Postgraduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing
Extend nursing knowledge for the care of adults with complex critical-care needs.
About the course
Extend nursing knowledge for the care of adults with complex critical-care needs. The proposed postgraduate outline is intended for appropriately qualified and registered nurses. It connects specialist reasoning with evidence, team communication and directly supervised practice, taking account of staffing, equipment and service conditions in Southern African critical-care settings.
What you'll learn
Critically interpret specialist nursing evidence in a defined care case.
Integrate assessment information within an authorised nursing role.
Evaluate patient safety, team coordination and care quality.
Develop a feasible evidence-translation or improvement project.
Requirements
Intended preparation is an appropriate nursing qualification, current professional registration and relevant clinical experience. BMIT must verify specialist entry rules, placement access and supervision with the relevant regulator. This proposed outline does not establish eligibility for specialist registration or replace an approved clinical education programme.
Course content
The subjects are grouped by learning stage, from foundations to specialist study and supervised application. Complete earlier foundations before the related advanced work. Clinical, laboratory, field and workplace subjects use approved facilities and supervision appropriate to the programme.
3 learning stages 12 subjects
1Stage 1: Postgraduate disciplinary study4 subjects
2Stage 2: Specialist analysis and application4 subjects
3Stage 3: Supervised research or applied integration4 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The subjects are grouped by learning stage, from foundations to specialist study and supervised application. Complete earlier foundations before the related advanced work. Clinical, laboratory, field and workplace subjects use approved facilities and supervision appropriate to the programme.
12 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Postgraduate disciplinary study
- General Pathology. Examine cell injury, inflammation and their relationship within general pathology. The subject develops repair and neoplasia, then examines circulatory disturbances and disease mechanisms. Analyse de-identified teaching cases using approved pathology images.
- Pharmacology. Develop your understanding of pharmacology through drug action and pharmacokinetics. The subject develops therapeutic classes and adverse effects, then examines interactions and responsible medicine use. Analyse de-identified medicine teaching cases within authorised learner scope.
- Critical Care Nursing. Study advanced assessment and organ dysfunction as foundations for critical care nursing. The subject develops monitoring and complex care planning, then examines family support and team communication. Complete approved adult critical-care placements with specialist supervision.
- Clinical Reasoning and Evidence. Examine problem representation, differential reasoning and their relationship within clinical reasoning and evidence. The subject develops evidence appraisal and diagnostic uncertainty, then examines referral and reflective practice. Analyse de-identified cases within the approved professional learner role.
Stage 2: Specialist analysis and application
- Quality and Patient Safety. Develop your understanding of quality and patient safety through care quality and patient experience. The subject develops safety incidents and clinical governance, then examines improvement methods and measurement. Review a de-identified service-quality case using approved data.
- Leadership in Health Services. Study leadership approaches and team relationships as foundations for leadership in health services. The subject develops change and conflict, then examines professional accountability and organisational learning. Analyse a service-change case and design a stakeholder engagement approach.
- Clinical Communication. Examine listening, plain language and their relationship within clinical communication. The subject develops cultural context and shared information, then examines team handover and documentation. Practise communication in supervised simulation using fictional cases.
- Health Ethics and Professional Practice. Develop your understanding of health ethics and professional practice through consent and confidentiality. The subject develops scope of practice and equity, then examines professional accountability and ethical reasoning. Discuss a simulated ethical dilemma with attention to patient rights.
Stage 3: Supervised research or applied integration
- Research Methods. Study research questions and literature review as foundations for research methods. The subject develops study design and data collection, then examines ethics and interpretation. Prepare a feasible investigation proposal with a defined evidence need.
- Integrated Supervised Clinical Practice. Examine approved clinical roles, care coordination and their relationship within integrated supervised clinical practice. The subject develops case reasoning and observed competence, then examines professional feedback and reflection. Complete an approved placement with qualified clinical supervision and authenticated records.
- Project Development and Feasibility. Develop your understanding of project development and feasibility through problem definition and evidence review. The subject develops requirements and method selection, then examines feasibility and evaluation criteria. Develop an approved discipline-specific project proposal with a supervisor.
