Professional/Short course Managing Fatigue in Long Term Health Conditions

Content

The module topics will be informed by current research evidence relating to chronic fatigue and its management in long term health conditions. Key areas that will be addressed include:

• Definition of fatigue in the context of long term conditions
• Physical, contextual, and cognitive and behavioural factors underlying fatigue
• Current evidence about fatigue symptoms and factors associated with fatigue development in clinical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, long term neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and long term musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Assessments of fatigue including patient reported outcome measures
• Introduction to pharmacological inventions for fatigue management and examination of the evidence base for non-pharmacological interventions including cognitive-behavioural approaches, and physical exercise and the role of the multidisciplinary team, family and social support.

Learning and Teaching

This module has 150 allocated hours and a variety of learning approaches will be used to support distance learning. You will be required to engage with online materials and discussion forums and to support this with essential reading.

Typically up to three hours of virtual contact will be scheduled for group discussion and tutor support; preparation will be required for virtual scheduled sessions. We expect that approximately three hours will be directed/scheduled learning and 147 hours will be self-directed learning and includes assessment preparation and completion time.

Self-directed learning is a key element of the learning strategy to enable you to engage in areas that directly relate to their professional practice and clinical interest. Tutor supported discussions will facilitate students to undertake their independent study. The assessment also supports self-directed learning related to clinical practice and assessment preparation will be encouraged and supported through scheduled activities and discussions.

You will need to have access to a computer and internet access to be able to engage with the teaching and learning methods for this module.

Scheduled learning includes tutorial and online group discussion activities.

Independent learning includes hours engaged with online activities and materials, essential reading, case study preparation, assignment preparation and completion etc.

Study time

The level 7 (Masters level) module will be delivered as a distance learning module. The majority of the module is based on self-directed learning using a range of online resources, directed reading, independent reading and discussion forums.

A small number of contact hours (typically up to three hours) will be scheduled during the module for online group discussion and tutor support.

Assessment

The summative assessment will be a 3,000 word written assignment as a case report. You will be required to identify an appropriate case from your area of professional practice and present an evidence based discussion of management of the case. This approach enables you to draw from your professional practice and to direct and apply learning to practice. The case report will be structured to provide guidance and ensure that you meet the learning outcomes of the module.

Formative assessment will take place through scheduled activities.