About Operating Department Practice, University Diploma - at Sheffield Hallam University
This course helps you develop the skills and experience you need to become an operating department practitioner (ODP) and provide highly specialised assistance to surgeons, anaesthetists and other medical practitioners.
As an ODP, you play a vital role in the smooth and successful running of operating theatres and other critical care areas such as intensive care units.
The ODP is responsible for many aspects of patient care and the routine running of the operating theatre. This varies from day-to-day, depending on the surgery or procedures scheduled, and can include
ensuring that all instruments, drugs and equipment needed for an operating list are available and ready for immediate use
maintaining the operating department environment to make sure that it is a safe place
As a practitioner, you monitor the patient using sophisticated anaesthetic, surgical and diagnostic equipment. This aspect of patient care is complex but gives vital information about the patient's condition until they are discharged.
While at the University your learning takes place on the Collegiate Crescent Campushttp://www.shu.ac.uk/visit/plancollegiate.html in purpose built teaching rooms which include a fully equipped operating theatre, ward and clinical areas within the Robert Winston Building. Your learning consists of large and small group teaching, seminars, workshops, self-directed and tutor-directed study.
There are two university study blocks each year. These are complemented by the clinical placement experience which makes up 60 per cent of your course. The clinical experience enables you to match and translate your academic learning to the clinical skills needed to be an ODP.
While on placement, you work with your clinical mentor or other registered practitioners. This means that you are constantly supervised but as your skills develop you take more responsibility for the care of the patient. These skills are monitored and assessed until you are safe to practise with minimum supervision and ultimately independently.
You study some interprofessional education modules alongside students from other health disciplines, such as nurses, radiographers and paramedics. This shared learning experience allows you to develop teamworking and understand the contribution of different professionals.
As part of the course you complete a level 1 award in health awareness, which provides you with a certificate from the Royal Society of Public Healthhttp://www.rsph.org.uk/. We are currently the only university in the UK that offers this as part of our healthcare courses.
For more information please visit our operating department practitioner website at http://www.shu.ac.uk/odp or call 0114 225 5835.
