SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANT - 2022/3

Module Overview

This inter-professional module will develop the student’s knowledge and skills of the principles of safe and effective surgical practice within the operating theatre, participating in surgical care.

 

Module content is designed to meet the knowledge and skills required to practice surgical care across a broad range of surgical specialties

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

WHITE Nikki (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Students must be registered with their respective professional bodies (NMC/HCPC). It is necessary for the student to be working in a clinical area that allows them to meet the learning outcomes. Students must be provided with a practice mentor/clinical supervisor by their manager in practice.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

 

• 
  Legal and ethical aspects of perioperative care.
  


• 
  Physiology of wound healing, infection control and haemostasis.
  


• 
  Skin preparation, draping, retraction and suction.
  


• 
  Camera manipulation for minimal invasive access surgery.
  


• 
  Dressings, drainage and implications for wound healing.
  


• 
  Positioning the patient for surgery.
  


• 
  Inter-professional roles and team-working within the perioperative environment.
  


• 
  Patient safety and risk management in the perioperative environment.
  


• 
  National and local drivers for safe perioperative practice.
  

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

NA

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge skills and understanding of a clinical case.

 

Formative assessment and feedback

Students will receive formative feedback via:

• 
  Single or small group tutorials where they will present a plan for their assignment
  


• 
  Verbal discussion during contact time
  


• 
  Timely response to email or telephone questions
  

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

 

Case study: Clinical case study exploring the assessment and management of a patient during an episode of perioperative care (1500 words).

Portfolio of practice evidence: A structured critical reflective portfolio of evidence

 

Please note that any evidence of unsafe practice or breach of confidentiality will result in an automatic refer for the module.

Module aims

• This module will enable qualified practitioners, working within an operating theatre environment, to safely and competently assist with surgical procedures.
• Students will demonstrate the achievement of the “Peri-operative Care Collaborative” competences for the role of a Surgical First Assistant.
• Students will gain an understanding of the professional boundaries, patient safety, ethics and the law for perioperative practice

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

• Enable students to have a deep and systematic understanding of surgical practice


• Surgery and patient safety within an organisational context


• To draw upon their own experience to develop their understanding of the current evidence base for surgical first assistant practice

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures


• Workshops


• Simulation


• Scenarios


• On line tutorials


• E learning

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: HCR3007

Other information

Both elements must be passed, with a minimum mark of 40% required in the case study to pass

Case study is submitted 6 weeks after week containing the last taught day. Portfolio of evidence is submitted 16 weeks after last taught day.

 

 

 

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.