About This Course
This is a blended learning course, module code NHS-4228. It is only open to patient-facing healthcare professionals who are registered with a regulatory body in the UK.
Who is this course for?
This module is aimed at registered healthcare professionals such as nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, paramedics and pharmacists who wish to expand their scope of practice to benefit patient care. This module is for professionals who wish to acquire evidence-based physical examination techniques to support diagnosis and management in patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions.
Why study this course?
This module will enable you to adopt the skills required to perform evidence-based physical examinations on patients presenting with a variety of undifferentiated conditions and presentations. You will also learn about how expanding your scope of practice affects your accountability as a health professional.
How long does this course take to complete?
The module is delivered every Monday, between 09:30 and 16:00 on the Bangor campus. The first taught day is 25 January 2027 and the final taught day is 24 May 2027.
- January: 25
- February: 1, 8, 15, 22
- March: 8, 15, 22
- April: 5, 12, 19, 26
- May: 10, 17, 24
Practical examinations are usually held in June with the final assignments to be submitted in September 2026.
Tutor
Ffion is the lead for the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice at Bangor University, as well as the lead for the prescribing courses.
Ffion is also the deputy chair of the Welsh Advanced Practice Educators’ Network (WAPEN).
Ffion qualified as a registered nurse in 1996 and as an independent prescriber in 2011. She completed her MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice in 2012 and worked as an ACP in acute medicine for 6 years prior to joining the university.
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
On this module, you will be taught by experienced advanced clinical practitioners and other clinicians from different professional backgrounds. Teaching is supported by expert clinicians to ensure that the content is relevant and applicable to clinical practice.
By the end of this module, learners will be able to appreciate, understand and demonstrate physical examination skills in the four core systems. You will also develop a greater understanding of diagnostic reasoning and professional, legal and ethical accountability.
What will you study on this course?
This module is organised into learning units and topics may include:
- anatomical landmarks
- upper and lower limb musculoskeletal assessment
- biochemistry investigations to support diagnosis and management
- arterial blood gases interpretation
- haematology investigations to support diagnosis and management
- the neurological examination
- the cardiovascular examination
- the respiratory examination
- the gastrointestinal examination
- recording and interpreting the ECG
- X-ray interpretation
- understanding the role of investigations in diagnosis and management
- diagnostic reasoning
- accountability
Course Cost
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be registered healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom in a patient-facing role. Applicants must be employed at band 6 as a minimum.
Application
How to Apply
Please make sure you read and follow the step-by-step application guide as this will specify which sections of the application form are compulsory for the type of course you want to apply for and save you time.
Please prepare the following information (in a Word document):
- Current employment details;
- Years of experience, and employment history (where relevant)
- Name of staff member and organisation that have approved your funding for this module.
This will speed up the process of completing the application form
To apply for this course, you need to create an account in our APPLICANT PORTAL
You will need access to the email address you specify while creating your account to confirm it.
After creating an account, you will see a homepage with several tabs:
- Personal
- Programme
- Info
- Contact
- Education
- Employment
- Language
- Finance
You need to complete all sections before submitting your application.
When a section is complete, a ‘tick’ symbol will appear below it
- Click on ‘Non-graduating applications / Stand alone Modules’, then select ‘Non-graduating Postgraduate Taught’.
- In the next section, select Non-Graduating Taught Modules in Health(NGGT/HEALTH) Click Save and Continue.
- On the next page, the default for the first question is Full Time. You need to change this to ‘Part time’:
- You now need to input the module code. Physical Examination and Diagnostics: the code is NHS:4228 . This section must be completed for your application to be processed.
- You also need to state the start date. Please make your selection, then click ‘Save and Continue’.
- IMPORTANT: You do not need to write a personal statement to apply for this course. Instead, please upload the document including employment, experience and education information that you have created prior to starting the application that contains the name of your current employer, the number of years of experience you have, and your highest qualification to date. Click Save and continue.
You only need to enter the details of your highest qualification to date, e.g. if you have a postgraduate qualification, please only only include this.
You will be asked for evidence of the qualification. Please either upload a copy of your qualification if it's easily accessible, or upload the Word document again (that you prepared earlier).
(details not required as you've already prepared this Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘I have no employment history’ (as you have already provided this in your Word document).
If you are HEIW / Health Board funded, please answer the questions as follows:
- How will you finance your studies? Sponsored
- Exact name of funding authority: Health Board
- Country: United Kingdom
- Give details of the amount of the award? Fully funded.
- Sponsorship will cover: Tuition Fees
- Have you been awarded this funding? Please select ‘yes’ * Note that you will be required to upload evidence of the funding. If you wish to confirm ‘yes’ to this question, but do not have any written confirmation to upload, you can upload your Word document here again.
If you are self-funding, please provide all details as appropriate.