Child Health

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Describe and apply the normal pattern and biomedical scientific principles underlying the growth, development and nutrition of children from birth to adolescence
• Demonstrate competency in performing a comprehensive examination of children from birth to adolescence including accurate recording of growth
• Evaluate and discuss ethical and legal issues in child health practice and the impact of social disadvantage on child health
• Demonstrate competency in undertaking relevant paediatric practical skills (detailed in your portfolio) safely and effectively
• Observe, assess and interpret a child's developmental progress
• Demonstrate respect for children and their families regardless of race or culture, ability or disability
• Recognise the common clinical presentations of child abuse and demonstrate an awareness of and basic competencies in safe-guarding children in medical practice
• Describe the clinical aspects of the common, serious or important disorders of childhood and adolescence
• Take an age appropriate history and communicate appropriately with children of all ages and with their carers
• Demonstrate appreciation of the complexities of ethical decisions in child health, including informed consent, and a willingness to confront these issues, respecting the diversity of other views and beliefs
• Describe the common chronic and disabling disorders of childhood the role of the multi-disciplinary team and other professionals in their management, and the process of transition in to adult health services
• Interpret clinical findings, reach differential diagnoses using core knowledge, and formulate appropriate management plans incorporating the principles of paediatric prescribing
• Take responsibility for your own learning and your continuing professional development
• Demonstrate respect for the work of all professionals involved in the care of children; an appreciation of the role of others and a willingness to work as part of a team
• Outline key principles for the promotion of healthy children in our society
• Demonstrate recognition of the rights of the child, their vulnerability and the responsibilities of doctors, professionals, parents and society

Many of the topics in the child health module are unique to paediatrics. For others areas, the focus is on understanding what makes them unique in paediatrics, particularly the impact of disease on the developing child.

Other paediatric topics will be covered in obstetrics and gynaecology, dermatology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, primary care, psychiatry and ENT modules.

Topics to be covered are described in detail in the child health core curriculum available through the blackboard module site.

The child health module takes a hub and spoke based approach to provide small group teaching for the core areas within the hubs and maximise clinical exposure within a large number of spokes. The hubs and spokes and exact teaching timetable may vary from year to year but the following is an indication of the likely delivery and timetable: There are six hubs (Kassel (BM EU), Guildford, Poole, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester) and eight spokes (Basingstoke, Dorchester, Frimley Park, Isle of Wight, Salisbury, Jersey, Reading, Wrexham Park). The module will be divided into three sections*:

• Week 1 - students based in one of the hubs – cover core child health topics including history and examination.
• Weeks 2-7 – students based in one of many spokes – clinical exposure to breadth of child health plus ACC assessments
• Week 8 – return to hubs to consolidate experience and cover more specialised aspects.

*For Poole and Southampton Hubs, students will remain in their spokes for the final week although this is still seen as a period of consolidation in which to complete assessments and review learning from the previous 7 weeks.

There will be a timetable for each section and a contact for each teaching centre.

Doctors work in shift patterns and rotas throughout much of their working lives and to prepare you for such working once you graduate, throughout your programme you will be expected to undertake placements in the evenings, at nights and at weekends. This will not be an onerous requirement and will be negotiated well in advance so that students with carers’ requirements will be able to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for cover.

Within this module there may be some core/compulsory activities that will take place in the evenings, nights or weekends therefore students will commitments that will be affected by these should be pro-active in securing details of these activities well in advance of the start of the module. In addition, many non core learning opportunities will be available during these times and students are encouraged to take advantage of them

In light of the pandemic we are mindful of the need to balance in person practical experience with a safe learning environment for students and the patients. We acknowledge that in-person learning is preferable for clinical specialities but have developed a number of online teaching options and will endeavour to balance the use of these to give students a safe and thorough paediatric foundation.

HUB INTRODUCTORY WEEK 1

This week is intended to prepare students for the placement, covering core topics within Child Health and teaching the principles of history taking and examination in children and young people. Students will receive an introduction to safeguarding and guidance on how to raise concerns within their placement. The assessment structure for the module will be introduced and students will encouraged to choose a topic for the presentation in week 8.

SPOKE WEEKS 2-7

• Weekly tutorial on key topics in Child Health. This tutorial system would also provide pastoral support.
• Skills training, system examinations, newborn check. This would be recorded into a skills log book.
• Virtual patients would support learning, with some patients being compulsory to ensure the key presentations are covered by students.
• Other teaching sessions on specific topics such as bruising, diabetes or neonates.
• Paediatric prescribing tutorial
• Attendance at unit meetings, eg M&M, grand round, X-ray meetings
• Attendance for half a day at special school and/or nursery

Expectations about experience gained in spokes: one tutorial based session a week, one ward-based examination skills session a week, two sessions in assessment unit or emergency department a week including time during the evening, two sessions at outpatients clinics a week including at least one developmental clinic, at least four ward rounds, two neonatal sessions and clerking and presenting at least 12 (ideally at least 20) patients with different presentations over the 6 week period.

It is expected that all students will become proficient in the following practical skills: history taking – ED, outpatients, ward-based children; examination of respiratory system, cardiovascular system, abdomen, CNS, skin, ENT and head, musculo-skeletal; developmental examination and neonatal examination.

Additionally 3 Assessments of Clinical Competencies (ACCs) will be undertaken in the spoke weeks, ideally in the later weeks but may occur early if necessary and adequate opportunity to meet the learning needs has been provided prior.

HUB CONSOLIDATION WEEK 8

This week provides an opportunity for students to present cases they have seen and then discuss and reflect on them. Together, these will form a theory, experience, reflection cycle.

• Student presentations and discussion. Students will be informed of presentations in week 1 to allow them to find cases while there are in spokes.
• Question and answer session with key child health professionals
• Additional topics not otherwise covered

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.