work at an enhanced level of practice. 

• The programme supports learners to develop the knowledge skills and behaviours to enable them to manage a discrete aspect of a patient’s care within their current level of practice, which will be particular to the critical care environment and the care of patients and their families within this environment. 

How you are assessed

Across three practice-focused modules, you’ll develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deliver safe, evidence-based and compassionate care in complex critical care environments. You’ll strengthen your understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, apply a systems-based approach to patient assessment, and enhance your ability to communicate effectively with patients, families and carers during challenging situations.

The assessment of the modules on this programme will build a research informed approach through developing critically of thought, reading and writing. Learners are supported by academics who also have critical care nursing experience utilising both asynchronous and synchronous learning activities.

Your Practice Supervisor will oversee your progress towards the CC3N framework competencies.

You will meet with your practice supervisor and academic assessor regularly.

This ensures that your progress towards completion of all elements of the programme including step 2 & 3 of the CC3N step framework is supported by an academic as well as a supervisor in the workplace.

This approach enables discussion between you as the learner, your employer and the university to identify if additional support is required and if so, how this can be achieved. It also ensures that your employer remains informed of your academic progress and commitment to study.

Gateway for End Point Assessment

Prior to end point assessment the apprentice is required to pass through gateway. Requirements for this are: 

• The employer must be content the apprentice is consistently working at, or above, the level of the occupational standard. 

Apprentices must also prepare and submit: 

• The quality improvement proposal’s subject, title and scope will be agreed between the employer and the EPAO at the gateway
• A portfolio of evidence

The end point assessment for this apprenticeship standard is non-integrated and delivered by an external awarding body. The EPA consists of two discrete assessment components: 

• Assessment method 1: Quality improvement proposal report with question-and-answer session, graded as fail or pass. 
• Assessment method 2: Professional discussion underpinned by portfolio of evidence, graded as fail, pass or distinction 

Overall EPA grade of fail or pass or distinction awarded on completion.