| CODE | IAL3012 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Understanding Special Health Procedures | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Inclusion and Access to Learning | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Through a combination of lectures and practical skill-stations this study-unit prepares prospective LSEs to deal with common health issues that they might encounter while working with children and which they would need to address. Such health issues range from unexpected emergency situations to common paediatric medical conditions. This study-unit is designed around three fundamental principles which are highlighted throughout the whole study-unit, namely: - Maintaining a safe environment; - Continuous monitoring and assessment; - Early identification of problems. Throughout this study-unit, injuries, sudden illnesses and common conditions which are frequently encountered in children will be addressed. Protocols which guide the provision of first-aid in these situations will be provided, and the role and functions of the LSE in providing first-aid will be discussed. The general medical management of common paediatric conditions will also be addressed, with a focus on the role of the LSE in monitoring child health, identifying early signs of problems, providing the initial care, and reporting as the case might require. The special medical needs of children with specific conditions will also be discussed, and guidelines will be provided so that LSEs would be able to identify problems early, provide initial care to prevent conditions from worsening, and to refer or report as appropriate. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims: - to provide students with a basic understanding of illnesses which are commonly encountered in children (e.g. asthma, seizures, diabetes, allergies, meningitis); - to provide students with a basic understanding of the care of children with specific medical needs (e.g. children with a PEG tube, a urinary catheter, or on regular medication); and - to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to be able to deal with emergency and life-threatening situations in children. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define the role of the LSA in developing and maintaining a safe environment in the classroom, in assisting the teacher to develop a plan-of-action for health-related / emergency situations, and in assisting the teacher to prepare the rest of the class in line with the plan-of-action; - Recall the overall principles and procedures to follow when a child presents with a difficult / unexpected ‘health situation’, including emergencies, acute illness, and signs of neglect/abuse; - Review the basic description of the pathophysiology of common childhood illnesses, list the most common signs and symptoms, and discuss the best course of action when these are encountered in the classroom; - Define an emergency situation, and discuss the provision of first aid for emergency and life-threatening situations in children. These include, but are not limited to, musculoskeletal and surface injuries, bleeding, shock, altered level of response, breathing difficulties, foreign-body airway obstruction, cardiac arrest, allergic reactions and common acute illnesses; - Discuss the special considerations which are required when taking care of children with specific medical needs (e.g. children with a PEG tube, a urinary catheter, or on regular medication), describe the problems that may arise, and discuss the appropriate actions to follow in this regard. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Implement safety procedures to ensure a safe environment in the classroom for all, the drafting of a plan-of-action for emergencies, and in preparing the class to act when required in accordance with the plan-of-action; - Assist other professionals (as appropriate) in the monitoring of children with specific health needs; - Identify health-related problems, and undertake appropriate actions to address / report them as required; - Provide emergency first-aid in accordance with established guidelines, as discussed throughout the study-unit; - Apply appropriate, established and safe techniques when moving, lifting, carrying, or otherwise manually handling a child in a way which protects the child, other children and themselves; - Document all the required information (including observations, actions and outcomes) to record and report an incident or an emergency situation. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main text: - St John Ambulance, St Andrews First Aid and British Red Cross (2016) First aid manual (10th edition) Dorling Kindersley: London. - DK (2017) First aid for babies and children fast: Emergency procedures for all parents and carers (6th edition) Dorling Kindersley: London. Supplementary texts: - American Association of Paediatrics. (2016) . EMERGENCY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOLS FLORIDA EDITION. - Huffman D.M., Fontaine K. L. (2003) . Health Problems in the Classroom PreK-6: An A-Z reference guide for educators. Sage publication. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Practical | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Trevor Abela Fiorentino |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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