Advanced Critical Care Practice  20 credits

The Advanced Critical Care Practice course will appeal to trainee ACCPs and ACCPs working in critical care environments to support development of knowledge and skills to map towards key elements of the ACCP Curriculum set by the The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM 2023) and prepare them for FICM membership.

The learning and teaching approaches will be underpinned by detailed consideration of the relevant evidence base research and theory. There will be opportunities for collaborative learning and engagement with clinicians. 

By the end of the course students should be able to:

• Undertake an advanced clinical assessment in the context of complexity and uncertainty and applies critical thinking to inform diagnosis, decision-making and ongoing management. 
• Critically evaluate critical care intervention for patients, recognising the acutely deteriorating patient. 
• Critically appraise the pathophysiological underpinning common critical care presentations. 
• Critically reflect on their involvement in situations where legal or ethical issues are challenging or complex and uses that reflection to further develop their own practice. 

Indicative learning includes:

• Cardiovascular: management post cardiac surgery, management of heart failure, ACS.
• Respiratory: management of asthma/COPD, advanced ventilation strategies.
• Neurology: neuro-medical emergencies, management of TBI.
• Renal: AKI and renal replacement therapies.
• Gastro/Liver: Acute liver failure and liver transplantation.
• Endocrine: Diabetes, Hyper/hypothyroidism.
• Microbiology: Infectious diseases in critical care.
• Emergency presentations: management of patients presenting with: polytrauma, spinal cord injury, severe burns, cardiac arrest.
• Other: Maternal critical care, haematology, legal and ethical issues of critical care, palliative care, major incident planning, rehab and long-term care.

Skills and simulation learning: Airway management (including difficult airway management) and critical care transfers (principles of intra and inter-hospital transfers)

Please note this is not an exhaustive list and is subject to change depending on availability.  Students should refer to the ACCP Curriculum set by the The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM 2023) for further curriculum information. 

 Course dates

• 30th September 2025
• 1st, 14th, 15th, and 29th October 2025
• 11th, 12th, 25th, and 26th November 2025
• Assessment dates are the 3rd and 9^th December 2025 

Assessment

• Closed book examination (1 hour)– 50% weighting 
• Objective Structured Long Examination (2x15 minute stations) – OSLER – 50 % weighting 

Both elements need minimum pass mark of 50% to pass the module. 

Module prequalification: 

• Advanced Physical Health Assessment 0235083 

• Advanced Clinical Decision Making 0235078 

Or equivalent advanced clinical practice modules previously achieved as part of a MSc Advanced Clinical Practice qualification or equivalent, as approved by Module Lead. 

Module prerequisites: 

• Students must have evidence of employment within a critical care unit environment, due to work-based learning element of the module. The critical care unit must meet the criteria for ACCP training units as set out by the FICM (2021)

• Students must be employed as a Trainee ACCP or an ACCP.

Fees for 2025 entry

Microcredential (Home): £1,211

Please note the Microcredential is not open to International students.

Why choose a Postgraduate Microcredential short course?

• Microcredentials offer the perfect opportunity to boost your CV without the commitment of a full degree
• Usually taken from existing modules within a Masters, they can be used as standalone credentials with some also counting as academic credits at postgraduate level
• Add a postgraduate level qualification to your CV
• Develop the specialist skills you need for your career goals
• Alumni status with the University of Birmingham
• Learners will have the same access to our student support and campus facilities as our students on full degree programmes.

Please note the deadline for submitting an application:

• Applicants eligible for Home fees are to apply a minimum of 6 weeks before the module start date.
• Applicants eligible for Overseas fees are to apply a minimum of 3 months before the module start date.

Please note that once registered for the microcredential you cannot swap for the non-credit short course version.