Clinical Assessment for Advanced Practitioners (SCQF level 11) CPD Award
Course code B7CAP
What is special about this course?
The Clinical Assessment for Advanced Practitioners (CAAP) module has evolved to reflect the requirement for nurses and AHPs to meet current and future needs of Scotland’s health and social care systems. A detailed physical examination and clinical assessment are linked with improved patient care outcomes. These assessment skills are complex but critical to early diagnosis and treatment.
This module will prepare you to undertake a detailed clinical history as you learn how to undertake comprehensive physical and mental health assessments across the life span. These skills inform decision making when forming a differential diagnosis, ordering diagnostic tests, and as part of the referral process. You will develop knowledge and skills to combine data and interpret results from your investigations. This will be underpinned with the relevant application of advanced knowledge of related anatomy and pathophysiology. These skills, along with those in Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals, are the foundations for Advanced Practitioner roles both in the hospital and community settings.
This module will ensure you are able to perform high quality clinical assessments that will assist in diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate referral, as required within the remit of an advanced practitioner’s role. It is an essential pillar, as part of an appropriate MSc or as a standalone CPD module, for practitioners working at or towards Advanced Practice status.
Special features
- The course is delivered fully online so you can fit your study around your personal and professional commitments
- Joint working with clinical stakeholders
- Informed contemporary practice delivered by experienced lecturing and clinical staff
Entry requirements
- You are required to be a first level nurse or an allied health professional, working full-time or part-time in a health or social care professional role, and have access to relevant clinical caseload
- You must meet the general entry requirements for postgraduate study, having previously attained a first degree, and normally have at least three years post-registration experience
- All applicants need to evidence current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and confirm that suitable supervision arrangements are in place to meet the supervised practice learning requirement of 90 hours
- The clinical supervisor can be either i) a medical practitioner (holding current GMC registration) or ii) an experienced and suitably qualified advanced nurse or allied health practitioner (ANP/APP)
- This is a Category 1 PVG course: PVG Scheme membership is required to successfully achieve target qualification, where there is guaranteed contact with vulnerable groups in key elements of the course. For further information visit our PVG scheme webpage
- The application deadline for September 2025 starts is 20th June 2025
- The application deadline for January 2026 starts is 14th November 2025
CPD Award
This module includes:
- Biochemistry and haematology
- Clinical assessment of the adult
- Clinical decision making
- Clinical governance/accountability issues related to advanced practice/patient safety/communication
- Clinical history taking (models and methods of assessment/consultation)
- Differentiation of common pathologies utilising appropriate clinical information
- Mental health assessment
- Pathophysiology
- Surface anatomy, clinical physiology, and physical examination skills
How will I study my course?
- Part-time
- This course is delivered online with scheduled sessions and tutorials
- Online study will be done via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors
- The course begins with 4 virtual-study days in week 1 and subsequent study afternoons hosted via MS Teams
- You will learn via a combination of theory lectures, clinical simulation, study, and supervised clinical experiences
- You will be required to evidence 90 hours of supervised practice learning as an integral component of the module
- If you have any questions or need further information, please email us or call 01463 279279
How long will my course last?
- Part-time: 20 weeks @ 20 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- Centre for Rural Health Sciences, Inverness
- This fully online course can be studied from anywhere in the UK. You will be enrolled and supported by staff at Centre for Rural Health Sciences, Inverness
Start date
- September
- January
Fees
For information on costs of this course please contact the campus where you wish to study.
Funding
UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed this course, you might like to consider careers in:
- Trainee advanced practice roles
- Unscheduled care
- Primary care
- Remote and rural healthcare
- Secondary Care
Can I progress into further study?
You may wish to progress from this CPD Award Clinical Assessment for Advanced Practitioners (SCQF level 11) to the following courses:
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
Apply for Clinical Assessment for Advanced Practitioners (SCQF level 11) CPD Award
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.