Applied Health Care

What is the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care course?

The BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the Health Sciences Common Entry Route. This honours degree course allows the student to develop as a self aware, reflective graduate who is a confident practitioner and able to integrate and use their knowledge, skills and attitudes in a variety of health care situations and contexts by applying the best available evidence for their practice.

Unique Features

The modules included address areas of knowledge and skills that will prepare the graduate for a career in range of health care areas. Key areas of study include mental health and recovery, health promotion, ethical and legal issues, disability and palliative care. Students will complete a relevant work placement as part of the course, which allows you to put theory into practice. Prior to going on placement, students will be required to have satisfactory Garda Vetting/Police Clearance, Mandatory Training (CPR, Manual Handling) and Occupational Health. This will be coordinated by SETU Waterford staff.

Health care delivery is changing and there are now emerging roles in the multi-professional delivery of health care. Therefore the module ‘Technician Roles in Applied Health Care’ will support the student to explore these emerging roles and how they may interact with these in their careers.

There are evidence based practice modules in both semester 1 and semester 2. Inclusion of evidence based practice and research in this programme enables the student to develop critical thinking and analytical skills so as to be able to critically examine the evidence base in the area of applied health care.

The student will also study management and leadership in health care and through this module they will explore both the theoretical aspects of management and leadership but also will focus on how this knowledge can be utilised in health care practice. The management and leadership modules will enable them in become involved in both management of their own workload, but also to become involved in supervision of others.

The BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care will enable the student to:

• Understand the importance of research based evidence for health care practice, research paradigms and the research process
• Analyse the roles and responsibilities of the applied health care technical role including operating department practitioner (ODP), pharmaceutical technician (PT), Electrocardiogram (ECG) technician and Respiratory and Cardiac Technician
• Examine and explore current philosophical, legal and ethical issues
• Analyse the concepts of leadership and management theories and their application to healthcare practice
• Develop the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding to safely and appropriately apply health promotion theory to applied healthcare practice
• Analyse current challenges and barriers encountered by a person with a disability and examine the role of health care professionals as advocates for the people in their care
• Develop the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding of recovery in the context of mental health so as to best promote recovery in partnership with service users