Perioperative Practice BSc (Hons) Top-Up degree

Course code: OLUBB     Level: 6

Currently the UK’s first and only online Perioperative Practice BSc (Hons) Top-Up degree to be endorsed by the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), this course can help you to develop the skills and expertise needed to transform your practice as a health care professional working in a perioperative setting.

Operating departments require transferable skills sets, as the need to work across other areas such as emergency departments, intensive care units, obstetric units and in the ambulance service has increased.

Who is the online Perioperative Practice BSc (Hons) Top-Up aimed at?

This course is ideal for anyone working in a perioperative practice setting including:

• Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs)
• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Operating theatre professionals
• Healthcare assistants
• Military staff working in perioperative environments

Why choose the Perioperative Practice BSc (Hons) Top-Up course?

As an ODP, RN or healthcare professional working within a perioperative setting, you know that your role can be challenging and dynamic, providing care to often acutely unwell patients undergoing surgery.

This top-up course focuses on specialising practice, leadership, mentorship and education, and research and evidence based practice which are all key curriculum areas not generally covered sufficiently by pre-registration preparatory programmes. By studying the programme, you will develop a deep understanding of the advanced perioperative theories and specialist skills required to work within a perioperative setting.

This focused attention on theory linked to specialised areas of practice will encourage the development of higher order thinking and ability to transfer skills where required in the critical care areas. You will develop an analytical approach to practice enabling you to access career progression and more specialist roles. You will also be able to reflect on and consolidate your own practice since registration.

As a BSc (Hons) Perioperative Practice graduate, you will have the ability to inspire others and lead practice in your own area with leadership being a core learning aspect throughout the course.

An innovative virtual reality simulation learning approach

Through inspiring case studies, pedagogic design and teaching staff who are experts in their field of study, the course aims to help you transform your practice through the use of online simulation where you will take advantage of virtual patients that can be treated safely and effectively, allowing you to learn in a secure environment.

The use of a three-dimensional virtual reality platform is used to increase your sense of perspective and presence in a challenging clinical scenario. You will exercise decision-making as you take a virtual patient through the perioperative journey from pre-assessment, to theatre and through to post-operative care.

Developing competence and capability with our residential

You will be required to attend a short residential (in person or virtually) and complete a 0 credit module – ‘Developing Competence and Capability’ which will provide you with rich learning opportunities to successfully meet the requirements of this programme. The Association for Perioperative Practice is involved in the delivery of this residential, which consists of key note speakers, practical clinical skills sessions and competency assessments. The residential workshop’s primary purpose is to develop interconnections between group behaviourism and safer surgery.

A need for qualified Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs)

As of April 2011, UK ODPs need to be qualified to Level 6. There are only a small number of opportunities in the UK for ODPs to ‘top-up’ to Level 6 and international provision is similarly low. This course provides you with a route to becoming degree qualified and will encourage you to look at career progression and employability attributes which can be applied to senior perioperative roles in the management and leadership of safer patient surgery.

What skills will I learn?

This course will prepare you as a practitioner within perioperative care to demonstrate critical competence in clinical practice, care management, clinical practice leadership and clinical practice development. You will also develop comprehensive subject specific and transferable skills and knowledge appropriate for critical evaluation, independent study, professional development and work-focused study. Within each module you will also identify and propose recommendations to enhance service delivery and provision of perioperative care.