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Clinical Assessment & History Taking - HEA00126M

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

This module will teach you the clinical skills required to develop competence in history taking and physical assessment as required by an advanced clinical practitioner. It will enable you to develop skills in clinical decision making, differential diagnosis and care planning.

It aims to enable you to take a holistic health history from a patient/carer and to develop skills in assessing a patient's physical and mental health and cognitive ability. You will develop physical examination skills across the body systems, and be able to adapt these to the age of the patient, the setting, and individual needs and preferences of the patient. You will then develop the art and science of clinical decision making and care planning.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Spring Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23

Module aims

This module will teach you the clinical skills required to develop competence in history taking and physical assessment as required by an advanced clinical practitioner. It will enable you to develop skills in clinical decision making, differential diagnosis and care planning.

It aims to enable you to take a holistic health history from a patient/carer and to develop skills in assessing a patient's physical and mental health and cognitive ability. You will develop physical examination skills across the body systems, and be able to adapt these to the age of the patient, the setting, and individual needs and preferences of the patient. You will then develop the art and science of clinical decision making and care planning.

Module learning outcomes

  1. Demonstrate knowledge, skill and judgement in patient/client consultation and be able to critically appraise the place of these skills and underpinning knowledge within the context of a holistic health assessment.

  2. Distinguish and explain findings of normality in the assessment process, including those influenced by genetic, ethnic, physiologic, anatomic and developmental/lifespan differences

  3. Critically appraise the evidence base which underpins history taking and physical assessment skills in the context of your professional practice

  4. Take an accurate, comprehensive and focused history, including mental health and mental status assessment.

  5. Accurately document subjective and objective data from the patient and be able to communicate these appropriately, in writing and verbally, with other members of the clinical team.

  6. Demonstrate a critical understanding of your broadened level of responsibility and autonomy and limits of own competence and professional scope of practice

Module content

  • History taking and consultation skills, including for different age groups/people with difficulties with communication/ in different settings.

  • Auscultation, palpation, inspection and percussion skills

  • Physical assessment of body systems (ENT/Head and neck/respiratory/cardiovascular system/abdominal examination/male and female reproductive system*/urinary system*/nervous system/musculoskeletal system/skin*)

  • Mental health and mental status assessment.

  • Assessment of the sick child

  • Assessment of the older person

  • Assessment of the acutely ill adult.

  • Assessment/diagnosis and treatment of specific signs and symptoms and diseases.

  • Developing patient centred care and the promotion of self management and collaborative care

  • Making credible referrals in cases of proven or suspected abnormality

  • Exploration of legal, professional and ethical issues

  • Critical consideration of the evidence base underpinning health assessment, role expansion and advanced practice.

  • Privacy, dignity and confidentiality in the context of health assessment.

  • *theory only

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Objective Structured Clinical Examination - HS Dpt 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Objective Structured Clinical Examination - HS Dpt 100

Module feedback

Feeback will be provided by module team on formative assessments at the time to support student learning.

Feedback on summative assessments will be in accordance with Department policy.

Indicative reading

Bickley, L. S., (2016). Bates' guide to physical examination and history taking (11th Edition.). Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Jarvis,C. (2019). Physical Examination and Health Assessment eth edition. London: Elsevier


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.