This module provides the range of clinical skills and development required for practitioners working within the Breast Unit who wish to develop specific knowledge base and skills set in clinical breast examinations and respond to the communication needs of the patient (female or male) requiring or requesting breast care. It provides important role development in this area and facilitates elements of advance practice in breast imaging and breast care.

Available as a standalone module: Yes

Attendance (Please note, this is subject to change for future intakes)

Dates: For attendance information, please see the top of this page. Please note, if the module is full or closed for the intake(s) this academic year, dates may not appear. 

Venue: National Breast Screening Training Centre, King’s College NHS Foundation Trust & LSBU Southwark Campus

Typical intake(s): Semester 1

Career Benefits

The aim is for the student to be competent to perform clinical breast examination within the Breast Units and Breast Imaging Departments within the health care sector.

Assessment

EX1: 60 minute online exam

CW1: 2000 word assignment. 50% weighting. Pass mark: 50%.

Students choose 1 out of 4 options of clinical scenarios that they need to evaluate and analyse how they would respond to the clinical challenge with a focus on communication.

CW2: Portfolio. P/F

Record of clinical experience, minimum of 50 cases. The cases recorded must include an appropriate range of normal variation and disease. At least 10 cases (combination of benign and malignant breast disease/pathologies) 

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding:   

• Evidence a high level knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the breast.

Intellectual skills:

• Demonstrate a reflective and analytical approach to work.
• Engage in sound clinical reasoning, effective decision-making and good judgement.

Practical Skills:

• Evaluate and clinically examine a patient (female or male) presenting to a breast unit, contributing to the overall care and management of the patient within the context of the triple assessment approach to assessment of breast abnormalities.
• Synthesise information and findings from a review of the anatomy, physiology and pathology to produce a comprehensive report on the clinical breast examination, according to national and local guidelines and correlate with reported imaging findings.

Transferable skills:

• Self-evaluate and audit practice.
• Engage effective communication skills to meet the requirements of the patient and recognise when more specialist intervention is required.