- Integrated Project and Technical Report. Study implementation and evidence collection as foundations for integrated project and technical report. The subject develops analysis and verification, then examines limitations and communication. Complete the approved project and maintain an auditable evidence record.
Assessment and practical learning
- Proposed assessment: specialist case discussions, written evidence reviews and structured clinical reasoning assessments.
- Directly observed practice in an approved clinical placement, with an authenticated competence portfolio and supervisor feedback.
- An applied quality-improvement or evidence-translation project. Final weighting, clinical requirements and progression require programme approval.
Practical application
This route requires a formally approved specialist programme, qualified critical-care supervisors and an appropriate clinical placement. Competence must be observed and authenticated. Online theory cannot replace specialist patient-care experience. The outline does not establish initial nursing registration or entitlement to a specialist professional designation.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Postgraduate disciplinary study
General Pathology
Examine cell injury, inflammation and their relationship within general pathology. The subject develops repair and neoplasia, then examines circulatory disturbances and disease mechanisms. Analyse de-identified teaching cases using approved pathology images.
Learning outcomes
- Explain cell injury and inflammation using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving repair and neoplasia.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing circulatory disturbances and disease mechanisms.
Main topics
- Cell injury
- Inflammation
- Repair
- Neoplasia
- Circulatory disturbances
- Disease mechanisms
Practical task
Analyse de-identified teaching cases using approved pathology images.
Assessment
Submit a mechanism-based pathology report.
Pharmacology
Develop your understanding of pharmacology through drug action and pharmacokinetics. The subject develops therapeutic classes and adverse effects, then examines interactions and responsible medicine use. Analyse de-identified medicine teaching cases within authorised learner scope.
Learning outcomes
- Explain drug action and pharmacokinetics using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving therapeutic classes and adverse effects.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing interactions and responsible medicine use.
Main topics
- Drug action
- Pharmacokinetics
- Therapeutic classes
- Adverse effects
- Interactions
- Responsible medicine use
Practical task
Analyse de-identified medicine teaching cases within authorised learner scope.
Assessment
Submit a pharmacological reasoning report and knowledge assessment.
Critical Care Nursing
Study advanced assessment and organ dysfunction as foundations for critical care nursing. The subject develops monitoring and complex care planning, then examines family support and team communication. Complete approved adult critical-care placements with specialist supervision.
Learning outcomes
- Explain advanced assessment and organ dysfunction using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving monitoring and complex care planning.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing family support and team communication.
Main topics
- Advanced assessment
- Organ dysfunction
- Monitoring
- Complex care planning
- Family support
- Team communication
Practical task
Complete approved adult critical-care placements with specialist supervision.
Assessment
Pass observed clinical assessments and submit authenticated case evidence.
Clinical Reasoning and Evidence
Examine problem representation, differential reasoning and their relationship within clinical reasoning and evidence. The subject develops evidence appraisal and diagnostic uncertainty, then examines referral and reflective practice. Analyse de-identified cases within the approved professional learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Explain problem representation and differential reasoning using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving evidence appraisal and diagnostic uncertainty.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing referral and reflective practice.
Main topics
- Problem representation
- Differential reasoning
- Evidence appraisal
- Diagnostic uncertainty
- Referral
- Reflective practice
Practical task
Analyse de-identified cases within the approved professional learner role.
Assessment
Submit case analyses and an oral reasoning assessment.
Stage 2: Specialist analysis and application
Quality and Patient Safety
Develop your understanding of quality and patient safety through care quality and patient experience. The subject develops safety incidents and clinical governance, then examines improvement methods and measurement. Review a de-identified service-quality case using approved data.
Learning outcomes
- Explain care quality and patient experience using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving safety incidents and clinical governance.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing improvement methods and measurement.
Main topics
- Care quality
- Patient experience
- Safety incidents
- Clinical governance
- Improvement methods
- Measurement
Practical task
Review a de-identified service-quality case using approved data.
Assessment
Submit a measurable quality-improvement proposal.
Leadership in Health Services
Study leadership approaches and team relationships as foundations for leadership in health services. The subject develops change and conflict, then examines professional accountability and organisational learning. Analyse a service-change case and design a stakeholder engagement approach.
