MDCS42120 Contemporary Issues in PC & GP

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module focuses on latest developments in the clinical care of common conditions affecting patients attending general practice and primary care.

For academic year 2023-24 (Autumn trimester), this module will be delivered specifically for students who:
* Hold an undergraduate nursing degree and / or an equivalent professional qualification.
* Have relevant clinical experience in primary / community care, general practice in Ireland or elsewhere.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the module, a student should be able to demonstrate:
● A thorough knowledge and understanding of best practice in the assessment and treatment of common clinical problems issues in a general practice / primary care;
● An ability to apply this knowledge and understanding to improve their competence and skills in clinical practice.
● An understanding of the limits of their professional roles, responsibilities, competence, and the need to seek advice/refer when appropriate.
● Critical engagement with decision-making frameworks and processes in primary care.
● Improved clinical assessment / clinical problem-solving capabilities and clinical decision making.
● Improved communication skills.

Indicative Module Content:

Module delivery will involve: Self-directed learning material delivered, webinars (note: these will be recorded to accommodate those students unable to attend at this time) and (if public health considerations permit) in person seminars / workshops.

This activity will address topics such as:
Common Infections in Primary Care
Care of the Elderly
CDM: Programme Overview; Cardiovascular Disease; Chronic Respiratory Disease; Type 2 Diabetes
Acute, Unscheduled and Emergency Care in the Community
Therapeutics in Primary Care
Child health
Mental Health
Legal And Ethical Challenges



Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

7
Seminar (or Webinar)

7
Specified Learning Activities

16
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Online Learning

70
Total

200
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Content delivery involve:
● Self-directed learning material delivered during the trimester
● Webinars (online) (with recording available thereafter)
● Seminars / workshops, (in-person at UCD or if university requirements dictate, virtually) x 1-2 days per trimester.

These activities will guide students in core knowledge acquisition. Where possible, students are encouraged to use their previous clinical experience in learning to acquire knowledge through self-direction. Enquiry-based methods will be used to foster critical thinking, analysis and problem solving. Case-based scenarios will encourage integration and application of knowledge. Presentations with peer review will take place at Workshops. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Applicants should:
• Hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g. Medicine, Nursing & Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Emergency Medical Sciences etc.)
• Possess an equivalent professional qualification, or
• Have relevant clinical experience in primary care, nursing or related disciplines


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Pre-participation reading and completion of online assessment 20%
- Students will upload certificates of completion for required reading
Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded Yes

20
Assignment: Case reports 50%
2 case reports of 1000-1250 words based on experiences in clinical practice
25% per case
 Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded Yes

50
Continuous Assessment: Attendance at webinars and workshops and Brightspace activity (30%)
>79% attendance for 100% of available marks
Less than 80% attendance will be result in an equivalent percentage mark ie: 50%		 Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded Yes

30

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

• Personalized feedback to students after they have completed assignments. • Group/class feedback, during webinars • Peer review activities, involving e.g., Peer Scholar • Self-assessment activities • Students can request individual feedback at any time during the trimester

Murtagh General Practice. Murtagh, Rosenblatt, Murtagh, Coleman. McGraw Hill, 2021.

Oxford Handbook of General Practice. Simon, Everitt, Van Dorp, Hussain, Nash, Peet. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2020.

Practical General Practice: Guidelines for Effective Clinical Management. Staten. Staten (Ed), Elsevier Health Sciences, London, 2019.

Oxford Handbook of Primary Care and Community Nursing (Third Ed). Judy Brook, Caroline McGraw, and Val Thurtle. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 2014.

General Practice Nursing: foundational principles. Deborah Duncan. M&K, 2019.

Practice Nursing: Clinical Guidelines and Procedures in Practice by Theresa Lowry-Lehnen (Author) iMedical 2019.

Name Role
Dr Nia Clendennen Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Joseph Gallagher Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Regina Lennon Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 11 Thurs 14:00 - 16:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 5 Thurs 14:00 - 16:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 9 Thurs 14:00 - 16:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 Wed 14:00 - 16:50
Autumn
      
Spring
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 Wed 19:00 - 19:50
Spring