Professional/Short course Assessment and Management of Respiratory Disorders

Entry year: 2025/26
Course code: USSJS5603
Application: University
Level: Professional/Short Course
School: School of Applied Sciences
Campus: Glenside (primarily) and Frenchay
Duration: 10 months
Delivery: Blended (on-campus teaching and online)
Course Director: Dr Adrian Kendrick

Introduction

This 60 credit module, Assessment and Management of Respiratory Disorders, will develop your knowledge and understanding of respiratory science in relation to airflow, breathing mechanics, and control of respiration, and the skills to perform relevant clinical tests to assess these parameters.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

use the correct terminology, the basic equipment and techniques used within the field of respiratory science, and describe the principles of operation.
critically evaluate the risks and benefits related to equipment and techniques for respiratory science (including safety), and discuss and justify the quality assurance (and if applicable legislative) framework.
undertake calibration of equipment to ensure accurate signal acquisition and take appropriate action in the event of errors in calibration.
explain the physiology of the respiratory system and the pathophysiology of common lung diseases and related, non-respiratory diseases, and link the pathophysiological changes to the outcomes of tests undertaken as part of the assessment pathway.
measure static and dynamic lung volumes and flows, and interpret the results for a range of disorder; assess airway inflammation and the response to inhaled drug therapy,
measure gas exchange of a patient using CO Transfer Factor and pulse oximetry, and interpret the results of such studies and with other.

Careers / Further study

This level 6 module contributes towards the GradDip Respiratory Science.

Structure

Content

This level 6 (undergraduate level) module syllabus will typically cover a range of respiratory disorders, including diseases of the airways; such as asthma and COPD, the alveoli; such as interstitial lung disease, and the respiratory impact of other conditions; such as Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

Additionally, you will develop the underpinning knowledge and skills with respect to a patient-centred care pathway by:

understanding the application of instrumentation - flow and volume transducers, amplifiers and digitization, gas analysers for carbon monoxide, methane/helium, oxygen, nitrogen and nitric oxide, including the importance of quality assurance programmes.
applying the knowledge of normal respiratory mechanics, gas exchange at alveolar level through to cellular level (the pathway of oxygen) and the control of respiration in the awake state at rest and on exercise and in the sleep state in relation to pathophysiological changes in the disease state.
understanding the application of reference values from aged four years upwards and the effects of sex and ethnicity to the interpretation of the effects of disease states.
assessing dynamic lung volumes and flows, airway inflammation, and the response to bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids.
measuring static lung volumes using at least one technique of body plethysmography, nitrogen washout or helium dilution.
assessment of gas exchange through the use of arterial/capillary blood gases and CO Transfer Factor.
applying pulse oximetry as spot-check and during field exercise testing/cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to assess non-invasive gas exchange.
applying these measurements to a range of respiratory and non-respiratory disorders and interpreting the results.
applying imaging techniques in the assessment of respiratory patients - chest x-ray, CT and MRI scanning.

Learning and Teaching

Delivery of this module will be via:

blended learning with on-campus teaching and practical skills (block weeks), coupled with online lectures/tutorials and webinars provided throughout the academic year on a timetabled basis.
practice-based learning where you will learn and develop your skills through clinical practice by interaction with patients and teaching from senior practitioners within your department.

Assessment

Assessment of this module comprises two parts:

a case study (3,000 words) centred around a respiratory disorder case encountered in your workplace
an Observed Practical Skills Assessment.

Features

Study facilities

The College of Health, Science and Society has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and the facilities it provides.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Health Professions facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Prices and dates

Supplementary fee information

Recruitment of students and provision of funding is managed by the National School of Health Care Science with NHS England, with details being provided to UWE Bristol subsequently in order to compete the admissions process.

Once funding has been approved, alongside this module, Assessment and Management of Respiratory Disorders, students must apply for the following two modules:

Dates

Please click on the Apply Now button to view dates.

How to apply

This module forms part of the GradDip in Respiratory Science and is not available as a stand-alone module.

Please click on the Apply Now button to apply online for this course.

Please read our Terms and Conditions.

Extra information

If the course you are applying for is fully online or blended learning, please note that you are expected to provide your own headsets/microphones.

For further information

Email: pd@uwe.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81158