HEALTH SCIENCE III

PRACTICAL SKILLS IN CLINICAL MEDICINE

Subject Description
 Practical skills are an essential part in health science industry. This subject aims to identify and summarize
basic practical skills in clinical medicine which provide evidence with respect to effective students’
learning of these skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. to initiate and develop basic practical clinical skills to students in a safe and structured environment by
reinforcing clinical learning;
2. to support the transition of the student’s clinical skills learning from theoretical aspect to the clinical area;
3. to integrate the learning of practical clinical skills with the skills of communication and team working –
enabling the patient’s experience of the clinical encounter to remain central to a student’s clinical skill
development; and
4. to promote development and enable research into medical education and assessment methods.

COURSE CONTENT

Communication Skills
 to develop effective communication skills with patients, families and other health care providers. with
patients:
 identify hidden agendas; recognize psychosocial issues;
 to demonstrate listening skills with probing and clarifying; work with multiproblem patients, angry
patients, and somaticizing patients.
 to demonstrate accurate and organized written and oral presentations of new admissions and follow-up
patients.

Cleaning and Disinfection

 Explain the principles of cleaning

 Describe different leaning methods (pre-cleaning, manual, automated)
 Explain the principles of disinfection
 Describe different disinfection methods (thermal and chemical)
 Describe the other key stages of cleaning and disinfection
 Describe the facilities and equipment required for cleaning and disinfection
 Describe testing and documentation requirements

Essentials of Physical Examination

Medical Interview
Physical Examination

 to obtain patient's history and physical exam in a logical, organized, and thorough manner.
accessing the medical literature and other information sources;
 to gather information needed on the patient case from family members, outside hospital records

Clinical Reasoning
Quality
Quantification

 to prioritize patient problems and formulate a differential diagnosis based on the key findings from the
history and physical examination and laboratory evaluation. diagnosis based on the key findings from the
history and physical examination and laboratory evaluation.
 to develop a logical and efficient management strategy, begin to understand risks, benefits, and compliance
issues in choosing a treatment.
The Assessment of Essential Vital Signs

 Identify and describe normal and abnormal pulse and respiratory rates and the factors affecting each.
 Describe the appropriate equipment and procedure for obtaining a blood pressure measurement.
 Identify normal and abnormal blood pressure, including factors affecting blood pressure.

Skin Testing and Wound Management Suturing

 Understand the principles of wound management as they apply to a simple laceration.

 demonstrate the preparation of a simple laceration for closure.
 demonstrate sterile technique while preparing and suturing a simple laceration on a model.
 demonstrate basic suturing techniques on a model.

Application of Uni-, Bi- and Triaxial Swathes

 To skillfully apply swathes, proper selection of a bandage and the type of swathe.

Visual Acuity Test

Snellen Eye Test Charts Interpretation

Random E

 To assess the ability of patients with binocular 6/9 or 6/12 vision on the Snellen chart(Snellen acuity) to
read a number plate at 20.5 m (the required standard for driving) and to determine how health professionals
advise such patients about driving.

Blood Chemistry Analysis

 Identify name, time, and date and correlate these with specimen request.
 Determine suitability of sample for analysis
 Use appropriate safety precautions in handling specimens.