Operating Department Practice with Foundation Year

This course includes a Foundation Year, so it is a 4-year course. The additional Foundation Year will allow you to develop your skills and build confidence in your academic abilities, identifying your strengths and weaknesses so you can progress onto the undergraduate course.

Our BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice course prepares you to become an essential part of the surgical team, working alongside surgeons, anaesthetists, and other healthcare professionals in high-pressure, life-saving environments.

Learn from experienced Practitioners with a wealth of experience. Using cutting-edge simulation facilities, you’ll build the clinical knowledge, technical skills, and confidence needed to excel in the operating theatre. You'll complete a series of placements across anaesthetics, surgery (scrub), and post-anaesthetic care, giving you invaluable real-world experience and a strong foundation for your career.

This degree is accredited by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), meaning upon successful graduation you can apply for registration as a qualified Operating Department Practitioner (ODP).

Why study BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice at BNU?
Support at every stage
During placements, you’ll have access to a BNU link lecturer, an NHS practice educator, a range of registered senior assessors, and additional registered supervisors to support you every step of the way. In the classroom, you’ll benefit from personalised one-on-one support from your tutors and the wider team.

Cutting-edge Facilities
We've invested in some of the best equipment for our students to practice their skills; we have an ultra-modern operating theatre for simulated practice, anaesthetic room, recovery area and related clinical environments with the latest high-fidelity simulation models. During this time, you will be immersed in a wide range of medical equipment that is identical to those seen within the clinical environment including: anaesthetic machines, surgical equipment, diathermy, cell salvage, laparoscopic simulator, operating table and fibreoptic scopes.

What will I study?
This is a fast-paced, challenging role and at BNU we know how essential preparation is. That's why we designed our Operating Department Practice degree to equip you with all the skills you need to start out on this exciting career path.

Throughout this course you will be able to gain experience as well as knowledge of the research behind perioperative care delivery. Our degree will help you gain what's needed to develop into a qualified practitioner and clinical placements will be undertaken throughout the course.

• Learn to provide high quality, individualised care for patients throughout their perioperative journey and beyond

• Work alongside other professionals in multi-disciplinary teams such as nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and health care support workers

• Cover all three phases of the acute care environment

• Demonstrate high standards in relation to professionalism, advocacy and decision making

• Demonstrate a high level of knowledge & skill with equipment related to this specialist area

• Prioritise patient care and safety in your work

• Our lecturers maintain close links with practice, ensuring that your course is always kept up-to-date and the skills you learn reflect the current standards of employers.

Alongside your studies, you will take part in a range of clinical placements with our NHS partner hospitals. We work with a range of hospitals across the region and our students are highly respected while out in practice. We consistently see a high rate of employability after completing the course. Many graduates are employed by the trust that they worked in while at university.

In addition to your degree, you are given the opportunity to achieve additional clinical qualifications. This includes the Immediate Life Support award, which is delivered at the University prior to completion of your studies.

Foundation Year
Core
Core Academic Skills for Health and Social Care
Personal Development and Teamworking for Health and Social Care
Communication in Health and Social Care
Evidence in Health and Social Care
Enquiry Based Care
Introduction to Ethics within Health and Social Care

Year one
Core
Fundamentals of Perioperative Practice
Promoting Safety within the Perioperative Environment
Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
Engaging in Perioperative Practice
Foundations of Theory and Practice
Developing Perioperative Practice
Caring for the Perioperative Patient

Year two
Core
Applied Anatomy and Physiology
Influence of Pathophysiology on Perioperative Care
Developing within the Perioperative Environment
Expanding Skills within the Perioperative Environment
Applying Evidence to Perioperative Care
Advancing Perioperative Practice
Leadership in Perioperative Practice

Year three
Core Modules
Extended Independent Work (Dissertation)
Coaching and Supervision of Others within the Perioperative Environment
Creating Autonomous Practice
Actualising Perioperative Practice
Management of the Deteriorating Patient

Optional Modules
Legalities and Ethical Considerations of the Advanced Role
Wellbeing and Resilience within the Clinical Environment

Within the operating department practice programme, we use a variety of teaching and assessment methods to help you succeed. You’ll benefit from lectures, seminars and group activities to ensure readiness for professional registration and autonomous clinical practice.

You’ll also take part in simulated learning experiences and sessions throughout the course using our specialised facilities. This will enable you to recreate authentic work-based scenarios and practise your skills in a safe environment.

A huge part of your learning will take place on clinical placements covering anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthetic care. Whilst in practice, you will be supported by a clinical member of staff who will provide mentorship, supervise your experience and assess that you are meeting the requirements of the course.

Both your theoretical knowledge and application in practice will be assessed on this course and methods include:

reflective course work
case studies
oral, written or visual presentations
unseen examinations
OSCEs
critique of evidence-based articles
dissertation
construction of an ePortfolio
practice competence demonstrated in practice*.

*80% minimum clinical placement attendance is required within the programme and is monitored within the Practice Placement Document

To ensure the programme remains current and responsive to the dynamic reformation of the NHS, we invite practitioners from our partner trusts to be involved in the delivery and on-going enhancement of the programme.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Health and Care Professions Council