Medicine in Practice 0

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify and evaluate methods of effective communication in health care settings
• Access and use a range of resources in both electronic and paper format
• Describe and apply concepts in relation to of the social, psychological, biological and environmental factors which influence health and illness
• Demonstrate a concern for the interests and dignity of patients and identify possible ethical issues in health care
• Demonstrate understanding of different roles and responsibilities of health professionals, and evaluate the rationale and issues of health professionals working together
• Demonstrate a broad overview of the organisation, funding and quality assurance of health care
• Discuss the role of the media in medicine
• Demonstrate understanding of the values and ethics of the health professions and assess how ethical challenges are addressed by health professionals
• Evaluate the effectiveness of recent reorganisations, especially in relation to improving quality standards and access to appropriate care
• Reflect on experiences and link experiences to current literature
• Analyse the interaction between factors that influence health and illness

The module is designed around 6 projects;

1. The roles of health care professionals

The relevance of sociology and psychology to the study of health and illness. Indicators of good health individually and nationally. Roles and training of different professionals and trends in health care. Medicine as a profession and challenges to the medical profession. Interprofessional working and effective team working and leadership.

2. Communication in health care

Modes and importance of effective communication in health care contexts. Doctor patient interactions and inter-health professional interactions. Patient adherence and health behaviours. Health promotion as a government strategy. The relationship between health promotion, prevention and education.

3. The media and medicine

The range of media engaged in medical issues. Advantages and disadvantages of media engagement in issues and the implications for health care professionals and their training. Implications of media engagement on patients’ expectations, knowledge and understanding and issues such as stigma.

4: Ethical issues in health care

Codes of conduct, “duties of a doctor”. The principles of medical ethics. Patient confidentiality. Informed consent. Ethical issues in relation to end of life decisions. Social and ethical implications of “The New Genetics”.

5: Organisation of health care

National perspectives on health and health organisations. The reorganisation of the NHS, funding and planning in the NHS. Differences in service provision, needs assessment and performance indicators. Private health care. Quality audit and quality assurance measures in practice. Organisation of primary care.

6: Factors that influence health and illness

Definitions and models of health. Causes and patterns of ill health. Range of factors that influence health and illness. Inequalities in health. Stress, illness and coping. Factors influencing mental health. Preventative medicine and education. Pain and pain management

The module will be taught through a range of learning and teaching strategies which will include:

• Lectures
• Tutor led tutorials
• Guided self-study
• Problem solving
• Oral presentations
• Role play
• Projects
• Group work
• portfolios
• eLearning
• Patient based learning
• Healthcare placements
• Reflective writing
• Peer feedback and self-evaluation

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.