Module Advanced Assessment of the Acutely Ill Child

• Health assessment strategies, models and tools used to recognise the acutely ill child
• The 'acute abdomen' presentation e.g. peritonitis, intussusception, volvulus
• Neurological signs e.g. meningism, raised intracranial pressure, seizures
• Respiratory distress & cardiovascular compromise (e.g. asthma, bronchiolitis, congenital heart defects, endocarditis)
• ENT disorders (e.g. epiglottitis, croup)
• Burns, scalds and poisoning
• Overwhelming sepsis
• Trauma and accidental injury

Intended learning outcomes

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

• Critically analyse and evaluate the development of knowledge and understanding of acute presentations in paediatrics including red flag diagnoses and red flag symptoms
• Critically analyse and evaluate the health assessment of the acutely ill child
• Critically evaluate appropriate early warning tools and investigations which will assist the diagnostic process
• Critically analyse, evaluate and reflect on the management of critically ill or seriously ill or emergency cases in childhood
• Critically analyse, evaluate and reflect upon the application of the knowledge and understanding gained to practice

Indicative core bibliography

• Barnes, K. (2003) Paediatrics: A Clinical Guide for Nurse Practitioners. Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann.
• BMA /Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, BNF for Children. 2010-2012 BMJ Publishing Group.
• Cameron, P et. al (2011) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine (2nd ed.), Philadelphia, Churchill Livingstone
• Gill, D & O'Brien, N (2006) Paediatric Clinical Examination Made Easy (5th ed.) Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone.
• Goldbloom, R (2010) Pediatric Clinical Skills (4th ed.) Edinburgh, Saunders.
• Hay, W., Levin, M.J., Deterding, R.R.& Abzug, M. (2012) Current Pediatric Diagnosis and Treatment (21st ed.) New York; Lange/ McGraw Hill.
• Hoffman, R.J. et al. (2012) Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Philadelphia, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
• Lissauer, T. & Clayden, G. eds (2011) Illustrated Textbook of Paediatrics (4th ed.) St Louis, Mosby.
• Miall, L., Rudolf, M., Levene, M. (2007) Paediatrics at a Glance. Oxford Butterworth Science.
• NHS Education for Scotland (2006) Core competencies for the care of acutely ill and injured children and young people. Edinburgh: NHS Education for Scotland.
• Selbst, S. & Cronan, K (2012) Pediatric Emergency Medicine Secrets (2nd ed.) Philadelphia, Mosby.
• Snelson, E. (2011) The Essential Clinical Handbook for Common Paediatric Cases. London, BPP Learning Media.
• www.cks.nice.org.uk
• www.nice.org.uk
• www.patient.co.uk
• www.sign.ac.uk
• www.spottingthesickchild.com