Critical care as a specialty is a highly skilled and technical field of healthcare, where doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, radiographers and other healthcare professionals focus on supporting the most critically ill or unstable patients with organ dysfunction, or who have extensive injury, or who are experiencing severe or life-threatening injuries. These patients typically require high levels of organ support, monitoring and highly complex life-sustaining interventions.
Critical care support also happens outside of critical care units, supporting deteriorating patients and rescuing them from further illness. Critical care may be delivered in a diverse range of environments from intensive care units to wards, theatres, in the community and in the transportation setting (for example, in ambulances or aeromedical transportation).
Critical care units are specialist facilities with skilled, specialist staff and they have specialist equipment. This area is usually a separate and self-contained area of a hospital dedicated to critically ill patients. They provide level 2 care (high dependency) and level 3 care (intensive care) as defined by the Intensive Care Society’s Levels of Critical Care for Adult Patients (2009).
This apprenticeship is designed to support the development of the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Enhanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship which in turn will support apprentices to progress towards achieving step 2 and step 3 of the CC3N step framework. This will enable critical care units to deliver safe and effective care which is driven by those with leadership and supervision skills and a desire to make continual quality improvements within their working environment.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care nursing is also available as a non-apprenticeship route.
How you will learn
This innovative programme reimagines traditional critical care education for a flexible online environment. Purposefully designed for online delivery, the programme offers a flexible blend of live (synchronous) teaching and guided self-directed (asynchronous) learning, allowing you to engage with expert academics and peers while balancing the demands of shift-based clinical work.
You’ll be guided through high-quality online learning materials and engaging activities designed to support the development of your knowledge and clinical reasoning. Weekly study units help you build understanding progressively, with clear direction on how learning links to practice and assessment.
You’ll be encouraged to contribute to discussion boards, sharing insights and experiences with fellow critical care professionals. This collaborative approach supports peer learning and helps you develop confidence in articulating clinical decision-making and professional perspectives.
- This is a highly specialised programme relevant to nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (or equivalent in their home country for non-apprenticeship nurses) and who are working in a critical care environment.
- The programme is aligned to the Step Competency framework of the Critical Care Network Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N)
- The programme will develop the knowledge skills and behaviours of the Enhanced Clinical Practitioner standard enabling them to work at an enhanced level of practice.
- The programme supports learners to develop the knowledge skills and behaviours to enable them to manage a discrete aspect of a patient’s care within their current level of practice, which will be particular to the critical care environment and the care of patients and their families within this environment.
How you are assessed
Across three practice-focused modules, you’ll develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deliver safe, evidence-based and compassionate care in complex critical care environments. You’ll strengthen your understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, apply a systems-based approach to patient assessment, and enhance your ability to communicate effectively with patients, families and carers during challenging situations.
The assessment of the modules on this programme will build a research informed approach through developing critically of thought, reading and writing. Learners are supported by academics who also have critical care nursing experience utilising both asynchronous and synchronous learning activities.
Your Practice Supervisor will oversee your progress towards the CC3N framework competencies.
You will meet with your practice supervisor and academic assessor regularly.
This ensures that your progress towards completion of all elements of the programme including step 2 & 3 of the CC3N step framework is supported by an academic as well as a supervisor in the workplace.
This approach enables discussion between you as the learner, your employer and the university to identify if additional support is required and if so, how this can be achieved. It also ensures that your employer remains informed of your academic progress and commitment to study.
Gateway for End Point Assessment
Prior to end point assessment the apprentice is required to pass through gateway. Requirements for this are:
- The employer must be content the apprentice is consistently working at, or above, the level of the occupational standard.
Apprentices must also prepare and submit:
- The quality improvement proposal’s subject, title and scope will be agreed between the employer and the EPAO at the gateway
- A portfolio of evidence
The end point assessment for this apprenticeship standard is non-integrated and delivered by an external awarding body. The EPA consists of two discrete assessment components:
- Assessment method 1: Quality improvement proposal report with question-and-answer session, graded as fail or pass.
- Assessment method 2: Professional discussion underpinned by portfolio of evidence, graded as fail, pass or distinction
Overall EPA grade of fail or pass or distinction awarded on completion.
What you will study
Both the apprenticeship and non-apprenticeship version of this programme have three core modules. Students and apprentices will study the same modules together however learning will be in accordance with the route they are taking, therefore, following completion of the three core modules only apprentices will progress through gateway to end point assessment.
Developing Professionalism in the Critical Care setting
Core module: Level 6 (20 credits)
- This module will be delivered over the duration of the programme indicative content will include the clinical proficiencies from Step 2 and Step 3 of the CC3N framework.
- Learners will be required to have a nominated supervisor in practice who will assess these competencies using an e-portfolio system.
- Learners will also explore continuing professional development in the critical care setting which will include leadership, professionalism, teaching and supervision, preceptorship, local appraisal policy and systems and own responsibility in relation to the appraisal of others.
- Learners will develop strategies for promoting self-care whilst working in the Critical Care setting to prevent burnout.
- This module will also introduce the skills required to develop the academic skills required for post graduate study including, systematic literature searches and critical appraisal.
Caring for individuals in the Critical Care setting
Core: Level 7 (20 credits)
- This module will equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to care for those patients admitted to the critical care setting.
- Learners will adopt a systems-based approach to assessment and develop patient-centred care which meets the needs of individuals.
- This will include specialist diagnostics, mechanical intervention, and medicinal approaches to meeting the needs of their patients.
- This will include provision of patient centred care from admission to discharge, including patient care and rehabilitation.
- Learners will also explore the complexities of communicating with patients and their families/carers in the critical care setting including the communication of complex information and the use of de-escalation strategies.
Quality Improvement in the Critical Care setting
Core: Level 7 (20 credits)
- This module equips learners with the skills to apply ethical, legal, and clinical frameworks in critical care settings, integrating contemporary evidence-based practice guidelines and clinical audit outcomes.
- Learners will learn to interpret diverse information, support clinical innovation, and manage change through co-production and quality improvement strategies.
- Learners will investigate the use of different quality tools such as audit and service evaluation and how these inform change and drive the provision of quality care.
- This module will enable learners to explore how local, regional and national drivers influence the care they provide.
Apprentices studying this apprenticeship will:
- Develop the skills to critically analyse a range of information sources to inform decision making.
- Develop the leadership skills required to manage unpredictable and unplanned situations in the critical care environment.
- Develop the knowledge and skills required to provide education and training opportunities for others in the multi-disciplinary team
- Develop the knowledge, skills and values to communicate effectively with patients and their families/carers in the critical care environment.
- Develop the knowledge and skills to promote self-care for self and others working in the critical care environment.
- Develop the knowledge and skills required to achieve step 2 and step 3 of the CC3N competency framework.
Apprentices will supported throughout their apprenticeship journey.
Following completion of this apprenticeship learners will be able to access a range of other programmes including:
- Provide evidence of level 7 study for an MSc programme (if they meet all the entry requirements)
All applicants whether they are apprentices or non-apprentices are required to provide evidence that they have:
- Completed stage 1 of the CC3N framework in practice
- Be working in a critical care environment, minimum of 30 hours per week
- Evidence of level 6 study (where this is not available learners will need evidence of level 5 study and be asked to complete an assessment or interview prior to being offered a place on the programme)
Employers:
Cost of the apprenticeship will normally be in line with the funding band but individual agreements will be considered depending on student numbers and involvement of employers.
Apprentices:
Fees will be paid by your employer with government-funded support or through the apprenticeship levy.
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