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Medical Emergencies and Human Error – Managing Risk, Improving Services
Key information
Course Leader: Kenneth Spearpoint
Level: 7
Credits: 30
Mode of delivery: Mode of delivery: Face-to-face / Blended taught by expert clinical simulation educators. Number of learner hours: Scheduled – 28 hours / Independent - 272 hours.
Available places: 30
Dates
- 28/01/2026
Fees and Funding
£1830.00
The price quoted above is per 30 credits in this academic year. This price relates to self-funding students assessed as UK students for fee purposes. Prices may differ for students that are assessed as EU/Overseas, or for returning students that are on a course leading to an award. Click here for Fees and Funding information, you can find further details along with, costs and when your fees need to be paid. You may be able to obtain a Post Graduate student loan, for which you must sign up for the whole MSc programme and not just individual modules or a Post Graduate Diploma, further details can be found at Gov.uk Master’s Loan. For International applicants apply here. For country specific international qualifications please check here.
Entry Requirements
Pre-Requisites required to undertake the course:
- A first degree in a related discipline, although applicants with evidence of equivalent professional/academic experience will be considered.
- Normally two years full time (or equivalent) experience within a relevant field of practice.
- Normally employed in a relevant area of practice whilst enrolled on the programme.
Course Overview
Course Description:
This module, which is integral to the MSc/PGCert in Medical and Healthcare Simulation, is designed to enhance and extend a range of skills pertinent to initial assessment, clinical decision-making, management/leadership and effective communication skills in the context of a medical emergency and patient safety.
The focus is on the application of evidence-based contemporary human factors/ergonomics science to enhance our understanding of the nature and source of error and harm, to facilitate better risk management and to improve patient safety. In addition to an in-depth exploration of Safety-I and Safety-II concepts, including PSIRF and SEIPS, the course will also discuss current thinking relating to patient safety, crisis-resource management, situational awareness and performance variability.
The module will require some participation in clinically based medical emergency simulation events aimed at presenting the student with significant challenges in aspects of patient-centred clinical decision making in the context of medical emergency care.
The programme(s) this module can be linked to/contribute towards:
PG Cert / MSc Health and Medical Simulation
Assessment Details:
Oral Presentation (Weighting 40%)
Students are required to present a 20-minute case study outlining ways in which organisational, departmental and personal learning could improve patient safety and contribute to the design of safer clinical systems in the context of emergency medical care.
The case should form the basis of the written paper.
Written Paper: (Weighting 60%)
Students are required to undertake a critically reflective analysis of a medical emergency situation detailing the assessment and management of a patient. The paper should include a detailed analysis of the nature and source of error and consider whether the use of simulation in addition to contemporary risk management strategies could have/did make a difference. They should also consider the wider implications for practice and the organisation.
Word limit equivalent to 5000 words (excluding appendices and references).
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge and Understanding
Successful students will typically:
- Develop knowledge and critical understanding of the importance of the fundamental features of systematic assessment and differential diagnosis in a medical emergency and the characteristics of an effective patient/practitioner interaction.
- Demonstrate critical insight into the process of diagnosis and the significance of human factors/ergonomics in the nature and sources of error.
- Examine evidence-based contemporary approaches in the development, implementation and evaluation of risk management strategies applied to medical emergency situations.
- Critically evaluate the role of risk management in relation to continuous quality improvement in emergency medicine, organisational goals and inter-professional working.
Intellectual, Practical and Transferable Skills
Successful students will typically:
- Demonstrate competence in the critical application of patient assessment and diagnosis in a range of medical emergency situations, utilising a systematic approach and critical understanding of the ways in which models of assessment, communication and management contribute to patient management and patient safety.
- Enhance and extend their assessment, diagnostic, management and documentation skills for a range of medical emergency situations with a focus on patient safety and service improvement.
- Critically evaluate the process of analysis of critical/significant incidents with a view to providing effective risk management and improving patient safety.
- Demonstrate a critical awareness of the impact of medical emergencies on professional colleagues, patients, and carers/relatives.