Learning outcomes
- Explain leadership approaches and team relationships using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving change and conflict.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing professional accountability and organisational learning.
Main topics
- Leadership approaches
- Team relationships
- Change
- Conflict
- Professional accountability
- Organisational learning
Practical task
Analyse a service-change case and design a stakeholder engagement approach.
Assessment
Submit a leadership and implementation plan.
Clinical Communication
Examine listening, plain language and their relationship within clinical communication. The subject develops cultural context and shared information, then examines team handover and documentation. Practise communication in supervised simulation using fictional cases.
Learning outcomes
- Explain listening and plain language using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving cultural context and shared information.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing team handover and documentation.
Main topics
- Listening
- Plain language
- Cultural context
- Shared information
- Team handover
- Documentation
Practical task
Practise communication in supervised simulation using fictional cases.
Assessment
Complete an observed communication exercise and reflective record.
Health Ethics and Professional Practice
Develop your understanding of health ethics and professional practice through consent and confidentiality. The subject develops scope of practice and equity, then examines professional accountability and ethical reasoning. Discuss a simulated ethical dilemma with attention to patient rights.
Learning outcomes
- Explain consent and confidentiality using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving scope of practice and equity.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing professional accountability and ethical reasoning.
Main topics
- Consent
- Confidentiality
- Scope of practice
- Equity
- Professional accountability
- Ethical reasoning
Practical task
Discuss a simulated ethical dilemma with attention to patient rights.
Assessment
Submit a justified ethical decision and professional reflection.
Stage 3: Supervised research or applied integration
Research Methods
Study research questions and literature review as foundations for research methods. The subject develops study design and data collection, then examines ethics and interpretation. Prepare a feasible investigation proposal with a defined evidence need.
Learning outcomes
- Explain research questions and literature review using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving study design and data collection.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing ethics and interpretation.
Main topics
- Research questions
- Literature review
- Study design
- Data collection
- Ethics
- Interpretation
Practical task
Prepare a feasible investigation proposal with a defined evidence need.
Assessment
Submit a proposal, methods rationale and ethics considerations.
Integrated Supervised Clinical Practice
Examine approved clinical roles, care coordination and their relationship within integrated supervised clinical practice. The subject develops case reasoning and observed competence, then examines professional feedback and reflection. Complete an approved placement with qualified clinical supervision and authenticated records.
Learning outcomes
- Explain approved clinical roles and care coordination using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving case reasoning and observed competence.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing professional feedback and reflection.
Main topics
- Approved clinical roles
- Care coordination
- Case reasoning
- Observed competence
- Professional feedback
- Reflection
Practical task
Complete an approved placement with qualified clinical supervision and authenticated records.
Assessment
Pass direct clinical assessments and submit a reflective competence portfolio.
Project Development and Feasibility
Develop your understanding of project development and feasibility through problem definition and evidence review. The subject develops requirements and method selection, then examines feasibility and evaluation criteria. Develop an approved discipline-specific project proposal with a supervisor.
Learning outcomes
- Explain problem definition and evidence review using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving requirements and method selection.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing feasibility and evaluation criteria.
Main topics
- Problem definition
- Evidence review
- Requirements
- Method selection
- Feasibility
- Evaluation criteria
Practical task
Develop an approved discipline-specific project proposal with a supervisor.
Assessment
Submit a proposal, evidence review and evaluation plan.
Integrated Project and Technical Report
Study implementation and evidence collection as foundations for integrated project and technical report. The subject develops analysis and verification, then examines limitations and communication. Complete the approved project and maintain an auditable evidence record.
Learning outcomes
- Explain implementation and evidence collection using an appropriate example.
- Analyse a subject-related problem involving analysis and verification.
- Present reasoned evidence addressing limitations and communication.
Main topics
- Implementation
- Evidence collection
- Analysis
- Verification
- Limitations
- Communication
Practical task
Complete the approved project and maintain an auditable evidence record.
Assessment
Submit the final project, report and individual oral defence.
Instructors
