MSc Specialist Practice (Cancer) / Course details

The course unit is designed to enable students to develop their knowledge and skills in relation to caring for the patient with a haematological malignancy.

The course unit is structured to enable qualified health professionals caring for individuals with a haematological cancer to remain in their own areas of practice to attain the course learning outcomes; although students have the option to negotiate access to service areas providing additional aspects of patient care in this context.

 Course unit content follows three generic themes which follow the patient pathway; indications for treatment, the process of treatment and the range of treatment options and the effects of undergoing treatment for haematological malignancy, including rehabilitation, survivorship, supportive and palliative care and end of life care provision.

 The course unit is constantly evolving in recognition of changing nature of clinical practice.  This is undertaken through close collaboration between the University of Manchester and The Christie School of Oncology/Haematology department.  This team approach aims to integrate theory into practice and is seen as an essential component of the course unit.

• Develop student’s understanding of the pathophysiology of haematological malignancies and the aetiological factors, which may contribute to the development of haematological conditions/diseases within local, national and international populations.
• Facilitate students to critically examine current practice and service delivery to people with haematological disease and using reflection upon practice, current evidence and policy, identify areas for improvement/enhancement within the multi-professional/multiagency team.
• Critically examine the complex needs of haematology oncology patients within the context of changing healthcare provision and the use of evidence based practice
• Evaluate current national and local policy, Government and clinical guidelines, protocols for care delivery, evidenced based practice and analyse their influence in the identification, treatment and management of haematological malignancy and the delivery of care.
• Enhance knowledge and skills to evaluate and apply evidence to develop care packages for patients with haematological malignancy.

• Online live teaching
• Online facilitated group presentations
• E-learning 
• Directed and self-directed 
   

• Critically examine the physical, social and psychological needs of patients with haematological malignancy and justify how these are assessed and managed in the students own service and by the multi professional/multi agency teams identifying areas for development and change.
• Examine/explain the pathophysiology of a range of haematological conditions/diseases.
• Evaluate the ethical, cultural, religious, and spiritual and quality of life issues associated with haematological malignancy and critically examine how such issues are addressed in day-to-day practice.
• Critically evaluate patient-centred care and patient choice in decision-making, demonstrating use of educational tools and understanding of the patient pathway.
• Critically analyse and evaluate the aetiological factors contributing to the development of haematological malignancy within local, national and international populations and the strategies used to ameliorate these factors.
• Evaluate current treatments options and justify best practice identifying areas for service development and delivery.
• Evaluate the concepts, principles and practices of palliative care and end of life care and their place for supporting people with haematological malignancy.
• Critically evaluate the underpinning professional, ethical and legal concepts relating to the care of patients, relatives and service delivery.  

• Critically evaluate and synthesise peer reviewed literature and national/local policies to justify clinical decision-making and recommendations for practice and service delivery.
• Critically evaluate current practice and service delivery and, drawing on a range of evidence, propose innovative approaches to enhancing care to people with haematological malignancy.

• Critically evaluate strategies used for the assessment, management and evaluation of care to patients with haematological malignancy in clinical practice and propose developments/enhancements for clinical practice.
• Communicate developments in practice to the multidisciplinary team

• Develop information technology skills to support lifelong learning and participate in identification of individual learning needs and develop strategies to meet those needs.
• Evaluate own role in leading and developing practice and service delivery in relation to the care of haematology oncology patients.
• Participate in collaborative learning and peer support.
• Promote independent learning through critical evaluation and synthesis of evidence that enhances and challenges current practice.
• Systematically evaluate a range of evidence to inform clinical decision-making and professional practice.

Students will normally have the opportunity to receive feedback on formative work submitted prior to the summative assessment. Other feedback opportunities will also be available in class and online discussion boards. Online feedback is provided in Grademark. Provisional feedback based on internal marking will be made available prior to the Exam Board on the basis that these marks are yet to be ratified at the Exam Board and therefore may be subject to change. A standard feedback mechanism in Grademark is utilised across all postgraduate programmes within the School which provides detailed and constructive feedback on each component and aspect of assessment and identifies areas of strength and those aspects which could be enhanced.

Student feedback is obtained through open discussion forums on blackboard, in class discussions, via formal University unit evaluation forms and also qualitative, in house evaluations at the end of the unit.